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JVS looking to take steps to become Ohio Technical Center site

BLOOMINGDALE — The Jefferson County Joint Vocational School is taking initial steps to cement its role as an Ohio Technical Center by adding an adult education director/grant writer’s position.

During the July 16 regular session, school board members discussed the post, which would include developing training courses to ready people for the workforce in a capacity beyond the vocational school concept.

Superintendent Todd Phillipson said plans are to advertise for the position at an upcoming session and fill the spot in the foreseeable future.

“It’s something I put down as a goal,” Phillipson told the board, adding that he’s sought information from surrounding sites pertaining to salary. “I did get information from Columbiana and I’m also trying to include grant writing. For me, it doesn’t affect the adult education coordinator. This gives us OTC status to teach adult ed programs.”

He said of the 49 joint vocational schools across Ohio, about 43 are OTC’s and Jefferson County JVS was among the latter.

“We’d be looking at being an OTC and holding more workforce development courses so people can transition to the workforce,” he continued. “It is more of a quasi-college education and is between career-tech and a community college.”

He added that the impending closure of Eastern Gateway Community College and transition to Youngstown State University creates a major void the JVS could help fill for the local community.

Phillipson said the new director would try to create new training services and more talks ensued about possible programs board members would like to see.

“I’d expect that if we put up the salary, we’d get it back tenfold,” said board Vice President Ron Smyth.

“They’d be worth it when they find grants,” added board member Barry Gullen, while board member Kim Mark agreed many grants were available.

Phillipson commented that certain programs could be included in the building plan, which in recent months leaders have discussed utilizing to expand healthcare and offer other programs, and officials on Tuesday suggested the potential for truck driving, landscape architecture to X-ray technician or respiratory therapy, if the latter was permissible under OTC guidelines.

“There are a lot of things we can do. There’s so much we can add on here, but we have to say, ‘Let’s do it,'” Mark noted. “We’re going to have to get on the bus here.”

Smyth said leaders could review it further as part of the building expansion plan and board President Steve Bezak III suggested conducting workshops over the next few months to brainstorm ideas.

Member William Hendricks said officials should also think outside the box.

Following more talks, the board agreed to prepare an advertisement for the adult ed director/grant writer’s position for approval at the August meeting.

In related matters, the board also approved a Request for Qualification for architectural design services for the building addition project as part of its long-term goal.

Among other action, the board:

∫ Named Tammy Sismondo as lead mentor for the 2024-25 school year;

∫ Agreed to re-employ Richard Potts on a two-year contract, effective July 1;

∫ Approved adult education instructors, classes and hours for the 2024 fall semester;

∫ Approved the addition of William Trimmer to the 2024-25 substitute teacher list for electrical trades;

∫ Approved the filing of school lunch and breakfast program applications;

∫ Approved a one-year service contract agreement with SaferWatch and the renewal of the STOPit App for the upcoming school year;

∫ Approved the replacement of a welding curtain from Sky Oxygen for $4,714; the purchase of computer networking technologies curriculum from The Computing Technology for $2,574; online access and workbooks for the cosmetology program from Marianna at a cost of $9,208; and the purchase of I-CAR curriculum licensing for the auto collision program from I-CAR Education for $1,200;

∫ Approved the donation of a 2010 Volkswagen Gulf for the auto service program;

Set the next meeting for Aug. 20 at 5 p.m.

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