The Northampton public schools have been in the news a lot recently, especially with the recent election. Since the board of trustees race for Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School was uncontested, I thought I’d take an opportunity to share some general information about the school as well as some recent developments.

Smith Voc is the only independent vocational school in the state. It is not part of the Northampton public school district and it is not a regional district, although it does act like one: 80% of our students come from 63 communities outside of Northampton, from the Berkshires to the Quabbin.

There are just four agricultural high schools in the state, and Smith Voc is the only one west of Route 495. Our agricultural programs have been steadily growing. We recently added a companion animal concentration to our Animal Science shop. Our talented staff and students completely rebuilt an older building on campus to create a state-of-the art pet grooming facility and a pocket pet lab in another building.

Our Horticulture program grabbed unfortunate attention a few years ago when there was a fire that destroyed the shop. Since then, funding was secured from a variety of sources for a spectacular new building which was finished just in time for this school year. It is a wonderful educational space that includes an indoor climbing structure and a room for simulators where students can learn to operate heavy equipment.

Another unfortunate event that happened the same week as the fire was that part of the D Building roof blew off during a storm. D Building was constructed in the 1950s and has reached the end of its life span. Replacing it will cost a lot of money. The board of trustees recently approved funding for a feasibility study to explore all possible options to address this challenge.

Smith Voc is what is now called a wall-to-wall vocational school. Our students spend one week in their shops and one week in academics, alternating all year long. This model allows for students to be fully immersed in their vocational education during shop weeks, and also to go out on co-op once they are eligible as juniors. Co-op is where students work as apprentices in their placements with local industry partners. Instead of coming to school during shop weeks, co-op students report to work. Not only does this provide actual real-world experience, but it often results in job offers for students once they graduate.

There is now more student interest in vocational education than ever before. The increase in applications has resulted in long waiting lists for seats at vocational schools across Massachusetts, along with some criticism of their admissions policies. State officials just issued new regulations requiring all vocational schools to hold lotteries for admission. This will be a new practice for Smith Voc. The district leadership team is working tirelessly to ensure that the process is equitable and easily understood by students and their families who will be applying for the 2026-2027 school year.

You don’t have to have a student at the school to appreciate this incredible educational resource. You can come enjoy a delicious meal in the Oliver Smith Restaurant, have your hair and nails done in Cosmetology, and your car serviced in Automotive then detailed in Collision Repair. Graphics Communication will make your banners and business cards, Cabinet Making will craft a table for you, and Agricultural Mechanics will service your lawn mower or snow blower. Students in Carpentry, Plumbing, and Electrical all help build local Habitat for Humanity homes, while students in Advanced Manufacturing, Health Technology and Public Safety (formerly Criminal Justice) are preparing to meet critical workforce needs in our regional economy. And finally, we have a thriving adult education program after school hours.

Finally, we’d love to see community members at the PTO Craft Fair on Nov. 23!

Julie Spencer-Robinson is a member of the Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School Board of Trustees.