PIQUA — A tour of the Automotive Technologies labs was a highlight of the Upper Valley Career Center’s Board of Education meeting Feb. 27 meeting.

Andy Buehler led the tour and discussed the certification process for his students. He also talked about the importance of community donations which help keep the fleet vehicles up to date to provide experiences for the students. He has implemented a student incentive program that rewards good behavior and attendance where students can earn tools and a toolbox that they can take with them when they start their career.

Superintendent Jason Haak shared that February is CTSO month and all of Upper Valley Career Center’s groups: FFA, SkillsUSA, Educators Rising, Family Career and Community Leaders of America and Business Professionals of America have activities planned throughout the month.

Haak informed the board that Clara Brown, an Interactive Media student from Troy, won the National SkillsUSA Week T-Shirt design contest. Her design is being promoted all over the nation to promote SkillsUSA Week. Seven students from Upper Valley Career Center participated in the Miami County Science Fair and five students have qualified for the March 5 District Science Fair event to be held at Edison. The students moving on are Laurynn Barr, Carman Frey, Tarika Sutter, Alayna VanHorn and Jaeden Cole.

Haak congratulated Andy Hite for receiving the Piqua Rotary Club “Cheryl Stiefel Francis ~ Pride of Workmanship Award” for his work as site manager of the Johnston Farm and Indian Agency. The award recognizes leadership with a reputation for excellence within the nonprofit community making Piqua a better place to work and live.

Haak congratulated students from the Sidney-UVCC Business Professionals of America (BPA) who qualified for the state competition. Thomas Sibert: first place Java Programming and 1st C# Programming; Ethan Weldy: second place in C# Programming; Joshua Wise: third place in C# Programming; Grace Steenrod: second place in Java Programming; Brooklyn Koester: first place in Prepared Speech; Danny Orr: third place in Python Programming; Ivan Spencer: first place in C++ Programming; and Parker Slaven: second place in C++ Programming.

He recognized Levi Barthauer, an Upper Valley Landscape & Natural Resources student from Fairlawn High School, as the local nominee for the Franklin B. Walter All Scholastic Award. His application will move on to the Midwest Regional ESC for consideration as the county nominee.

Several members of the Upper Valley Career Center administrative team attended the Career Technical Legislative Update in Columbus. Haak, Treasurer Anthony Fraley, Adult Director Duane Caudill, Supervisor Ryan McCoart, and Executive Director Michellle Brunson were able to hear presentations from Senate President Matt Huffman, Speaker of the House Jason Stephens, and Lt. Gov. John Husted. They were also able to hear the legislators’ perspectives on future legislation that will affect career and technical education. The group was also able to meet individually with local Representatives Jenna Powell and Tim Barhorst to discuss the success and needs of Upper Valley Career Center.

In other business, the board:

• Swore in Eric Ditmer, Midwest Regional Educational Service Center representative, to the board. His term expires Dec. 1 2025.

• Approved the grant from the Community Foundation of Shelby County on behalf of the Janet Koenig Family Fund for the Aspire program in the amount of $500 to be used for GED testing fees.

• Approved the grant from the Community Foundation of Shelby County on behalf of the Lori Lee Bricker Clinehens Memorial Fund for the Aspire program in the amount of $500.

• Approved the updated FY23 Appropriations Resolution and Certificate of Estimated Resources as presented.

• Approved the advertising and receiving of bids by the Southwest Ohio Educational Purchasing Council for the purchase of a school bus

• Approved donations of several boxes of machinist tools, donated by Craig Werst, to be used by the Manufacturing and Machining Technologies Program; a 55 pound pig donated by Ken Seger, to be used for the FFA Raffle; 2019 Nissan Pathfinder, donated by Taylor Johns, to be used by the Automotive Technologies/SkillsUSA programs; 2008 Honda Accord, donated by Kristen Blake, to be used by the Automotive Technologies/SkillsUSA program; 2011 Toyota Camry, donated by Shaina Logan, to be used by the Automotive Technologies/SkillsUSA program; 3,200 pounds of flat steel and pipe materials, donated by Urban Elsass & Son Inc., to be used by the Adult Division Welding, Fabrication, and Allied Processes program; 2,700 pounds of flat steel and pipe materials, donated by Steinke Tractor Sales Inc., to be used by the Adult Division Welding, Fabrication, and Allied Processes program; and 1,900 pounds of flat steel and pipe materials, donated by Co-Alliance Cooperative Inc., to be used by the Adult Division Welding, Fabrication, and Allied Processes program.

• Approved out-of-district learning opportunities/out-of-state travel for Landscape and Natural Resources instructors John Kreitzer or Michaella Quinter with up to eight students to travel to Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, from March 14-18, 2023, to compete in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition. The total cost for travel, lodging, supplies, food, parking, and registration will not exceed $2,080 for the instructor. The cost to support up to eight students to attend will not exceed $3,980 and will be financed through student contributions, Upper Valley Career Center FFA, and the $1,000 winnings of the second place finish in the Ohio High School Landscape Olympics hosted by the Ohio Green Industry Association.

• Approved out-of-district learning opportunities/out-of-state travel for VCC FFA/Ag. Science instructors Jessica Helsinger, Covington satellite, Kristen Rappold, Houston satellite, and Lindsey Whetstone, Jackson Center satellite, to attend the CASE training for Technical Application in Ag. (TAA) in Cobleskill, New York, from July 17-21, 2023. The combined cost for registration, travel, meals, lodging, and miscellaneous expenses will not exceed $11,000 for all instructors.

• Approved the 2023-24 satellite programs fee schedule as presented.

• Approved the 2023-24 student One-to-One Device Program. The cost for the devices, licensing and warranty extension will not exceed $227,513. This will purchase approximately 661 laptops and Chromebooks. They will also purchase cases for the devices at a cost not to exceed $16,44. Total cost of the project is not to exceed $243,953.

• Approved Adult PN/LPN-RN clinical affiliation agreements with SpringMeade Health Center, Grand Lake Health System and Stillwater.

• Approved the revision to the 2022-23adult intermittent/hourly salary schedule, reflecting an increase to the Nursing and Clinical Nursing instructor rate to $35 per hour.

• Approved an incentive for certificated substitutes at a rate of an additional $200 for the equivalent of every 10 days worked throughout the 2023-24 school year.

• Approved the 2023-24 salary schedules as presented reflecting the 3.0% plus $750 increase on the base, effective 2023-24 contract year.

• Approved the 2023-24 miscellaneous/intermittent & adult intermittent/hourly salary schedules.

• Approved the 2023-24 adult coordinator, adult division full-time certificated, district professional, and district technology salary schedules.

• Approved Cayden Shellabage as a student helper.

• Approved Amber Pfister as a classified substitut

• Approved Cindy Pogue as a fulltime adult nursing instructor.

• Approved Alan Burnside as an adult WD in-house instructor – industrial; Paula Lang as an adult Aspire instructor, adult WD in-house instructor – industrial and adult WD off-site instructor – industrial; Jeffrey Waldschmidt Jr., adult WD in-house instructor – industrial, and adult WD off-site instructor – industrial

• Approved the Superintendent’s recommendation to suspend one employee without pay.

The next meeting of the Upper Valley Career Center Board of Education will be held on Monday, March 27, 2023, at 6 p.m. in the Adams Board Room- Main Instructional Building.