By Lon Anderson
Moorefield Examiner
Vocational education (Vo-Tech) programs for Hardy County students were front and center for Hardy County School Board members at their meeting on January 21, especially with a deadline looming that night to vote on adding programs for the next year.
After reviewing current statistics concerning Hardy County High School students in Vo-Tech programs, board members seemed discouraged with enrollment numbers for several of the existing programs.
“There are some scheduling issues that just knocks those kids right out (of the program),” said board member Jerry Yates.
To participate, Hardy County students must be bused to the South Branch Career and Technical Center in Petersburg and must stay there all afternoon, Superintendent Sheena Van Meter explained to the Examiner. The Center has morning and afternoon sessions, but the morning Vo-Tech classes are primarily for the Grant County students; the center is on their campus. The afternoon classes are utilized primarily by Hardy County students.
“Students are losing so much time in transportation (to and from the program),” explained the Superintendent, that she thinks this “makes it hard for them” to do the Vo-Tech programs. “There are a number of open spots in automotive and cosmetology,” Van Meter said.
“We’re not even at 50 percent,” said Board Vice President Doug Hines.
There are a total of 363 spots for all students, but only 177 are filled; we’re 186 under the cap,” Van Meter told the Examiner.
“I think it’s our students not wanting to miss core classes,” said Board President Nancy Hahn.
“Then I don’t think we’re getting our money’s worth out of the Vo-Tech program. I really don’t,” Board Vice President Doug Hines said.
“But the ratios in several of these programs is not good,” Yates observed.
“I’m all about providing every opportunity for the kids that we can,” Van Meter said.
“We’re providing funding for two and a half positions a year (at the Center),” Yates added.
“If the kids don’t like it, it’s a waste,” commented member Dixie Bean.
“We’re doing a survey of the students next week,” Van Meter said.
“That’s a good thing,” Yates replied.
“It will be interesting to see what the students say—do they like their instructors or not?” Hines said.
“It would be good to go visit with the students to better understand where the kids are,” Yates said, indicating that he was worried that ultimately “the juice may not be worth the squeeze” for some of the programs.
“The key to growing business here is education,” Hines reminded them. “It really hurts us (in attracting business) when Mississippi is 50th in education and West Virginia is 49th.”
Van Meter told the Board that they were up against a deadline for adding any Vo-Tech programs for next year, and any new programs they wanted would have to be decided and voted on at their meeting. “We just found out last Thursday about this deadline.” She then proposed two that she thought they should consider: athletic trainer and building maintenance programs.
“I’m for providing as many opportunities for the kids as possible—especially these types of classes—they’re really good for the kids,” Yates said. “I think they’re a 100 percent go…they’ll still have to travel some but not as much.”
“They’re not a duplication,” Van Meter said. “It’s just a problem for those kids to have to spend the entire morning away from their schools. We’ve got to do it since we’re up against the deadline.”
“If they are so concerned and we’ve pointed out that it’s such a problem, why don’t they send the teachers to us?” Hahn asked.
“Just go ahead and put (the two programs) in your plan,” Hahn told Van Meter.
Finances
The financial review, provided by Veeta Burgess, Director of Finance, indicated the Board’s budget was on track and that she “is not alarmed by any of our current numbers.”
The Board also received a request from the Hardy County Library Board, seeking a donation for $13,500 to upgrade its camera security system and a computer server to support its photograph preservation program.
John Buckley, a member of the Library’s Board, noted that the Board of Education had supported the Library in the past and that the State Board of Education encourages the County Boards to provide financial support to the libraries. “The programs, materials and services of the library are a distinct but vital part of the overall educational resources available to the students and general public of our county,” Buckley noted in a letter.
“I hope to the extent you can, you will support this request,” Buckley said.
“We will absolutely take it under consideration,” Hahn responded.
Other
Also on the agenda was the approval of Comprehensive Educational Facility Plan. Van Meter noted that there would be public meetings about the plan, which seeks to create a comprehensive list of capital funding needs for schools in the state for the next 10 years.
When asked about the plan, Stephen Williams, Director of Transportation and Maintenance, said the plan was “just trying to create orderly funding cycles” for capital expenditures. He said one of the CFP goals is, “to have projects identified and arranged so that we can afford them. The ultimate goal is to have a workable plan.”
“We need to have enough room in our schools for the anticipated needs.” Bean said.
“I think the thing we absolutely need is security cameras at the schools,” said Hahn.
“What we submit July 1 is not what’s in the document tonight, Williams said, indicating there will be major changes to it over the next several months.”
Given that information, the Board voted to submit the report.
In other actions, the Board saluted teacher Alicen Atkins of Moorefield Middle School as this month’s Spirit of Hardy Winner for her superlative efforts that included guiding the students into earning honors in the Legos Robotic Competition. The Board also recognized the School’s Robotics team for its winning efforts in the recent regional Legos Robotics competition.[/private]
