HAVERHILL - In its early years, Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School was known as a place that produced expert plumbers, electricians and carpenters.
Then it focused on graphic arts, computers and photography - fields of study not usually associated with a traditional trade school.
William DeRosa plans to make medical professions Whittier's next priority.
DeRosa, 50, Whittier's assistant superintendent, will take over as the school's new chief when Superintendent Karen Sarkisian retires at the end of this school year. He will be responsible for the education of 1,200 students from 11 communities and a $17.8 million budget.
DeRosa said he plans to expand the school's health occupations program. Due to a high demand for medial professionals, DeRosa wants the school to offer programs in medical technology, in medical secretarial work, in medical transcription and to become a dietary professional.
The students will be qualified for well paying jobs right out of high school or can continue their education in nursing colleges, he said.
"Students who graduate from Whittier stand a better chance of getting into a nursing school because they leave with a strong clinical background," DeRosa said.
DeRosa was unanimously hired by the 14-person Whittier School Committee headed by Chairman Michael Gilbert. No other candidates were considered.
"We felt that he was the most qualified person to continue to move Whittier forward," said Gilbert, a Salisbury resident.
There are 28 vocational school districts in the state, and three are looking for superintendents, who must be specially certified to run such schools, Gilbert said. There was no need to look for outside candidates because DeRosa is so qualified, he said.
"It was our feeling that rather than take the chance of losing him to another vocational district ... that we would give him this opportunity," Gilbert said.
"I feel honored and privileged that I have been chosen," DeRosa said. "It's a strong administrative team. It's a very dedicated faculty and a very hardworking student body. I'm more than proud to lead an institution like this."
DeRosa said he will negotiate with the School Committee on his new salary. His current salary is $128,000. Sarkisian makes $155,000 in salary, plus additional benefits in her 18th year at the helm.
Whittier, in Haverhill, serves students from Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Ipswich, Merrimac, Newburyport, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury.
DeRosa has worked at Whittier for 16 years, concentrating on boosting the school's Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test scores. The efforts worked, and 100 percent of all juniors and seniors have passed the test, an accomplishment few public school systems can claim.
Several years ago, Whittier was put on watch by state education officials because of its low rate of MCAS test passage.
His focus also will be on continued efforts to increase test scores, especially the biology portion of the MCAS exam, which students must now pass to get a diploma. Previously, graduation requirements were math and English.
DeRosa's other challenge will be operating the school under a skimpier budget, he said.
This year, the Whittier School Committee level-funded the budget due to complaints from communities that the school was getting too much money while the regular public schools were making cuts.
When DeRosa was first hired at Whittier, he was coordinator of student services and oversaw special education and the federal Title 1 reading grant program.
Prior to joining Whittier, DeRosa worked at North East Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical High School and in the Chelsea public school system.
DeRosa, a West Peabody resident, has a Bachelor of Science degree in English from Salem State College and a master's degree in special education at the University of Massachusetts.
PG1 BOX
Whittier Regional snapshot
Students: 1,200 from 11 communities
Retiring superintendent: Karen Sarkisian
Superintendent-elect: William DeRosa of West Peabody
This year's budget: $17.8 million
