Why Design & Visual
Communication Shop?

Industry Recognized Certifications

We offer testing for certifications in Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator. See why we do this!

Advisory Committee 

We are constantly welcoming new member in the print and design industry to participate in our esteemed advisory group. Our advisors meet twice a year—in the fall and spring—to confirm our curriculum and offer guidance as to where the industry is moving. We encourage professionals in design, print/ production, web, apparel, paper and technology to join us. Email crutkowski@ssvotech.org for more information on being part of the team!

Special thank you to our 2021-present advisory chairperson, Cheryl Riedel from Scituate Gates School for her time and dedication to our program.

What will I learn in DVC? 

Graphic Communications and Design & Visual Communications is dual Chapter 74 certified program at South Shore Technical High School.  Our program encompasses a dynamic industry that balances art and science. The shop will prepare students seeking a career in the digital media field. From concept and design to printing and distribution, this program instills the latest industry standards and best practices. In the classroom, students will learn computer skills in InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, animation & web design and basic photography. In shop, students will learn how to use a digital press, print plates, theory of an offset press, various bindery methods, silk-screening/embroidery and wide-format.

The GC/DVC program will teach you: desktop publishing, digital printing, layout & design, safety, web design, photography, animation, color theory, marketing, wide-format, vinyl printing, binding & finishing operations, printing sales and estimating with customer contact.

Our Shop Goals

The Graphic Communications program upholds the mission of the school; To provide academic, technical and social experiences so that our students can learn:

• Advanced technical skills for post-secondary career pathways, 

• 21st century literacy and reasoning skills, and 

• Habits of mind that foster an admirable work ethic, civic-mindedness, and commitment to personal growth.

We continue to prepare our students for success in a changing world. Each day our students face the changes in technology and try to keep up. The mixture of technical skills and academic necessities has created well-rounded students. The technology has kept up with the times and the academic requirements have raised the bar to keep students achieving more each year. The social skills continue to grow through working in teams, with some students focusing on leadership and cooperation as their main objective. Meeting deadlines and following customers’ requests gives students the sense of accomplishment with the completion of each job. Decision-making skills are developed each time a student decides to take on challenging projects. 

Our School Goals

1. School Climate: Provide our students with a safe and supportive environment that empowers them to develop advanced technical, academic, and social skills for college and career pathways. 

2. Facility: Maintain a clean, safe, environmentally and fiscally-conscious facility that meets the needs of the school and community.

3. Community: Utilize multiple means of communications to engage current and prospective students, parents, and program advisors.

4. Curriculum & Instruction: Teach current core content and technical standards to develop students who are college- and career-pathway ready.

5. Assessment: Measure and report students achievement and work habits based on technical, vocational, and core content standards, and to use there results to improve instruction.

6. Transfer Skills: Identify and develop skills that cross all content areas, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, work ethic, and sense of personal responsibility.

7. Literacy Practices: Identify and develop strategies to build strong content knowledge by responding to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose, and discipline in a variety of forms.

8. Equipment & Technology: Utilize current industry-standard equipment for our vocational technical programs, and current instructional technology tools and resources for all programs.

9. Student Engagement: Help students develop strong, positive relationships with teachers and peers via co-curricular, and extracurricular programs that shape their intellectual, physical, social/emotional development, and work ethic.

10. Instructional Support: Provide a continuum of support services in help all learners meet their academic and technical goals.

11. Student Recruitment and Retention: Implement recruitment and retention strategies that lead to sustained full school enrollment, steady student retention, and preparation for college- and career- pathways.

12. Staff Recruitment and Retention: Identify, recruit, develop, and support highly qualified administrators, instructors, and support staff dedicated to fulfilling the school’s mission.