SMETHPORT — Beginning with the 2018-19 school year, the metalworking program at the Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit 9 Career and Technical Center in Port Allegany will be curtailed and replaced with the engineering technologies/technicians curriculum.
IU9 directors, meeting Monday evening, approved the changes. CTC Director James Young explained the move to eliminate the metalworking program at this time reflects the decision by the superintendents of the 10 school districts that send students to the vocational-technical school, plus the fact that the metalworking instructor wasn’t returning next year, thus avoiding the loss of a teaching position.
Responding to a question from a director, Young said that the metalworking course is not the welding curriculum.
“Metalworking students work with lathes and mills, and this equipment is to be kept at the school,” he replied.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, “engineering technicians use the principles and theories of science, engineering and mathematics to solve technical problems in research and development, manufacturing, sales, construction, inspection and maintenance. Their work is more narrowly focused and application oriented than that of scientists and engineers.”
Many engineering technicians assist engineers and scientists, especially in research and development. Others work in quality control, inspecting products and processes, conducting tests, or collecting data. In manufacturing, they may assist in product design, development or production.
This new course offering at the CTC will prepare students to apply knowledge and skills in the engineering field. Instruction may include history and ethics: problem solving; power and energy; engineering graphics; automated systems; fundamental electronics; manufacturing systems and processes; green energy; properties and strength of natural, composite and synthetic materials; total quality control; and electricity and electronics.
Directors also approved several other CTC-related agenda items. One was the 2019-10 calendar developed with the CTC superintendents’ Advisory Council, CTC and IU9 staff. It includes 185 instructional days and five staff development days. Calendars with 185 possible instructional days enables the CTCs ten participating districts to maximize state reimbursement and instructional hours required for state and national certifications.
Also gaining the OK was a Memorandum of Understanding with the Potter County Education Council to coordinate the CTCs vehicle inspection certification course. The CTC is to receive full payment from student tuition less direct expenses.
Under the terms of an agreement effective March 7, Sweden Valley Manor will make its facilities available for clinical educational experiences to CTC students enrolled in the Health Assistant Program.
Directors also agreed with the contract with Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16 to provide the Student Information System, which will enable teachers to submit attendance and grading electronically and will give students and parents access to the system. This one-year agreement will cost $7,500 remains unchanged for the past six years and includes training and support.
In other news, David DiTanna of Buffamante, Whipple Buttafaro, certified public accountants, reported on the 2016-17 audits of the IU9 general fund and CTC accounts. “Both were clean and unmodified audits with no exceptions,” DiTanna said. “IU 9 had a very solid year overall financially as far as operations are concerned,” he added, pointing especially to “the very solid surpluses in the special education and general funds.”
IU9 Executive Director Don Wismar noted that a new IU 9 member orientation is slated from 10 a. m. to noon on April 3 at the IU9 administrative offices.
The IU9 regularly scheduled monthly meetings will continue to be held at 7 p. m. on the third Monday. No meetings are held in April, July and November.
The next meeting is May 21.
