Monroe Career and Technical Institute’s new director is focusing on building improvements and looking at full-day programs.

Dennis Virga, supervisor of curriculum and instruction and current acting director, has been named director to replace Carolyn Shegelski, who retired.

Virga started his career with MCTI right out of East Stroudsburg University in 2006 as a social studies teacher. He was promoted to instructional technology specialist and later during the 2016-17 school year he was promoted to supervisor of curriculum and instruction. Along the way Virga received his master’s degree in education from Wilkes University.

As director Virga will oversee the educational and administrative functions of the school for both undergraduate and adult education programs. He will also be responsible for supervising administrative, supervisory and instructional staff.

“I have great respect for Carolyn and will miss her greatly,” Virga said. “She hired me and gave me my start and I want to see her legacy continue.”

Virga believes that the school is moving in the right direction. This year, thanks to an education grant recently delivered by Gov. Tom Wolf, the welding lab is being upgraded. Other capital improvements this year include repairs to the roof.

“Let’s face it,” Virga said. “This building was built in the 1970s and needs upgrades. We have been very lucky that the JOC has been very good at proving the funds needed to get the necessary work done.”

The building is not the only part of MCTI being upgraded. Computer Information Science will be offered as a new program for the 2019-20 school year.

The program is in response to a push at the state level, and according to Virga the student demand is already there.

Full-time program

The school is also currently in the midst of a feasibility study to determine if the program can be expanded to operate as a full-time, four-year institute. Currently only ninth-grade students attend the school full-time. Tenth through 12th grade attend half-day sessions.

Virga says that the biggest drawback to moving to full-time instruction is space.

“We are currently maxed out on classroom space,” said Virga. “But the benefits to the students and the districts would be great.”

“Students from our closest district spend 20 additional minutes in each direction on the bus each day. Our farthest is East Stroudsburg North, those kids spend an hour each way. Just think what we could do with the extra instructional time.”

Virga is proud of MCTI and all that it has to offer. And he greatly dislikes the phrase he often hears to describe the school.

“I hate when I hear people say, ‘MCTI is the best-kept secret in Monroe County,’ ” Virga said. “We need to continue to get the word out that students here not only get a great education, but they get valuable hands-on training and get good, high-paying jobs.”

All students in the district have the opportunity to come to MCTI, and if the incoming students for the 2018-19 school year is an indication, the word is getting out.

Preliminary numbers show that there are 340 freshmen and sophomores who will be attending this fall. That is the largest number of incoming students that Virga recalls.