Vo-tech approves advertising campaign
The Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School will be touting its success through billboard, radio, posters, postcard and brochure advertisements in about two weeks. “Get Real. Our Graduates Achieve Real Success” is the slogan of the new advertisements created by MASSolutions of Pittsburgh.
David M. Mastovich, president of the marketing and public relations firm, delivered the results of several months of work Monday at the monthly meeting of vo-tech’s joint operating committee, which hired MASSolutions in January of last year.
The firm contacted people in the community, teachers, school officials and current students and those who are alumni of the school to understand their perception of the school.
The information will factor into Director Dr. Edward Jeffreys’ long-term goal of improving the school’s image.
Mastovich said people in southwestern Pennsylvania in particular have an inappropriate attitude of despair and a negative perception of a “techer,” slang for a vo-tech school student.
While some people view being a techer as a badge of honor, others look at it negatively, said Mastovich.
Parents, he said, don’t understand enough of the good things that happen at the school, while the support of the home schools, or the high schools that vo-tech students attend, is not as strong as it should be.
He said the school’s adult education classes and the good careers a lot of the school’s alumni possess should be promoted.
“They believe being a techer is something bad. Our graduates do real work for real money,” said Mastovich. “Instead of seeing us as a negative, they need to know there are a lot of positives going on. You’re giving kids real job experience to get a job.”
Jeffreys said the firm’s work, including the upcoming advertising, is funded through a grant.
Billboard advertisements are expected to go up along Route 40 and Route 51. Jeffreys said vo-tech shops will create some of the advertisements.
In a second presentation, representatives of local fire companies, police and medical emergency responders urged the committee to begin a protective services training program at the school.
Ronald Barry, local paramedic, said the program would train students to become firefighters, emergency medical technicians or law enforcement officers while also giving them the beginning knowledge to enter “spin-off careers” such as building code inspectors, fire apparatus repairs and federal and municipal police officers.
“You expect someone to be there when you call 911. These people have to be trained,” said Barry. “The need exists. We need the help. We can give the kids a rewarding career.”
Local representatives said the program is urgently needed since the number of young people pursuing careers in the protective services is dropping.
“Our numbers are dropping. We need to get younger people involved,” said Barry.
The Connellsville Career and Technical Center began a similar program two years ago and has 41 students enrolled in it this year, said Ed Zadylak, a Connellsville Area School Board member and member of the New Haven Hose Volunteer Fire Co.
Zadylak said to begin the program, the committee would have to hire a full-time instructor and need 4,000 square feet of building space in which to house it.
Zadylak said local fire companies would be willing to donate needed equipment for the program, and Barry noted it would prepare student to take state certification exams.
The committee also:
– Hired Jamie Oros as a full-time substitute learning facilitator for special education classes. She will be paid $131 per day with benefits, according to Gary Frankhouser, the school’s solicitor.
– Hired Lee Price of Andrews and Price Law Firm as chief negotiator at a rate of $108 per hour during discussions with the school’s teachers union. The contract with the current union expires at the end of June, said Frankhouser.
– Added Barry and Debra Ann Mill to the list of substitutes.
– Authorized a refund to the four school districts that send students to the school in the following amounts: $114,181 to Albert Gallatin; $31,436 to Brownsville; $37,728 to Laurel Highlands; and $111,426 to Uniontown.
Frankhouser said the money is a surplus of funds paid by districts in the 2006-07 fiscal year and not excess revenue accumulated in a judge-order account as the result of a past funding dispute.