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Fayette vo-tech OKs step towards students’ certification

3 min read

The Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School Joint Operating Committee approved the purchase of textbooks, tools and equipment for the auto mechanics program as part of the goal to offer certification to students enrolled in the program. At its regular meeting Monday, the committee approved the purchase of miscellaneous automotive tools and equipment for the program from Paxton/Patterson, LLC of Chicago, Ill., at a cost not to exceed $46,544. The committee also agreed to purchase miscellaneous automotive tools and equipment from Broadhead Garrett of Mansfield, Ohio, at a cost not to exceed $19,987, and automotive textbooks and DVD training videos from Cengage Learning of Mason, Ohio, at a cost not to exceed $7,154.

School officials received only one bid for the purchases, according to the meeting agenda.

A tire-spin balancer, mounting kit and trolley also will be purchased for the program after the committee approved the move from Stallion Automotive Equipment at a cost not to exceed $6,239. The company submitted the lowest bid, according to the agenda.

The purchases are required for the auto mechanics program to receive National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) certification, the agenda read.

Dr. Edward Jeffreys, vo-tech executive director, previously said that by the end of the 2009-10 school year, all 17 vo-tech programs will offer certification to its students.

Concerning upgrades to other programs, the committee agreed to purchase 26 computers for the computer technology program from CDW-G at a cost not to exceed $39,000 and 15 I-Mac computers from The Apple Store for the graphic arts program at a cost not to exceed $30,794.

Money for the purchases will come from Carl D. Perkins funding allocated through the federal government and are within budgetary guidelines, according to school officials.

The committee also agreed to purchase a server from Dell, Inc., under state contract pricing at a cost not to exceed $7,395, also for the computer technology program.

Meanwhile, the committee accepted the resignation of the school’s business manager Michael Oppman, effective April 3, and student recruiter Leah Jobes, effective April 24.

Oppman, hired in March 2007, resigned to accept another job, while Jobes was accepted to the state police academy, according to school officials.

Gary Frankhouser, the committee’s solicitor, said the committee has received applications after publicly advertising for both positions and will be conducting interviews in May.

The committee also:

– Agreed to use a tech prep grant to offer a summer career exploration camp to 7th and 8th grade students from the four school districts that send students to the vo-tech. The camp will be held the week of June 15. Anyone interested in the program should call guidance counselor Andrew Loy at 724-437-2721.

– Scheduled its next regular meeting to be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 27 instead of May 25, as previously scheduled, due to Memorial Day.

– Permitted diesel mechanics instructor Joe Koposko to attend the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence in May in Blairsville at an approximate cost of $213. The conference is required for the program to receive NATEF certification, according to the agenda.

– Authorized cosmetology instructor Cheryl Shaulis to present at the “Career Centers That Work Best Practice Showcase” this month in Rootstown, Ohio at no cost to the school. Jeffreys said it is an honor for one of the school’s instructors to be selected to present at the conference.

– Granted core skills instructor Steve Patchan’s request to attend the OSHA “Train the Trainer” workshop in June at the Clearfield County Career and Technical Center at an approximate cost of $813.

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