Oct 
Friends of Vocational Technical & Agricultural Education,
We are excited to share this piece, broadcast on WPRI TV Channel 12.
You can watch the video at this link: https://www.wpri.com/back-to-school/fall-rivers-new-diman-voc-tech-school-to-open-next-year/
David
Fall River’s new Diman Voc-Tech school to open next year
new Diman Voc-Tech school to open next year
by: Melanie DaSilva, Kait Walsh
Updated: Sep 8, 2025 / 11:39 AM EDT
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<![endif]>FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — Students at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School in Fall River just experienced their “last” first day at its current building.
The new building is currently being built on the former athletic fields, which is set to open next fall. Once that happens, the current decades-old building will be demolished and become the new athletic fields. Construction has been ongoing since the groundbreaking back in November 2023. Some of the workers are even Diman graduates themselves.
While students watch from inside the current building, their education reflects what the new building will provide. That’s why there is a waitlist to get in.
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<![endif]>“We will be capped at 1,500. I don’t think it will be long after that that we hopefully expand again,” Superintendent Brian Bentley said.
“There are 877 applications for 385 positions, so it’s very competitive,” he continued. “Based on that number alone, that gave us the idea, the concept, and the push that we needed to build the school. Diman is well respected in the Westport, Fall River, Somerset, and Swansea communities. The students want to come here.”
Bentley said the new building costs about $305 million.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority determines the size and cost, but since the footprint of Diman is limited, so is the acceptance.
“In vocational education, the only way that you learn is by doing. And to do so, you’re going to have what some people consider waste,” Bentley said. “You’re in culinary arts and you’re cooking; you’re probably going to burn the toast a few times. And if you’re in metal fabrication and welding, there’s a lot of, not waste, but as you practice, that metal becomes no good for building projects, but it becomes good practice for the students.”
Bentley said there won’t be lockers in the school except for in the shops since almost everything is on Chromebooks, which every student has.
Chapter 74 Vocational Technical & Agricultural Education
LEARNING THAT WORKS FOR MASSACHUSETTS
David J. Ferreira
MAVA Communications Coordinator
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