PIQUA — The Upper Valley Career Center held a board welcome reception for incoming staff members prior to the board of education’s regular meeting on Monday, Sept. 17, with food prepared by UVCC culinary students.
The new staff members were then introduced at the beginning of the meeting by Jason Haak, assistant superintendent, and included, Teresa Conn, payroll assistant; Sara Dungan, paraprofessional — electrical trades; Jamy Friend, family and consumer science instructor — Piqua High School satellite; Cindy Geyer, paraprofessional — veterinary science; Audrey Gutman, district public relations coordinator; D.J. Heintz, academic instructor — mathematics; Kelty Inman, guidance counselor; Roberta Jacobs, adult enrollment specialist; Libby Long, paraprofessional — early childhood; Richard Mangen, custodian; Erin McGaharan, guidance counselor; and Linda Parsons, adult financial aid specialist.
During the superintendent’s report, Dr. Nancy Luce gave reminders for upcoming events, including the Visioning Event, which will take place Wednesday, Oct. 3, from 4 to 7:30 p.m.; All Advisory Meeting, Thursday, Oct. 18, at 3:30 and 5 p.m.; and the Vet Science Ribbon Cutting — All Chamber Business After Hours, Thursday, Oct. 25, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Luce also explained the UVCC Adult Division and Edison State Community College are partnering to increase opportunities for students in the UVCC Advanced Manufacturing Maintenance — PLC Specialty program and the Precision Tooling and Machining program. Students who successfully complete one of these 600-hour programs will receive 19 semester hours of college credit from Edison.
Luce informed the board that 12 German students and their adviser from the career center’s sister technical school in Hannover, Germany, will be visiting UVCC between Nov. 1 and Nov. 15. Students and advisors from UVCC will then reciprocate in the spring. Details are currently in the process of being finalized.
According to recently released EMIS (Education Management Information System) data, students enrolled in UVCC programs are highly likely to graduate from high school, pass their career and technical end-of-course exams, and be employed, in an apprenticeship, in the military, or engaged in advanced post-secondary training within six months of graduation.
An Ohio Association of Career Technical Superintendents Board and Administrator breakfast meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 13, during the Ohio State Bar Association Capital Conference in Columbus.
The board approved a Community Foundation of Shelby County, Right Hand Fund grant, in the amount of $600, for Aspire GED testing for Shelby County students.
A Career Tech Alternate License Tuition Reimbursement was approved for Deborah Stanfield, in the amount of $1,659.07, for a total of three semester hours in August 2018.
The board approved 10 donations, including a 1998 Ford Van, donated by Andy’s Garden Center, Troy, to be used for the Auto Tech SkillsUSA program; $1,000, donated by A.M. Leonard, Piqua, to be used to assist with the costs of the EO Yellowstone Study Trip; $800, donated by Pence Bulldozing, Houston, for the J. Scott Garbry Memorial Scholarship for EO student college scholarships; a 2009 Dodge Journey, donated by Tiffany Vantilburgh, to be used for the Auto Tech SkillsUSA program; a dehumidifier, donated by Alan Clark, to be used by the HVAC-R program; an SPX Kent Moore Transflow Transmission Flush Machine, donated by Wells Brothers, Inc., Anna, to be used by the Automotive Technologies program; a 1999 Honda Accord, donated by Mindie Low, to be used by the Auto Tech SkillsUSA program; 31 pairs of Cricket shears, from an anonymous donor, to be used by the Cosmetology program for student incentives; a 6-foot by 4-foot double-hung white wood window with nailing flange, donated by Terry Krogman, to be used by the Carpentry program; and a 2015 Acura TLX, donated by Honda, to be used by the Automotive Technologies program.
The board approved four groups for out-of-district travel to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, from Oct. 24-27, 2018.
Ag Science satellite instructors Jessica Helsinger, of Covington, Derek McCracken, of Hardin-Houston, Nic Baumer, of Bradford, Lindsey Whetstone, of Jackson Center, and their students were approved, with each school planning to bring approximately 10 to 15 students, for a total of around 50 students.
The combined cost to the district for registration, travel, meals, lodging, tours, and miscellaneous expenses for the instructors is not to exceed $2,300. The total cost to the district to support six national student qualifiers is not to exceed $1,200.
Ag Science satellite instructors Matt Pleiman, of Fort Loramie, Kreg McCullough, of Newton, Nathan Sailor, of Fairlawn, and their students were approved, with each school planning to bring approximately 12 students, for a total of around 36 students.
The combined cost to the district for registration, travel, meals, lodging, tours, and miscellaneous expenses for instructors is not to exceed $1,800, and the total cost to the district to support three national student qualifiers will not exceed $600.
Ag and Power Technologies instructor Dan Schmiesing and his students were approved, with a total of approximately nine students planning to attend.
The cost to the district for total expenses for Schmiesing will not exceed $1,500, and the total cost to the district to support one national student qualifier will not exceed $200.
Instructional supervisor Michelle Brunson was approved to attend the convention on Oct. 27, for the American Degree Ceremony, with total cost to the district not exceeding $200.
Adult Financial Aid Specialist Linda Parsons was approved to attend the Financial Aid Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, Nov. 27-30. Parsons received a $750 scholarship from the Ohio PACE towards the cost of attending. The cost to the district for travel, registration, lodging, meals, and miscellaneous expenses will not exceed $750.
The board approved the revision of the criteria to receive non-participation stipend in the district healthcare plan, effective beginning the 2019 plan year, as follows, “Any employee covered by a district healthcare plan is not eligible for the non-participation stipend.”
The board then approved the payment of health insurance stipends for non-participation in the district health insurance program for the plan year 2018.
The board approved the revision to the 2018-2019 Miscellaneous/Intermittent Salary Schedule, reflecting the $100 per day Certificated Substitute rate retroactive to the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year.
Revisions to the 2018-19 Adult Secretarial Salary Schedule and the Adult Full-Time Regular Salary Schedules were also approved, as presented, reflecting the 2 percent increase on the base, retroactive to July 1, 2018.
Phyllis Stoll was approved for employment for the 2018-19 school year, in the amount of $39,798, prorated to 80 minutes per day, effective Sept. 4, 2018.
The board approved three certificated substitute employees, on an as-needed basis, for the 2018-2019 school year, including Katelyn Gade, as a general education short-term substitute, effective Sept. 14, 2018; Carol Phillips, as a career tech long-term substitute, effective Sept. 10, 2018; and Jennifer Piatt, as a long-term career tech substitute, effective Sept. 18, 2018.
Lisa Clark was approved for hire as a cafeteria worker, effective Sept. 17, 2018, in the prorated amount of $15,256.
Megan Nickles was hired as a recovery credit instructor/tutor on an hourly, as-needed basis, effective Sept. 7, 2018, through June 30, 2019.
LPDC committee stipends for the 2018-19 school year were approved for Jason Haak, $300; John Kreitzer, $300; Kerri Lovelace, $300; Matt Meyer, $300; and Danielle Barhorst, $350.
The board also approved club advisor stipends for the school year, including BPA advisor stipends, in the amount of $225, for Taylor Adami, Susan Caudill, and Leslie Spivey; and Educators Rising stipends, in the amount of $225, for Biffy Nutter.
FFA adviser stipends were approved for Nicholas Baumer, $225; Jessica Helsinger, $225; John Keitzer, $180; Derek McCracken, $225; Kreg McCullough, $225; Jim Metz, $180; Matthew Pleiman, $225; Michaella Quinter, $180; Nathan Sailor, $225; Dan Schmiesing, $180; Deb Stanfield, $180; and Lindsey Whetstone, $225.
FCCLA adviser stipends were approved for Tricia Alexander, $225; Tara Berning, $225; Penny Elmore, $225; Natalee Heath, $225; Cheryl Kies, $225; Vicki Kipker, $225; Debora Rezabek, $225; Gwen Rose, $112.50; Marie Shaneyfelt, $112.50; Tina Wooddell, $225; and Gail Young, $225.
Lastly, SkillsUSA adviser stipends were approved for Jeff Bertke, $1,300; Sara Plozay, $1,300; and David Collins, $775.
The board approved adult education intermittent/hourly employment, effective through June 30, 2019, for Mackenzie Cook, adult nursing instructor and adult clinical nursing instructor, at $25 and $30 per hour, respectively; Ryan McClure, adult nursing instructor and adult clinical nursing instructor, $25 and $30 per hour, respectively; Don Smith, adult WD industrial instructor, $22 per hour; and Karla Winner, adult nursing instructor and adult clinical nursing instructor, at $25 and $30 per hour, respectively.
The board approved the resignations of Jennifer Renner, adult building assistant/receptionist, effective Sept. 20, 2018, and Kathryn Voris, district public relations coordinator, effective Oct. 1, 2018.
The retirement of Margaret Elsass-Perreira, bookstore clerk, was also accepted, effective Dec. 31, 2018.
Ten volunteers were approved for the 2018-19 school year, including Trevor Diegel, Mason DeMange, Jeremy Drake, Heath Geyer, Thomas Laux, Terry Lavy, Tristen Paul, Jennifer Piatt, Rod Schmidt, and Troy Sturwold.
A contract modification was approved for Phyllis Stoll, paraprofessional of cosmetology, in the amount of $31,903, prorated to 340 minutes per day, beginning Sept. 4, 2018 through the remainder of the school year.
The next Upper Valley Career Center BOE meeting will be held Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, at 6 p.m., in the Adams Board Room, in the main instructional building.
