No dropouts for Westfield Vocational in 2013-14

Date: 2/6/2015

WESTFIELD – The statewide dropout rates are on the decline, dropping to a three-decade low of 2 percent, but one Westfield School went even further.

Westfield Vocational Technical High School’s dropout rate went flat at 0 percent.

Principal Stefan Czaporowski said that this feat is not one that they are taking lightly.

“In a country where thousands of students drop out every day, it is a remarkable number,” he said.

Though Czaporowski said he is excited about this number, it is not one that came out of nowhere. The dropout rate for Westfield Vocational has been on the decline since 2008, when its rate was 7.5 percent. From there it dropped to 2.5 percent in 2012, then 1.5 percent in 2013.

The 2013-14 school year saw 117 seniors enter in the fall, and 114 walked across the stage to receive a diploma in June. Two students moved to other school districts, where they graduated, and one finished a class over the summer and graduated in August.

“Everyone that was supposed to get a diploma did, and that is just incredible,” Czaporowski said.

The decline in dropouts has not been because of one particular factor, Czaporowski said. He credited his staff, as well as a mentor program to being the biggest reasons they are able to keep students engaged and walking across the stage come June.

Westfield Vocational’s mentor program matches students who are identified as potentially at risk with adults in the community. Czaporowski said they encourage the students to do their work, stay in school and to become career-focused.

In addition to the dropout rates being affected, he said that the school has been sending more students on to two or four year colleges than ever before.

Czaporowski said the teachers and staff at Westfield Vocational also help keep students on the right track because they understand the importance of establishing relationships with students and stressed the value of education.

“It’s a tribute to the staff too. We all work very hard to keep kids in school because today more than ever you need a high school diploma to do anything,” Czaporowski said. “The teachers just really try to build a relationship with our students as soon as they get here to support them.”

Other area schools touting a 0 percent dropout rate are Longmeadow High School and Smithfield Academy in Hatfield.