Everett High School has asked the state to approve two new Chapter 74 vocational programs, Public Safety and Multimedia and Broadcast Production, and has applied for two $1 million state grants to build a medical assisting simulation lab and a dedicated programming space, career and technical education director Siobhan Araya told the School Committee on Monday, June 15, the last regular meeting of the school year.
“We recently completed the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on-site review and we’re very optimistic that these programs will be approved,” Araya said. The advisory committees for the two programs include the Everett fire and police departments, Malden District Court, WBZ News, the Boston Bruins and Odyssey Radio, and Endicott College and Suffolk University have agreed to discuss articulation. Carpentry students already built a courtroom and a broadcast anchor desk for the proposed programs.
The year in CTE
Araya said the class of 2026 has a 90 percent positive placement rate, with 65 percent of CTE graduates headed to college, 15 percent to jobs, apprenticeships or training, and 10 percent to the military. Everett inducted 94 juniors and seniors into its first National Technical Honor Society chapter, won its first Career Technical Initiative grant to start an evening culinary program for adults this fall, and will place its first advanced manufacturing co-op student at Tecomet, a medical device maker. Alex Cain of North Shore Community College, the advanced manufacturing chair, said the students are “second to none” even measured against the vocational high schools he works with. Other chairs reported more than 200 OSHA certifications, a second SawStop saw in carpentry, a coming certified nursing assistant credential in health assisting, new espresso training for hospitality, Endicott dual enrollment in marketing, and a 100 percent college placement rate for programming graduates.
Asked by member Jeanne Cristiano about an electrical program, Araya said electrical, HVAC and plumbing are on the viability form the committee approved in 2024 and are part of new-building discussions, and that IBEW Local 103 will visit in the fall. Vice Chair Marcony Almeida Barros said the real barrier is space: “even if we had the money,” the district does not have it, “but maybe we will in the future. Right, Mr. Mayor?” “Never say never,” Mayor Robert Van Campen answered.
Also June 15
- At Chair Samantha Hurley’s suggestion, the committee voted 8-0 to drop the second regular meetings in February and April from the 2026-27 calendar because they fall in vacation weeks, days after the prior meeting, and rarely carry business; the chair can call a special meeting on 48 hours’ notice.
- The committee exercised the first of two one-year extensions of the Whitsons Culinary Group food service contract, 8-0, with no change in terms. Member Robin Babcock noted the district compared vendors last year before choosing Whitsons.
- Outgoing student representative Emma Perry announced the 2027 class officers, led by president Mia Allen, and introduced Samira Khobzy as next year’s student representative.
- Superintendent William Hart said more than 8,000 people watched 560 seniors graduate June 3, with speeches by Danica Pham, valedictorian Lucas Martins and salutatorian Kenton Tran. Kindergarten ends June 22 and grades 1 through 11 end June 23 at 11 a.m. The strategic planning group of 70 holds its final session June 22.
- Hurley reported as Everett’s Shore Educational Collaborative board member that the Shore serves 15 Everett students and has 22 trained interpreters in seven languages.
- The committee approved disposal of 46 outdated CTE textbooks and adjourned at 7:46 p.m. Members Joseph D’Onofrio and Joseph LaMonica were absent.
Previous School Committee meeting (May 19): Devens School Tells the Everett School Committee ‘You Belong Here’; 107 CTE Seniors Present Capstones and an AI Career Platform Wins
