PIQUA — A trip to Germany was discussed during the July 19 Upper Valley Career Center’s Board of Education meeting.
Tony Trapp and Duane Caudill updated the board on the next level apprenticeship tour in Germany. Information was shared about the German American Chamber of Commerce program and the businesses that were toured. Both felt that the Upper Valley Career Center Apprenticeship program has many similarities to the German model and that Upper Valley Career Center was further along in implementation than many of the other American apprenticeship programs. Through this opportunity, Trapp and Caudill understood UVCC has more opportunities to align the secondary and adult apprenticeship programs. Trapp and Caudill also expressed their gratitude to the Hartstein/Favorite Grant which provided the funding for the trip.
Board member Joyce Reives shared the Compensation Committee met and has started to review the superintendent’s contract which expires in July, 2023.
Superintendent’s Jason Haak shared with the board that the Policy Team is working with OSBA to conduct a full review of all policies. It is expected that this review will take several months to complete. The first draft has been sent for the team to review.
Haak recognized the results of the National SkillsUSA contest. The 2022 SkillsUSA National Championships were held June 20-24, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia. A total of 6,500 Career Tech students attended – all state contest winners – competing in 108 different trade, technical, and leadership contests. Eleven students and five staff members from UVCC were among those attendees: Upper Valley students Emily Hess placed 19th in CNC Technician, Ava Winner placed 21st in Cosmetology, Quinci Voisard received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, Aiden Shappie place sixth in Electrical Construction Wiring, Trinity Petty placed eighth in Graphic Communication, Clark Yoder placed fifth in Industrial Motor Control, and Kayne Smith and Xander Covington placed third in Robotics and Automation.
Haak shared that the Upper Valley Career Center SkillsUSA Chapter was named a Model of Excellence Chapter meaning it was one of the top 24 chapters in the nation.
On June 23, 222, the Aspire program hosted 18 GED graduates and 1 Adult Diploma Program graduate at their graduation ceremony. Aspire’s new State Director, Stephanie Schab, attended graduation and shared some thoughts and advice for the graduates. Overall, in FY22, Aspire helped 39 students complete their GED and 1 complete the WorkKeys to finish the Adult Diploma Program. The program serves Miami, Shelby, Darke, and Champaign Counties and impacted 354 students across all programming options.
Haak recognized Ella Aufderhaar, Alize Leugers, Allison Sharp, and Chloe Whalen from the Upper Valley Career Center Early Childhood Education and Care program who attended the National Leadership Conference. Allison Sharp (Houston) and Chloe Whalen (Sidney) placed first in the nation in the Focus on Children competition.
Haak updated the board on purchase orders below the $50,000 board approval threshold but over $15,000. Purchase orders for this month include: Elsevier -$29,000 – for LPN to RN curriculum; Lefeld Industrial Welding Supplies -$21,000 for 12 welders.
Haak shared the Annual Nutrition Compliance Report. Haak reported the food service program is in compliance with federal requirements.
Mr. Haak informed the Board of the upcoming OSBA Capital Conference on Nov. 13-15, 2022.
Beginning of the 2022-23 school year events include:
Aug. 10: New staff orientation
Aug. 15: Staff return
Aug. 16: Schedule pick-up day
Aug. 17: Staff breakfast
Aug. 18: New students’ first day
Aug. 19: All students’ first day
The board welcome reception will be held Sept. 26, 2022, at 5:30 p.m.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the purchase order to BB&T Governmental in the amount of $166,177 for
the Veterinary Science Debt Payment.
• Approved the revisions to and the additions of Board Policies and
Regulations.
• Approved out-of-district learning opportunities/out-of-state travel for Haak, Michelle Brunson, executive director, Trapp and Roger Voisard, Instructional Supervisor, to attend the ACTE NCLA Best Practices Conference in North Falmouth,Massachusetts, from Sept. 27 through Oct. 1, 2022. The cost to the district will not exceed $10,000; Haak, Brunson, Trapp and Voisard to attend the ACTE Vision 2022 Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, from Nov. 29 through Dec. 3, 2022. The cost to the district will not exceed $10,000.
• Approved the 2022-2023 Classified Handbook.
• Adopted the Calamity Day Alternative Make-Up Plan.
• Approved the 2022-23 school year shared services agreement with Piqua City Schools
for shared staffing of Food Service Supervisor responsibilities.
• Approved an incentive for certificated substitutes at a rate of an additional $200 for the equivalent of every 10 days worked throughout the 2022-23 school year, beginning and ending 2022-2023 SY.
• Approved classified employment for Emma Baumann, cafeteria worker, $13.18 per hour; Angela Carroll, cafeteria worker, $17,383, and Christy Garrison, cafeteria worker, $17,383.
The next meeting of the Upper Valley Career Center Board of Education will be held on Monday, Aug. 22, 2022, at 6 p.m. in the Adams Board Room- Main Instructional Building.
