Vo-tech board to seek long-term sub for vet-tech teacher
The Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School Joint Operating Committee voted to seek a long-term substitute for the school’s veterinary technician/agriculture program. The move came Monday to the relief of parents and students who were prepared to protest closing the program.
Solicitor Gary Frankhouser said the committee was considering closing the program in the 2010-11 school year as a cost-cutting move since the current instructor, David Herring, is slated to go on sabbatical leave.
“The board felt it was a worthwhile program and wanted to see if it can continue,” Frankhouser said.
Brittany Harwood, a first-year, vo-tech student and a sophomore at Albert Gallatin Area High School, was among about 10 students who attended the meeting to protest the closure.
“I thank you for keeping this program. It means a lot to my life. Vet-tech is the reason why I am still in school,” said Harwood from the audience at the regular committee meeting. “There has been many times I wanted to drop out of school, but, when I got into vet-tech, I found something I loved to do. This program has made me want to further my education to become a veterinarian.”
Harwood plans to attend Potomac State College to major in pre-veterinary medicine and then complete veterinary school at Fairmont State College or West Virginia University.
She said through the program, she learned how to treat her dog’s wound caused after a larger dog attacked it and protect the dog from an infection, saving her family the expense of taking it to a veterinarian.
Casi Bryner, another first-year vet-tech student and Albert Gallatin Area High School sophomore, began to cry as she attempted to address the committee.
Earlier in the evening, Bryner said she received 700 signatures from people not wanting the program to close.
Bryner, as did other vet-tech students, thanked committee members for allowing the program to remain open. She also extended a thank you to Herring.
“Mr. Herring and Mrs. (Karen) Siebert mean so much. They are like our second set of parents and we’ve all formed a huge, loving family,” said Bryner. “Though you won’t be our teacher next year, know that we love you always and you will never be replaced,” she told Herring.
After the meeting, committee member Angelo Giachetti, serving as president in the absence of Andy Dorsey, said the committee now faces the challenge of finding a vet-tech-certified teacher to replace Herring.
He recognized the students for their work in helping to keep the program open.
Meanwhile, the board authorized the purchase of the following equipment: a molecular imager system, a microplate reader and a gene cycler/thermal cycler for the health occupations and biotechnology program from Bio-Rad Laboratories of Hercules, Calif., at a total cost of $17,059 and a Milli-Q Academic water purification system from Fisher Science Education of Hanover Park, Ill., at a cost of $4,444 for the program.
The prices represent the only sealed bids received and are within budgetary guidelines, according to the school’s administration.
The items will be purchased using federal Perkins funds.
The board also approved the purchase of miscellaneous tools and equipment for the diesel mechanics program from Schaeffer and Son of Bruceton Mills, W.Va., at a total cost of $59,130, which the administration said was the lowest sealed bid received.
The price reflects a $30,000 savings from last month’s bid from Snap On Industrial.
The items were re-bid at the recommendation of committee member Philip Holt.
Diesel mechanics instructor Joe Koposko thanked the committee for authorizing the purchases, noting it will allow updates that will help the shop receive National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) certification.
The committee also authorized the administration to apply for a school credit card from First National Bank.
The card will have a $1,000 credit limit and will be used when purchase orders are not accepted and for travel reservations with the signature of Dr. Edward Jeffreys, vo-tech executive director, according to the administration.