Apprenticeship program receives national recognition

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PIQUA — The apprenticeship program at Upper Valley Career Center was recently recognized by the Ohio Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education. The program was also recognized for implementing the new CT26 process, said Jason Haak, executive director, during the Feb. 22 meeting of the board of education.

“The Upper Valley Career Center Apprenticeship program was spotlighted as a model program for the state of Ohio,” said Haak Monday morning, Feb. 29. “ODE was encouraging other career centers to implement a similar model at their facilities to help meet workforce needs.”

The CT26 application process, he explained, is the Ohio Department of Education’s application process to approve Career and Technical Education programs in the state of Ohio. Career and Technical Education programs must be approved every 5 years.

Haak also reported the he has received work that the apprenticeship program was one of nine selected by the U.S. Department of Education for a site visit as part of a grant to develop national best practices.

“As one of the model programs in Ohio, Upper Valley Career Center was asked to present at the National Association of Career Technical Education’s Vision conference back in November,” said Haak. “From that presentation, we were contacted by Advance CTE about participating in the U.S. Department of Education initiative to increase apprenticeships across the United States. Nine sites across the nation were selected including the Upper Valley Career Center.

“They will be visiting us in March to learn more about how we bridge secondary CTE with apprenticeship programs. The U.S. Department of Education’s office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education is seeking to better understand the potential role of secondary CTE apprenticeship programs in meeting workforce needs,” said Haak.

Upper Valley Career Center has had an informal apprenticeship program since 1998. The school has been a state certified apprenticeship provider since 2015.

“We are one of two approved pre-apprenticeship programs in the state of Ohio,” said Haak.

Superintendent Dr. Nancy Luce reported Jim Metz, environmental occupations instructor, has been appointed to the EPA’s Advisory Council for the Ohio Environmental Education Fund by Gov. John Kasich.

Luce said she and several staff members met with Ohio legislators to discuss concerns regarding the use of the Resident Educator Summative Assessment process with career and technical instructors coming out of the business and industry and the impact the loss of tangible personal property taxes will have on the school.

In other business, the board:

• Approved the Harstein-Favorite International Vocational Fund to pay for the environmental occupations program trip to Yellowstone National Park in the amount of $13,800.

• Approved a purchase order for the purchase of Chromebook management licenses and 200 Chromebooks for satellite programs. The cost will not exceed $45,000.

• Approved an agreement with Edison State Community College that will authorize Upper Valley Career Center to house a backup computer server for Edison.

• Accepted various donations including 14 emergency lights by Becker’s Electrical Supply to be used by the Electrical Trades Skills USA program; $1,000 donated by the Right Hand Fund of the Community Foundation of Shelby County; and an antique Case “D” tractor donated by Mike Robbins.

• Approved eight to 10 environmental occupation students and two instructors to participate in the Yellowstone Study Experience from Sept. 13/14 to Sept. 23. The costs for the students will not exceed $18,500 and costs for the staff will not exceed $6,000. Funding for the students is covered by the Harstein-Favorite Grant and contributions by the individual students. The board will cover the expenses of the staff.

• Approved Jassica Helsinger, Covington FFA adviser, to travel to Costa Rica June 8-18 with student Zach Hastings, National FFA proficiency winner. The total cost will travel, meals, registration and lodging will not exceed $2,500 for the instructor. Total cost to support the student will not exceed $200.

• Approved Haak and Tony Trapp to travel to the International Industrial & Manufacturing Trade Show in Hanover, Germany, between April 23 and May 5. The cost of the trip will not exceed $10,000.

• Approved textbooks for the 2015-16 school year and for the 2016-17 school year.

• Approved the 2016-17 satellite programs fee schedule.

• Approved the 2016-17 high school calendar.

• Approved a resolution approving the settlement agreement and mutual release of claims with Reiter Dairy.

• Approved Debra Lear, general education, as a certificated substitute for the 2015-16 school year.

• Approved the retirement resignation of Gale Emerick, AD student services secretary, effective June 30.

• Approved the resignations of Ben Herron, firefighting instructor, effective June 30, and Brayden Vogler, custodial helper, effective Jan. 25, 2016.

The board’s next meeting will be held Monday, March 28, at 6 p.m. in the Adams Board Room in the main instructional building.

By Melanie Speicher

[email protected]

Reach the writer at 937-538-4822; follow her on Twitter @MelSpeicherSDN. Follow the SDN on Facebook, www.facebook.com/SidneyDailyNews.

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