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BLOOMINGDALE -- A new program is coming to Jefferson County Joint Vocational School after leaders officially added heavy equipment instruction to the curriculum.
The JVS Board of Education on Tuesday took steps to include the program on the roster after receiving interest from potential students. Superintendent Todd Phillipson said six students who attended the sophomore visits in November indicated that they would register for the class while another half-dozen selected it as a second option. Local equipment company representatives who were on hand for the visits said there was an ever-growing need for help in building construction and highway infrastructure and a new program would provide workers to fill those slots. JVS officials had been in contact with the Washington County Career Center to learn more about their successful program and hoped to have enough interest to start the program during the next school year.
Upon questioning by board members at the meeting, Phillipson said there appeared to be enough students to add the lab to the curriculum and action was needed to hire an instructor and acquire equipment.
"It's at about 95 percent of being a go," he said. "We need to start planning. We had six applications and 12 had it as a second choice. I'd like to get at least 10, but six is pretty good. If we can do eight, we can go ahead."
"I think that's a good step forward," said board member Ron Smyth.
Fellow board member Kim Mark asked what determined a student getting into a program and the superintendent said it was a first-come, first-serve basis. More discussion ensued about obtaining simulators and other equipment to prepare the lab and to seek grants and other financing to fund them. Following more talks, the board agreed to move forward with the program.
"If we get six the first year, the second year it would be full," said Board President Larry George. "This program is adding something new. The last one was small animal science about five years ago."
Meanwhile, officials hired architect Mike Thompson to complete renovations in the cosmetology lab. The lab is expected to undergo its first makeover since 2000 this summer and will receive new flooring, workstations and other improvements to freshen up the space. Thompson attended the meeting and gave a brief overview of his services, saying he was asked to review the lab for ideas and sent a scope of work after retrieving existing drawings.
"I can put together drawings to make sure it meets specifications, and then you can put it out to bid," Thompson continued, saying he, Phillipson and treasurer Karen Spoonmoore would review bids for the best price. "We're going to look at a short list of contractors and I will do inspections to make sure it meets compliance."
The board later authorized the treasurer to prepare necessary advertising for bids on the project and leaders planned to get the work underway once the school year ended.
In other action, the board heard from culinary arts instructor Glen Zalenski about his program after the board dined at the Crestview Inn Restaurant that evening as a belated School Board Recognition Month celebration from January. Zalenski said he had all first-year students and he was pleased with their skills, adding the restaurant was open Tuesday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dine-in and takeout services were available.
• Heard from Phillipson on building and grounds projects including some paint work eyed in the power mechanics lab and sidewalk improvements on the premises;
• Heard from Supervisor Dan Hartman on Applications/CTE-26 for 2022-23 and Supervisor Andy Long reported on a High Schools That Work review;
• Announced contest placers in the recent Spotlight on Skills contest;
• Approved College Credit Plus MOU's with Kent State University and Eastern Gateway Community College for the 2022-23 school year;
• Approved Tammy Sismondo and Kelly Prokopakis to take 15 students to the Columbus Convention Center for the Ohio HOSA State Championship on March 23-25 as well as Becky Kelley and Deanna Hines to take five students to Woodridge High School for the FCCLA Regional Competition in Peninsula, Ohio, on March 11-12.
• Announced parent-teacher conferences will be held on March 1, 2022 from 3:15- 6:15 p.m.
• Announced OSBA Northeast Region Spring Conferences on March 16 in Massillon and March 28 in Warren. Larry George and JVS board member William Hendricks will be among local officials being recognized and will receive honors for 35 years of participation;
• Announced no school Feb. 21 for President's Day; and
• Set the next board meeting for March 15 at 5 p.m.