MONTAGUE — Franklin County Technical School is getting ready to welcome back students and staff for what will mark the school’s 50th year, and the first in more than a decade with a new superintendent at the helm.
The vocational school at 82 Industrial Blvd. serving grades nine through 12 will welcome the incoming freshman class on Thursday, Aug. 27. The 175 students will learn the ropes before the rest of the district returns on Monday, Aug. 31.
“We’re just ready to see our students and staff come back, and feel the energy that each new year brings, which is fun,” Principal Brian Spadafino said.
This academic year marks a milestone in a few ways. For one, this is the first freshman class to be admitted using the lottery system that all vocational schools in Massachusetts now use for admission, with Franklin Tech updating its admissions policy in October 2025.
Spadafino said the admission number is staying consistent when compared to other years.
In terms of academic and vocational classes, Spadafino said the school year is shaping up to be a typical one for students, despite the loss of some teaching and paraprofessional staff as part of fiscal year 2027 budget cuts. Similarly, all clubs and sports are on track to continue this year, as long as student interest remains steady.
Franklin Tech will welcome some new faces, including a new medical assisting instructor, an English teacher, an electrical instructor and a physical education teacher. A new special education teacher will also be coming on board, as the district saw an increase in students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), requiring extra assistance.
Another new face is Superintendent Ryan Rege. The former Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School principal was hired earlier this year, and started his tenure this summer. He is replacing Richard Martin, who retired after 17 years with the district, first as a principal and later as superintendent.
Rege is an adjunct professor at Westfield State and Fitchburg State universities, and had been Pathfinder’s principal since July 2024, having previously been Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School’s vocational programs director.
Another key event on the horizon for Franklin Tech is the Tuesday, Oct. 6 ballot vote for the 19 member municipalities, where residents will be asked to approve borrowing $236.6 million for a new building. Of that sum, the Massachusetts School Building Authority will reimburse up to $113.8 million in eligible costs, leaving $122.8 million for the member towns to pay off over the next 30 years starting in FY28.
The building project requires a simple majority vote to pass. Polls will be open from noon until 8 p.m.
50th anniversary celebration
To mark an important milestone, Franklin Tech is planning a community celebration for the district’s 50th anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Helping organize the celebration is Joe Gamache, the school’s dean of students and athletic director. He’s been at the district for 25 of those 50 years, and is working collaboratively with administrators to organize a full day of events, including athletic events.
The plans entail having local food trucks on campus for dining, live music and a DJ, games and activities for guests, and tours of the school.
“We’re also going to be offering opportunities for folks to … walk down what we’re calling a ‘memory lane,'” Gamache said. “There’s going to be photos from all the yearbooks from the past 50 years.”
Franklin Tech opened its doors in September 1976, with 600 students enrolled across the then-18 member municipalities after the building was constructed for $6.3 million, an October 1976 article from Greenfield Recorder archives explains.
For Gamache, celebrating 50 years of Franklin Tech is personal, having coached football at the school and found a “home” there. He said he’s grown to love the district community, as well as staying in touch with alumni.
“I think it’s exciting,” Spadafino said about how he feels celebrating 50 years of Franklin Tech. “It’s exciting as we look at the possibility of a new building project, but knowing that we’ve done some good things in this community for a long time, and we continue to give back, and our kids — and our shops — do amazing projects outside this building.”
