PIQUA — Upper valley Career Center Superintendent Jason Haak updated the board of education on student accomplishments and upcoming events during the Aug. 28 meeting,
Haak reported Anna Minton, Teacher Academy Class of 2023 from Troy High School, competed at Educators Rising Nationals in Orlando, Florida. After placing in the Top 10 at Regionals in Lesson Planning and Delivery-CTE category, she attended the nationals competition and participated in conference events.
Haak shared the students that qualified for the National FFA Convention. Agricultural Services – Entrepreneurship/Placement – Connor Sindelir – Covington- UVCC, Diversified Horticulture – Entrepreneurship/Placement – Alex Kellersmith – Houston- UVCC, Area: Goat Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement – Lucas Langenkamp – Houston- UVCC, Area: Specialty Animal Production –Entrepreneurship/Placement – Anna Henry – Houston- UVCC, National Chapter – Covington- UVCC, American Degrees – Jessie Abke-Fairlawn-UVCC, Chloe Weigandt, -Fairlawn-UVCC, Luke Meyer -Ft. Loramie-UVCC, Jake Puthoff, Fort Loramie-UVCC, Brad Schmiesing -Fort Loramie-UVCC, Elizabeth Shatto – UVCC, Clinton Shellenberger- Newton-UVCC, Connor Sindelir – Covington-UVCC.
Haak informed the board that the first cohort of the LPN to RN Diploma Program held their first convocation. Ten students completed the inaugural program and will be sitting for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCLEX) exam. The transitional program is a 900 hour, 46 week program with classes meeting 3 days per week. The second cohort has already started with 16 students enrolled.
Haak shared the Career Center should know by Oct. 1, 2023 if the district will be receiving any state career technical expansion funds. He shared that the staff is continuing to look at all expansion options in hopes of receiving funding.
Upcoming events include OSBA Southwest Regional Conference – Oct. 12, 2023 – Laurel Oaks Campus; OSBA Capital Conference – Nov. 12-14, 2023 – Columbus; Records Commission Meeting – Stump Administration Building – Monday, Sept. 28, 2023 – 5:15 p.m. – Adams Board Room; September board meeting: Monday, Sept. 25, 2023 with Board Welcome Reception – Wilson Atrium – 5:30 p.m.; and October board meeting: Monday, Oct. 23, 2023, with Facilities Committee meeting – Hershey Conference Room – 5 p.m.
Steve Verhoff, Academic supervisor, shared with the board the different academic courses that are offered at Upper Valley Career Center. Verhoff reminded the board that several courses being offered are part of a pilot program offered through the Department of Education. He also emphasized that he is working closely with the staff to create career technical related academic courses to reinforce content and relationships between career technical education programs and academic curricula.
Matt Meyer, director of Student Services, provided the board with an updated enrollment number by program. Enrollment is up from the previous year with nearly 1,100 students attending main campus programming.
Pat Gibson, director of Business Operations, shared an update of the Adult Training Center construction project. The project is moving along nicely and staff are on schedule to move into the renovated space by the start of the calendar year.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the grant from the Passionate Optimistic Women Encouraging Results of the Shelby County United Way in the amount of $1,000 to be used for CREW positive behavior program incentives.
• Approved the Project Lead the Way Grants for UVCC Satellite programs for Fort Loramie Engineering – $16,000, Fort Loramie Gateway – $9,100, and Sidney MS Gateway – $9,100. The grants will be issued as credits to cover the first two years of PLTW site fees and training.
• Approved Career Tech Alternate License Tuition reimbursements for Joel Baden, Jackie Doseck, Zach Friend, Emily Palmer and Matthew Shirey.
• Approved the transfer of $280,182 from the General Fund to the Adult Education Fund , which is 3% of the FY23 general property tax collection.
• Approved the FY 24 WOCO Service Level Agreement.
• Approved a 60-month lease agreement with Perry Pro Tech in the amount of $150 permonth for a C458 Konica Minolta replacement copier in the Learning Resource Center. There are no cost increases over the expiring lease agreement.
• Approved donations of plumbing fixtures, faucets, sinks, and toilets donated by Slagle Mechanical to be used by the Adult and High School HVAC-R programs; assorted snacks and drinks donated by Minster Athletic Boosters to be used by the staff and students of UVCC; Craftsman 42-inch riding lawn mower donated by Rod Schmidt to be used by the Ag Power and Technologies program; 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis donated by Rose Banwart to be used by the Automotive Technologies/SkillsUSA programs; and 2,700 pounds of scrap steel donated by Crown Equipment to be used by the Welding Technologies/SkillsUSA programs.
• Approved Tony Trapp, District Apprenticeship coordinator, to travel to Kearney, Nebraska from Nov. 12-15, 2023, to participate in the ELEVATE your Workforce Pipeline Conference/Nebraska State Apprenticeship Summit. Registration, hotel and travel expenses will be covered by the conference hosts. Expenses to the district will not exceed $300.
• Approved Duane Caudill, Adult Division director, to attend the ACCSC conference in Arlington, Virginia, from Sept. 18-20, 2023. Cost to the district for registration, travel, lodging, meals and miscellaneous expenses will not exceed $2,250.
• Approved new textbooks for the First Responders Academy.
• ApprovedNathan Sailor – Ag. Science Instructor, Fairlawn satellite, and one member of the Dairy Handlers CDE to compete at The Big E competition in West Springfield, Massachusetts, from Sept. 14-17, 2023. The total cost for travel, lodging, meals, and miscellaneous expenses will not exceed $3,000 for the instructor and national qualifying student.
• Approved a resolution for a tax increment financing exemption established by the city of Piqua, for a 100%, 30-year tax increment financing exemptionon an approximately 10.75 acres of real property generally located at 902 Scott Drive, located in the territory of Piqua and UVCC. Piqua wants to issue bonds to finance the acquisition of the TIF Site and to construct, or cause to be constructed, public infrastructure improvements benefiting the TIF Site in connection with the TIF Exemption.
• Approved cabinet member employment contract for Anthony Fraley, 260 days, treasurer, for Aug. 1, 2024 to July 31, 2029.
• Approvedcertificated employment for the 2023-24 school year: for Beth Shrake, career based intervention teacher, Troy Junior High Satellite.
• Approvedcertificated substitute for Kameron Barhorst.
• Approvedspecial service contract for Beth Shrake, career based intervention teacher – Troy Junior High Satellite, for position orientation.
• Approved theresignations ooof Rebecca Black, paraprofessional, and Nichole Leistner, assistant cashier .
• Approved the contract language as presented to align with the language in a ressolution approved at the May 22, 2023, Upper Valley Career Center regular board meeting for the superintendent’s contract.
• Approved the sale of district-owned property via public auction: four lots on the corner of
Cottage Avenue and Manier Avenue in Piqua, Ohio.
The next meeting of the Upper Valley Career Center Board of Education will be held on Sept. 25, 2023, at 6 p.m. in the Adams Board Room- Main Instructional Building.
