Southeastern Regional Voc Tech Celebrates Grand Opening of New Gymnasium

The Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School community were excited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony at the school district’s new gymnasium on Tuesday.

Part of a $32 million addition and renovation project which officially began Nov. 30, 2011, the new gymnasium meets Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) size requirements and MSBA size guidelines for the enrolled student population.

Funding for the project came from three distinct sources. The district qualified for a reimbursement rate of 80 percent of allowable expenses through funding by the Massachusetts School Building Authority; Member communities continue to pay a combined $192,000 per year as part of their annual capital expenditure budget for their vocational technical high school; The adult education programs, along with other revenue generating sources, annually generated approximately $200,000 that is used for capital improvements to the facility. The District School Committee authorized the debt for the renovation project, including the payment of all bonds and notes totaling $6,102,000. They further voted to pay for these bonds from the three funding sources, resulting in no increase in assessments to member communities.

Master of Ceremonies Joseph Dutcher opened the program with a moment of silence for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. After drawing attention to Southeastern’s mission to develop lifelong learners, he introduced the distinguished guests: State Representative F. Jay Barrows, principal David Wheeler, State Representative Geoffrey Diehl, superintendent Luis Lopes and School Committee members Mark Linde, Chairman Michael Pietrowski, William Flannery and Roberta Harback.

Geoffrey G. Diehl, State Representative of the 7th Plymouth District extended congratulations for the team work it took to build the gym and for “being part of the hope that the Commonwealth is providing for our country.” State Representative F. Jay Barrows praised Southeastern Regional for the vocational opportunities enjoyed by families and students within his constituency.

“Today is about the kids,” Lopes said.

Participating in the official snipping of the royal blue ribbon were Mr. Dutcher, Representatives Diehl and Barrows and School Committee members Pietrowski, Linde and Flannery.

Other guests included administration, staff, students, parents and fiscal partners.

At the conclusion, guests were invited to tour the school or stay for the boys’ basketball games with Southeastern playing Blue Hills freshmen, junior varsity and varisty.

A week of firsts at the new gymnasium will continue on Thursday when Southeastern’s girls’ basketball teams will face off against West Bridgewater, junior varsity at 5 p.m. and varsity at 6:30 p.m. The first ever all school assembly will take place 10 a.m. at the new facility, which will accommodate the entire student body as well as staff.

Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School is a public 9-12 vocational high school located in South Easton, Massachusetts, serving approximately 1,255 students from the city of Brockton and the towns of East Bridgewater, Easton, Foxborough, Mansfield, Norton, Sharon, Stoughton and West Bridgewater.