Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy (formerly Roger L. Putnam Vocational-Technical High School) is an American vocational high school located in
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...
, next to the
Springfield High School of Science and Technology
The Springfield High School of Science and Technology (HSST) is a public high school located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. The high school is home to grades 9–12. As of September 2008, the student count was approximately 1,700 ...
. Led by principal George Johnson and operating under the authority of the Springfield School Committee, Putnam Vocational provides academic and vocational instruction to students in grades nine through twelve throughout the Springfield area. The school is receiving Title I funds from the
.
Student body
Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy serves 1,632 students throughout the Springfield area. Of these, 27.1% are African American, 1.5% are Asian, 56.8% are Hispanic, 11.8% are white, and 2.8% are identified as "other". Further populations identified include the percentage of First Language not English (27%), Limited English Proficient (8.6%), Low Income (72.4%), and Special Education (23.3%). Students' years may be identified by their uniform shirts: freshmen are to wear gray polos and black and navy blue pants, shorts, or skirts, whereas upperclassmen may wear blue or gold, which are Putnam's school colors. The graduation rate is 69.7%. The school does not appear to report plans for graduating seniors to the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), sometimes referred to as the Massachusetts Department of Education, is the state education agency for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, identified by the U.S. Department ...
.
Performance
Although it has shown small improvements over the years, Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy is currently designated as a Level 3 school by the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), sometimes referred to as the Massachusetts Department of Education, is the state education agency for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, identified by the U.S. Department ...
as of March 2016. In 2010, no demographic achieved the goals set
Adequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing ac ...
(AYP) by the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), sometimes referred to as the Massachusetts Department of Education, is the state education agency for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, identified by the U.S. Department ...
for English Language Arts, as measured by attendance, standardized test scores, and other factors. In mathematics, only white students made (AYP) (except "Meets or exceeds state requirements"), with all other demographics (save African American) posting a loss of progress. From 2003 onward, the years 2004 and 2008 were the most recent years in which the school met AYP.
Schedule
Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy operates on a swing-week schedule. Each week is designated as either 'A' week or 'B' week. During an 'A' week, approximately half of the student body are in their vocational shop for the entirety of the school day while the other half attend academic classes. The next week, the students switch to a 'B' week schedule, where the classes taken (academic or vocational) are switched.
Vocational-technical education
As a vocational-technical high school, Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy offers instruction in the following vocational shops: Auto Mechanics, Automotive Body, Graphic Art, Commercial Art, Business Information Management, Sheet Metal, Carpentry, Cosmetology, Culinary, Hospitality/Tourism,
HVAC
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HV ...
, Horticulture, Marketing and Retail, and Radio/Film and TV, Allied health, child care, design and visual, and culinary. Ninth-grade students are placed in an exploratory program where they have the opportunity to experience many shops in a rotating schedule. At the end of the exploratory cycle, students are expected to select a shop in which they will further their vocational education. A combination of technical hands-on work coupled with a more academic theory 'related' portion assists the students in their learning. As juniors and seniors, students have to opportunity to apply for co-operative education programs and internships where students are essentially employees of the business and are able to earn money and academic credit while being exposed to the real-world demands of their vocation.
Extracurricular activities
Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy offers a wide variety of sports for its students. Among their most successful and renowned teams are the Putnam football team, winning several Super Bowls throughout the years. Putnam offers baseball, softball, wrestling, swimming, soccer, cheerleading, volleyball, basketball, and track.
In addition to athletics, Putnam has a moderate number of extracurricular activities which extend the learning process beyond the typical school day. Most notable are the United States Marine Corps
JROTC
The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC -- commonly pronounced "JAY-rotsee") is a federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools and also in some middle schools across the United States and at US military ...
, winning several unit inspections and competitions each year as well as Cadet of the Year Medals. Putnam also has an active
SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a United States career and technical student organization serving more than 395,000 high school, college and middle school students and professional members enrolled in training programs in trade, technical and skilled service occu ...
chapter, advancing several students to the state finals in 2011 and eventually winning six gold medals. Putnam is an active participant in the national
Future Farmers of America
National FFA Organization is an American 501(c)(3) youth organization, specifically a career and technical student organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education. It was founded in 1925 at Vi ...
(
FFA), an agriculturally-themed organization for students in the Horticulture shop. In its second year, the students have brought home two gold and one silver medals. Finally, the Putnam Debate team, the first vocational member of the
National Catholic Forensic League
The National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) is a speech and debate league that was formed in 1951. It is organized into regions that correspond to Roman Catholic dioceses. Member schools include both public and parochial high schools. The NCFL r ...
, is also of note, sending one student to the 2010 National tournament in Omaha, NE. Other activities include Poetry Out Loud, Forensics Club, Chinese Club, Yu-Gi-Oh Club, Outdoor Club, Ski Club and many others.
New building
Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy's old building has been demolished in favor of a newer building replacing it. The building, featuring the school's new name, Roger L. Putnam Vocational-Technical Academy, was dedicated before the 2012–2013 academic year. 2012.
[http://www.wggb.com/global/story.asp?s=12495665] The building was originally budgeted at $125 million but was revised to $114.3 million later in construction. The Massachusetts School Building Authority is reimbursing the city for 90% of the project's cost.
The building is designed to be reminiscent of a shopping mall, with many vocational areas maintaining a storefront where their wares may be bought and sold. Vocational technology has also been updated across the board for all shops.
Notable alumni
*
Kevin Fret
Kevin Fret Rodríguez (June 11, 1993 – January 10, 2019) was a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and the first openly gay male Latin trap artist. He was known for his gender-variant looks.
Career
Between 2016 and 2018, Fret participated in sin ...
(1994–2019), trap musician and rapper
*
Orlando Ramos
Orlando Ramos is an American politician serving as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 9th Hampden district. Elected in November 2020, he assumed office on January 6, 2021.
Early life and education
Ramos was born ...
, member of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
References
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Educational institutions in the United States with year of establishment missing
High schools in Springfield, Massachusetts
Public high schools in Massachusetts