Welding Program in Crisis at John Stark | Concord News

Concord News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 23, 2026 · 1m

John Stark Regional High School’s welding program is in crisis after losing its founding instructor, Joab Owen, who built the program from the ground up — and now can’t find a replacement. With Concord’s program already full and travel time prohibitive, students are left without a local pathway to careers in welding. The principal is scrambling with temporary fixes like evening classes, but admits they’re not enough. This isn’t just about welding — engineering and physics classes are also hemorrhaging teachers. At the root: a rejected teacher contract, low pay compared to industry jobs, and…