Page 8 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 5, 2025 Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner visits Northeast Metro Tech to celebrate first day of classes S tudents were welcomed back to a new year of classes at Northeast Metro Tech by friends, teachers, faculty and staff members, and a special guest: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Pedro Martinez. On July 1, 2025, Martinez became the 25th DESE commissioner. As schools statewide opened their doors for a new school year, Martinez chose to visit Northeast Metro Tech, joining students in celebrating the first day of classes. “As I tour schools throughout the Commonwealth and greet students as they start their year, I was struck by the energy and joy of the students and staff at Northeast Metro Tech,” said Commissioner Martinez. “It was a pleasure to hear them speak about all the programs that their school offers.” Alongside Superintendent David DiBarri and other faculty members, Commissioner Martinez greeted the students with a warm welcome as they entered the school. Students Students presented the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner, Pedro Martinez, with a Massachusetts Association of School Committees poster as he welcomed them to school. From left: Building Committee member Blanca Gacharna, Assistant Superintendent Tracey O’Brien, Commissioner Martinez, Rosemary Brady of Reading, Trevor Burt of Melrose, Superintendent David DiBarri and State Representative Donald Wong. (Photo Courtesy Northeast Metro Tech) presented the Commissioner with a Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) poster, which highlights the different geographState Representative Donald Wong, Superintendent David DiBarri, DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez, teachers and students pose in a world language classroom in front of a bulletin board featuring the Mexican flag. (Photo Courtesy Northeast Metro Tech) DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez engages with cosmetology students. (Photo Courtesy Northeast Metro Tech) ic divisions of school districts statewide, as well as unique divisions, such as urban and vocational-technical districts, the latter being the home for Northest Metro Tech. The Commissioner’s visit did not end there. Once students entered the building and settled into their first classes, Commissioner Martinez got to experience a taste of the educational programs the school has to offer by visiting dental assisting, cosmetology and world language classrooms. In each classroom, Commissioner Martinez connected with teachers and students about their respective programs and learned about the unique learning opportunities provided to students to prepare them for post-graduate experiences. While visiting the cosmetology classroom, he advised students of the loyal bond between hairdressers and their customers that they would experience as post-graduate professionals. In the world language classroom, Commissioner Martinez, a native of Mexico, engaged with students and staff in Spanish and took a photo with them in front of the Mexican flag, which was displayed on a bulletin board in the classroom. While the Commissioner’s visit to Northeast Metro Tech was a bright start to the 202526 school year, it was also a bittersweet day for all, as it marked the school building’s last first day. The current school building, which is over 50 years old and has taught alumni like Superintendent DiBarri himself, will be demolished following the completion of the brand-new school building project, which is expected to be finished in the spring of 2026. “Commissioner Martinez’s visit was a wonderful start to a new school year, and we were honored to have him come to our school,” said Assistant Superintendent Tracey O’Brien. “While it is bittersweet that we are moving out of our current school building, we are excited to extend Northeast Metro Tech’s history and tradition to a new building that upgrades learning environments and opportunities for students.” DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez greets students outside of Northeast Metro Tech as they enter the school for their first day of classes. (Photo Courtesy Northeast Metro Tech)
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