Spring 2024 Vocational Program Admissions
The district has opened the vocational program application. We will announce the date of the lottery closer to the end of the preferred application window.
Apply through this form for the CVTE programs at Doherty, North, and South. Applications for the 2024-25 school year will be accepted from January 23-March 28, 2024. For answers to your questions, please email Julieanne Gamache, Director of CVTE.
All middle school counselors were sent the following:
The comprehensive schools (Doherty, North, South) all have the same application procedures and use the same application.
At the end of January, the district will turn on the application (Google Form) which is available on the Career Pathways section of the WPS website. Doherty administration will link the same application to the ETA page once it is available.
On this application, students need to select their preferred program (e.g. Doherty - ETA). They can only select one of the comprehensive high school programs. Students can choose to apply to WTHS as well, though, if they wish.
The applications are collected and processed throughout the spring and summer.
If you have old paper-based applications, please throw these away. All applications must be done through this online form.
In the beginning of April, Doherty will hold the tiered lottery to select students. Therefore, the preferred application deadline is March 15, but applications are still accepted after this point.
If a student is applying from a private/parochial or non-WPS school, please reach out to John Staley at StaleyJ@worcesterschools.net as you will be asked to provide additional documentation in order to process and rank your application.
Admissions Lottery
The Doherty ETA vocational program lottery will be scheduled for early-April. This event will be recorded and the video will be made available on this ETA website.
The lottery will be live-streamed. All applicants will be notified by email and via the postal service with lottery information.
Spring 2023 Application Information
To all 8th grade students during the 2022-2023 school year:
There is a new online application available. This application is a link that will be available in January. The link will be posted on this ETA site.
This is a district-based application and students need to select one program to which to apply. Information about the ETA program is available on this Google Site, or you can contact the ETA Guidance Counselor (Mr. Halfmann - HalfmannW@worcesterschools.net), the ETA Assistant Principal (Mr. Capstick - CapstickE2@worcesterschools.net), or the ETA Application and CVTE Coordinator (Mr. Staley - StaleyJ@worcesterschools.net)
Information about all CVTE programs at Doherty, North, and South High Schools, as well as the new application, is available on the WPS Career Pathways page (Under Academics).
The Engineering & Technology Academy (ETA) is a personalized learning environment with high expectations where students receive the support needed to successfully complete a rigorous course of study. Students will engage in activities that will demonstrate the connections within various disciplines as concepts are reinforced in multiple contexts. With involvement from parents and community members opportunities for learning will extend beyond the classroom walls. The ETA is designed for students, parents, staff, and members of the community to work collaboratively to ensure the success of each child. ETA graduates will have the knowledge, experience, confidence, and problem-solving skills required to be successful in their future endeavors in our everchanging world.
The Engineering & Technology Academy (ETA) was established in 2002, and received its vocational charter in 2009. In grades 9 and 10, the ETA students are teamed, similar to the students’ experiences in many middle schools. This model has helped ease some of the challenges faced by students as they transition from middle to high school. To further help student performance, Grade 9 ETA teachers utilize AVID strategies and philosophies. These AVID strategies stress good student skills, such as effective note-taking, time management, study strategies, and organization. In grades 11 and 12, students may continue to take the Engineering and Technology courses, though they are not teamed throughout their academic subjects. This provides the students greater access to the range of elective, Advanced Placement (AP), and Virtual High School courses offered at Doherty.
The Engineering & Technology Academy works closely with local business, industry and higher education institutions. The ETA and Worcester Polytechnic Institute partnership was nationally recognized by the American Society for Engineering Education as a premier high school and university team. The Boston Museum of Science featured the ETA as an example of a strong alignment between the public schools and post-secondary institutions.