The Future of BVT is With Steele

BVT Has a New Superintendent
For the first time in 31 years, we are proud to announce that, effective July 1st, Assistant Superintendent-Director/Principal Mr. Anthony E. Steele II will become the next Superintendent-Director, making him the fourth leader in Blackstone Valley Tech's (BVT) history. With a three-year agreement, he will take over for Dr. Michael F. Fitzpatrick, who will retire at the end of June. We’re excited about Steele’s leadership and his vision for the future.

With nearly three decades of education experience at BVT, Mr. Steele has held many roles. The first was in 1997, when he began his career as an English teacher. He can still recall his first interview for this position.

“I vividly remember cresting the hill on Pleasant Street in 1997 and laying my eyes on our school for the first time. Customary jitters aside, I was relieved that my McNally Road Atlas led me to our campus on time and without incident. I was confident, yet hopeful to be offered the job, but I never imagined that BVT would become my home for the next 28 years and come to represent my life’s work.”

For BVT, it was an exciting and pivotal time when education reform would challenge vocational schools to meet the MCAS standard. Bringing a vocational perspective to the position, Steele said, “As a 22-year-old construction worker, I hung up my hard hat to try my hand at teaching English. I never anticipated the numerous opportunities for professional growth beyond improving my classroom teaching.”

When Mr. Steele was named Assistant Principal/Director of Curriculum in 2001, we sustained a feverish pace of redefining what was possible in vocational education.  

“It was thrilling to be a key player in transforming BVT from a strong, traditional vocational school to a nationally acclaimed career-technical center for the new era.”

He says there has never been a dull moment in his career. “For the past thirteen years, I have been honored to serve as the Assistant Superintendent-Director/Principal under Dr. Fitzpatrick, who encouraged innovation and embraced change,” said Mr. Steele. “My leadership experiences and growth at BVT were not accidental, but rather a philosophy in action that has allowed our school to develop talent, maintain focus on our mission, and ensure smooth transitions as time passes. We strategically develop succession plans to maintain a deep bench of talent that ensures the upward trajectory of our school for generations. I am well prepared to build on Dr. Fitzpatrick’s legacy and lead our school on a continued path of innovation and excellence.”  

Mr. Steele has also served on various state committees and held leadership positions in professional organizations throughout his career, including the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators and the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators Association. He appreciates the perspective gained from his longevity at BVT and is most proud of the school’s culture of high expectations, collegiality, and the resulting success of its graduates.

Mr. Steele has been a key player in transforming the school into the successful model it is today. His foresight for the future is exciting for many reasons, and he has several immediate goals for the district:
 

• Expand Access to Career Technical Education (CTE): Establish the Blackstone Valley Technical Institute, which will expand our adult Moonlight Program to implement 200-hour, credential-based programs in HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, Welding, and Advanced Manufacturing. This grant-funded program will allow us to deliver high-quality CTE to adults interested in upskilling and retraining, provide skilled labor to the local workforce, and generate non-taxpayer revenue to help fund the school.
   
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Across the Curriculum: Continue to refine our AI Governance policies as we embrace this technology in our teaching and learning. We are training our academic teachers and vocational instructors to use AI in their classrooms and shops, and likewise, we are training our students on the responsible use of AI. It is vital that we stay current with emerging AI tools and practices and that our graduates are prepared to utilize AI in the modern workplace. 
   
• Maximize the benefits of the "Skills-Based-Hiring" Movement: Through our Cooperative Education (Co-Op) Program, we will continue to increase the number of students placed in Co-Op employment positions. Over 180 students participate in Co-Op each year, providing a seamless pathway to employment after graduation. Our students learn sophisticated career planning through their Career Enrichment courses, and we are giving extra attention to analyzing emerging opportunities as the Skills-Based-Hiring movement grows nationwide. We will also continue to work with employers to create attractive opportunities for seniors going directly to work after graduation.
   
• Expand the Role of The Valley Tech Education Foundation: With sensitivity that there are fewer tax and State dollars available each year, it is imperative to generate alternative revenue streams to maintain the quality of education at BVT. We wish to increase the Education Foundation’s efforts to seek charitable donations through businesses, foundations, and the private sector, and expand fundraising activities and events. The goal is to strengthen the quality of education and student opportunities at BVT while decreasing the reliance on member town assessments.
   

“I am eager to provide the unique blend of administrative experience, historical perspective, local knowledge, leadership style, and philosophy required of the next superintendent-director,” said Mr. Steele. “I am honored to serve my school in this new role, and I am very excited about our future.”   

Having nurtured the talent within its administrative team, BVT has qualified, prepared internal candidates for the assistant superintendent-director and principal roles, and we will lead an exhaustive search for outside candidates as well. Either way, we will continue to be led by bold, innovative, mindful leaders with new ideas.