PIQUA — The oath of office was given to three board members and officers were elected during the Tuesday, Jan. 26, meeting of the Upper Valley Career Center Board of Education meeting.

Certification of the members was followed by the oath of office to Greg Dickman, Sidney City Schools, Andy Hite, Piqua City Schools, and Theresa Packard, Troy City Schools. All three of their terms will run until Dec. 31, 2026.

Elected to office were President Bill Ankney, Vice President Andy Hite and Legislative Liaison Maria Brewer.

The 2024 committee assignments are:

• Facilities Committee: Eric Ditmer, Bill Ankney and Greg Dickman

• Records Retention Committee: Bill Ankney

• Nominating Committee: Dr. Robert Allen, Maria Brewer and Randy Sailor

• Compensation Committee: Bill Ankney, Lee Harmon and Clint Bostick

• Performance Review Committee: Eric Ditmer, Andy Hite and Theresa Packard

A moment of silence was observed for the passing of James “Ace” Justice, a bus driver and substitute for Upper Valley Career Center for many years.

Mark Wiseman from Levin and Porter shared some preliminary design plans of the expansion project. Wiseman shared that the project is still in the planning and design stages and is progressing well with staff input. Final plans should be in place by March and at that point the project should be ready to bid.

Superintendent Jason Haak updated the board on Policy and Regulation Revisions. Haak shared that the Ohio School Board Association will be reviewing all policies to identify changes needed as a result of HB33. He also shared information on Board Policy KGB – Public Conduct on District Property, noting that marijuana is still a prohibited drug on school property.

Haak shared FFA results from several contests. The Newton/UVCC team finished eighth in the state in the Animal Management Career Development Event. In the Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems CDE, the Fort Loramie/UVCC team placed third out of 57, while the UVCC Agriculture Power Technologies team finished seventh.

Haak said the Houston UVCC FFA received an $800 Living to Serve Grant awarded from the National FFA Organizations. The funds will be used to provide trunks for personal possessions to students who are currently living in a local group home and other foster home care locations.

Haak thanked students and staff who participated in the Blood Drive in conjunction with the Community Blood Center. A total of 75 donors registered to donate, 31 of which were first time donors. The goal was 64 units and they collected 54, achieving 84% of the goal.

Haak congratulated the Troy-UVCC Junior High Logo Robotics team who had their first Lego League Challenge Competition held at the National Museum of the USAF. The team placed third in the Robot Game division and placed first in the Robot Design contest out of seven teams and advanced to the next level of competition.

Haak thanked the staff of Upper Valley Career Center Education Association who donated $2,119 to be used to give gift cards to students in need. Thirty-six students received a gift card right before Christmas break along with several receiving a new blanket and pillow that were made by Upper Valley Career Center support staff.

Haak gave commendations to Mason McDermit, Angel Hubbard, Lance Staley and Emily Ray on being the winners of the local Americanism and Government test sponsored by the Piqua American Legion. This program provides students with the opportunity to receive recognition and scholarship awards by testing their knowledge of current events, Ohio and United States Government and History, and display of the United States Flag.

As part of OSBA Board Recognition month, Haak thanked the board members for their service and leadership to the district.

In other business, the board:

• Approved fiscal year 2024 salary schedules.

• Approved 2024-25 fee schedule for satellite programs.

• Approved 2024-2025 One-to-One Device program.

• Approved 2024-2025 high school calendar.

• Approved Joint Budget Commission rates.

• Approved 2024-2025 high school program/patronage fees.

• Authorized the superintendent to sign and file Federal/State/Local Proposals/Applications w ith operation contingent upon Board approval

• Authorized insurance for Board members

• Appointed the treasurer as public records designee and distributed to the treasurer the Records Retention Schedule and Board policies.

• Approved a resolution to waive oral reading of board minutes.

• Approved a resolution authorizing investment of funds.

• Approved a resolution for investment interest proration and which funds the interest will be credited.

• Approved the return of advances from fiscal year 2023: Skills Training Project Grant – FY23 $4,363.82; Aspire – Adult Ed – FY23 $13,631; and Amplifying Pathways Grant – FY23 $323.65.

• Approve the grant from the Hartstein/Favorite International Vocational Fund of the Troy Foundation in the amount of $14,213 to be used by the Landscape and Natural Resources program for the Yellowstone/Teton study trip.

• Approve the grant from the Hartstein/Favorite International Vocational Fund of the Troy Foundation in the amount of $14,670 for the Germany Next-Level Apprenticeship trip.

• Approved participation in the OSBA Legal Assistance fund for calendar year 2024 as presented.

• Approved the agreement with Kathy Voris, Independent Contractor, for public relations/marketing services as presented, effective Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024.

• Approved donations of $13,467 donated by Ascend Wellness Holdings, LLC to be used to purchase vape detectors; various plumbing and electrical hardware and supplies donated by Family Farm & Home to be used by our skilled trades programs;2014 Kenworth KW T680 Truck donated by Schulze Financial Empire to be used by the Ag. & Power and Technologies program; $1,680 donated by Sidney Electric to be used to purchase student tool kits for the HVAC/R Technologies program; $840 donated by Eck Refrigeration to be used to purchase student tool kits for the HVAC/R Technologies program; Assorted paint and tint donated by Custom Aerosol Packaging to be used by the Auto Collision Repair Technologies program; $1,680 donated by Sidney Electric to be used by the Electrical Trades/SkillsUSA programs; and miscellaneous robotics components and parts donated by Yaskawa America, Inc., Motoman Robotics Division to be used by the Robotics and Automation Technologies program.

• Approved Cynthia Geyer, Paraprofessional- Veterinary Science, to attend the Western States Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, from Feb. 18-21, 2024. Costs to the district for parking, meals, registration and miscellaneous expenses will not exceed $750. Geyer will be covering the cost of the flight and lodging herself.

• Approved Jeff Bertke, Electrical Trades Instructor, along with three students to attend the Mid-America Trucking Show from March 21-23, 2024, in Louisville, Kentucky. Bertke and the students will be presenting their load bank project which was built with the Harbor Freight Grant. Total costs should not exceed $1,200 and will be funded through the grant.

• Approved LNR instructors John Kreitzer and Michaella Quinter with up to seven students, to compete in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, from March 12-16, 2024. The total cost for flights, baggage, vehicle rental, hotel, supplies, fuel, parking, and registration will not exceed $4,580 for the instructors. To support up to seven students to attend, the total cost will not exceed $11,050 and will be financed through student contributions, advisory committee member donations, Upper Valley Career Center FFA and $1,500 winnings for the first place finish in the Ohio High School Landscape Olympics put on by the Ohio Green Industry Association.

• Approved the certification employment of Aaron Hemmert, career tech instructor-building maintenance.

• Approved classified employment of Kylie Clark, student helper.

• Approved the certificated supplemental contract of Aaron Hemmert, career tech instructor – building maintenance.

• Approved supplemental contract for Aaron Hemmert, career tech instructor – building maintenance, 40 hours for program setup.

• Approved the retirement of Patrick Gibson, director of Business Operations, effective Aug. 31, 2024; David Joe Gilliam, custodian, effective May 31, 2024; and David Ozimek, Aspire instructor, effective Dec. 31, 2023.

• Approved the resignation of Aaron Hemmert, paraprofessional – building maintenance/construction, so he can accept the certificated instructor position.

• Approved salary modification effective Jan. 1, 2024, for Emily Palmer, Family and Consumer Science instructor – Troy High School satellite.

The next meeting of the Upper Valley Career Center Board of Education will be held on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, at 6 p.m. in the Adams Board Room- Main Instructional Building.