Area 30 gets welcome good news

It was all good news for the Area 30 Career Center during its monthly board meeting Tuesday morning.

The meeting started off on the right note as Executive Director Lora Busch accepted a scholarship check from Dave Archer of the Putnam County Community Foundation.

The scholarship check for $528.63, which will go toward the Area 30 Scholarship Fund, was given from the Karl and Amanda Reiblich Memorial Fund.

The Area 30 board also had the pleasure of having three students come to talk about their success in their respective programs at the school.

Brittany Birt, a senior at South Putnam High School, started the presentations as she talked about her experience in the Teacher Education Program.

Birt, a second-year student at Area 30, only attends the career center once a week, but she also interns at Fillmore Elementary School.

"If anyone asks me what I thought of the programs here or if I would recommend it I would say yes in a heartbeat," Birt said. "I would not trade my experience here for anything. We have our work, but we always have activities we can use with our own students."

Birt plans on using her hands-on experience in her own classroom in the future.

"I have always wanted to be a teacher, but this program here has helped me decide what I want to do for the rest of my life," Birt said. "It's because of this awesome program that I plan to fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher when I attend St. Mary of the Woods College in the fall and major in elementary education."

North Putnam High School students Robert Phipps and Ryan Robinson also shared their experiences and stories from the Computer Systems Networking program.

Both Phipps and Robinson had nothing but great things to say about the program, which they said has taught them so much.

Phipps, a first-year student at Area 30, said he has received the experience of a lifetime that has narrowed down his career path search through an internship with Five Star Technologies.

"Coming here this year I had no clue what I wanted to do at all. Area 30 has really helped place me on the right path for what I want to do," Phipps said. "This program has really brought me out of my shell."

Phipps will be attending Vincennes University in the fall.

Robinson, a second-year student at Area 30, also had nothing but good things to say.

"I thought I had a really good knowledge of computers, but stepping into this class I really had no idea," Robinson said. "I've learned so much and it's been such a great help. I know when more now then I thought I ever would. This is way more enjoyable then I ever expected it would be."

Robinson explained that he didn't know where he was planning on attending college or what specific field study, but he did know that it would be in computers.

Along with the good news the board took care of some routine issues such as approving several board policies such as Non-Discrimination and Access to Equal Educational Opportunity, Guidance and Counseling, College and University Programs, Homework, Student Privacy and Parental Access to Information, Special Education, Least Restrictive Environment, Section 504/ADA Prohibition Against Discrimination Based on Disability, Employment Practices, Creating A Position, Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity, Grievance Procedure, Personal Background Check-Contracted Services, Control of Blood-Borne Pathogens, Control of Non-Casual-Contract Communicable Diseases, Wellness, Religious/Patriotic Ceremonies and Observances, Technology Privacy, Student Network and Internet Acceptable Use and Safety and Child Abuse and Neglect.

All policies were just updates to existing policies and were approved following a second reading.

The board also approved a field trip for the Skills USA students to Kings Island on May 29. The trip will include 30 students and four instructors.

Also approved was the purchase of the Solid Works software, which will be used in the five member schools.

The software can be used to teach engineering classes as well as support for multiple STEM classes. The software itself will be billed monthly for one year to each of the five schools.

Solid Works provides 3D-modeling software, curriculum, quizzes and tests for STEM and engineering classes. It will belong to each of the schools and will not require any updates to operate.

The software can also be used as testing sites for industry recognized CSWA certification, a value of $150 per student.

The next Area 30 Career Center Board meeting will take place on May 14 at 9 a.m.