Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick

Superintendent-Director | Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District

As the eldest of seven children, Michael Fitzpatrick was disenchanted with where he was headed after high school.
Although he was employed, his father was concerned he was curtailing his future options by not attending college. He lived in Milford, Mass., and had a few friends attending Quinsigamond Community College, so he decided to as well.

“QCC created a springboard for me,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said. “I found the professors were interested in motivating students and used diverse teaching methods to reach students.” After attending QCC, he went onto Westfield State College for his bachelor’s of education and master’s of education in the supervision and administration of occupational education. He also received a doctorate in education administration from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

The Monson resident has now been Superintendent-Director of the Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District for 21 years. At Valley Tech, he established a career curriculum in building maintenance for learning disabled students while seeing other graduates matriculate to QCC, STCC, Culinary Institute of America, Norwich University, Clark, WPI and Becker as well as West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy.
The Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District was one of only two vocational technical districts nationwide named to the College Board’s 2012 AP District Honor Roll for expanding access to Advanced Placement curriculum and maintaining or improving the percent of students with qualifying scores.

“I encourage our graduates to consider Quinsigamond and the opportunities and avenues it offers,” Dr. Fitzpatrick said. “It is humbling to be named one of the Guardians, it gives me an opportunity to thank Quinsigamond Community College as well.”

Dr. Fitzpatrick was selected Massachusetts Superintendent of the Year for 2011, the first vocational-technical superintendent named in the history of the state. He also received the 2011 Quinsigamond Community College Trustees’ Citizen’s Award for long-term partnership of Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School with QCC Automotive Technology program. He served as president of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents from 2010 to 2011. He was appointed a member of the New England School Development Council Board of Directors in 2009 and continues to serve on the board.

He has been a featured speaker at national forums, sharing self-developed models of vocational education strategies, around the nation. An educator and administrator for more than 40 years, Dr. Fitzpatrick previously was director for the Center for Vocational Technical Education at Fitchburg State College, the director of statewide curriculum projects at Westfield State College and Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical School District, statewide conference coordinator for vocational-technical leadership personnel at Fitchburg State College and Westfield State College and assistant superintendent at Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical School District in Palmer.