Page 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 11, 2026 A New School for a New School Year T The 2026-27 academic year began with excitement for Saugus students attending the new Northeast metro Tech By Mark E. Vogler he 118 Saugus students who returned to class last week at the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School couldn’t have asked for a better way to begin their new school year. They were among 1,495 students from 12 different communities who walked through the doors of a brand-new $335 million, 380,000-square-foot building – double the space of the old Voke School they left when they went on summer vacation. “I’m excited to have this space for our last year,” said Sabryna Serra, a senior student from Saugus enrolled in the Plumbing Program. “There’s so much more light, so many windows. Kids will learn more; the environment is better and more engaging,” Serra said. Longtime Superintendent David DiBarri said last week that he’s getting a lot of positive feedback from students walking into the building for the first time. “Some of the freshmen when they come in say ‘I feel like I’m in college,’” DiBarri said last week during an interview while conducting a tour of The new Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School opened last week in Wakefield. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) the new building. “I like that vibe – that kids feel like they are in a higher level institution and are more mature than high school kids,” he said. Voke staff are as impressed about the new Voke School as the students. “This is amazing,” said Erika DeVincent, a Dental Assisting Instructor who lives in Saugus who has been on the Voke staff for five years. She is one 15 Saugus residents working as teachers and staff members at the school. “The incredible amount of space, combined with the newest and most innovative techJ& • Reliable Mowing Service • Spring & Fall Cleanups • Mulch & Edging • Sod or Seed Lawns • Shrub Planting & Trimming • Water & Sewer Repairs Joe Pierotti, Jr. nology, is going to make such a difference for our students,” DeVincent said. “Our new school will give our students an opportunity to learn in an environment that is much closer to what they will experience in the real world. It will better prepare them for their future careers and give them the confidence and skills they need to succeed,” she said. DeVincent, a 2007 Saugus High School graduate, has strong family ties to the Voke. She attended night school in 2009 for dental assisting at the old Voke. Her mother is a gradS LANDSCAPE & MASONRY CO. Masonry - Asphalt • Brick or Block Steps • Brick or Block Walls • Concrete or Brick Paver Patios & Walkways • Brick Re-Pointing • Asphalt Paving www.JandSlandscape-masonry.com • Senior Discount • Free Estimates • Licensed & Insured 617-389-1490 THE LIVING WALL: Northeast Metro Tech School Superintendent David DiBarri said luscious green plants sprouting from within a massive wooden frame help to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the building. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) Designing and Constructing Ideas that are “Grounds for Success” Landscaping uate from Cosmo in the Class of 1980 and her son Steven is a sophomore in the Electrical Program at the school. “He thinks the new school is amazing! He is excited for more learning space and a new shop; in addition he is happy to have the large multi-purpose room with new mats that will be used for wrestling,” DeVincent said. Saugus Attorney Peter A. Rossetti Jr., secretary and the town’s longtime representative to the Northeast Metro Tech School Committee, said he is impressed with the Voke’s new facilities, but wishes that more Saugus kids could attend the school. “I am thrilled to see the new school. It is magnificent, and I am sure the school will educate our students to the highest level possible. It is truly amazing how great the facility is and what our students will accomplish there,” Rossetti said. p - da - den em no and Erika DeVincent, a Dental Assisting Instructor from Saugus, said she is awed by “The incredible amount of space” that’s available to students in the new Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School, which opened last week. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) brightest students are being overlooked because the new state-mandated admissions system is based solely on chance, not on students’ capabilities, desires, or abilities,” Rossetti said. “Some of the students are there just because they don’t want to attend their current school, not because they want a vocational education. It is a shame that some of the best students we have had apply were turned down or waitlisted solely because of a computer lottery,” he said. Several Voke students shared their first impressions of the new school: Noah DiPiero, a junior student in the Auto Technology NEW SCHOOL | SEE PAGE 7
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