Friends of Vocational Technical & Agricultural Education,
Massachusetts vocational technical & agricultural education has innumerable partners and supporters that assist our students in receiving the highest quality Chapter 74 education, the “Gold Standard” in the United States.
Associations, collaboratives, business & industry, local, state, & federal government, and non-profits. The list is expansive.
Sometimes they are special professionals, who behind the scenes are impacting our students and schools.
From time to time, we like to recognize these folks and in particular the remarkable individuals who are in our spotlight today.
David
John Bagni
A teacher and cluster chair at Shawsheen Valley Technical High School, has been reappointed to the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians.
John serves as MAVA’s representative on the Electrical Board. Last year he helped lead the fight to block the idea of allowing online/distance learning for the Journeyman, Master, Systems Technician, and Systems Contractor Electricity programs.
In March of 2022, the MAVA Board of Directors voted unanimously to oppose such online learning. John rallied his fellow Board members (including David Edmonds of DESE) to defeat the idea.
John Bagni has been a great asset on the Electrical Board, and we are pleased he has been reappointed ana appreciate his service.
Since 2007, the Pioneer Institute has been a very strong advocate for vocational technical & agricultural education and continues its support today! Over the past 16 years, Pioneer has produced White Papers”, Op-Eds, Webinars, & Podcasts in support of our students and schools. Last year, Pioneer produced and published a book was distributed across the country along with a Toolkit.
In March 2023 said in a nationwide webinar, Jamie Gass said in referencing vocational technical & agricultural schools “…..they have made the most educational performance …and have done this while preparing students for careers….this is a great story of educational achievement.”
Jim is the Executive Director of Pioneer Institute, a Boston-based think tank founded in 1988.
Prior to joining Pioneer, Jim was Chief of Staff and Undersecretary for Policy in the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, where he drove efforts on water policy, regulatory and permit reform, and urban revitalization.
His prior experience includes founding and managing a business, teaching at the university level, and serving as headmaster at a preparatory school.
Jim serves on the Board of Advisors at Boston University, where he earned a doctoral degree in Political Science
Jamie Gass
Jamie is the Pioneer Institute’s Director of the Center for School Reform.
At Pioneer, he has framed, commissioned, and managed over 100 research papers and numerous policy events on K-12 education reform topics, including several with Pulitzer Prize-winning historians. Jamie has more than two decades of experience in public administration and education reform at the state, municipal, and school district levels.
Previously, he worked at the Massachusetts Office of Educational Quality and Accountability as Senior Policy Analyst-Technical Writer and in the state budget office under two Massachusetts governors. In the 1990s, Jamie worked for the Dean of the Boston University School of Education/Boston University Management Team in its historic partnership with the Chelsea Public Schools. He has appeared on various Boston media outlets, as well as talk radio shows throughout the country.
Jamie was the recipient of MAVA’s “Recognition Award” for 2009
 Chris Sinacola:
Chris is Pioneer’s Director of Communications and Media Relations. He is responsible for outreach to the public and the media, and for managing the Institute’s online presence. Chirs was the lead co-editor of “Hands-On Achievement” and has edited three Pioneer Institute books on education. Chris was a reporter, columnist, and editorial page editor at the Telegram & Gazette in Worcester. |
David J. Ferreira
MAVA Communications Coordinator
DavidFerreira
