COAL TOWNSHIP - A strong recruiting effort by officials at Northumberland County Career and Technology Center (NCCTC) and the three home schools have helped increase the projected enrollment at the vo-tech facility for next school year by 30 students in less than a month.
Although serious concerns still exist over how successful a predominantly one-year, full-time, senior-only program being instituted in September will be, members of the school operating agency were optimistic after hearing Wednesday night that the projected enrollment is 87 students, which is 30 more than what was predicted when the board held its last meeting March 21.
James Monaghan, administrative director at NCCTC, outlined the new enrollment figures at the outset of the session, while board chairwoman Donna James of Mount Carmel Area School District stressed that there is no intention at this time to close any shops.
Monaghan said the enrollment includes 35 full-time students from Shamokin Area, 19 full-time students from Line Mountain, 25 half-time students from Mount Carmel Area and 8 full-time students from Mount Carmel Area.
There is projected to be 62 seniors, four juniors and 21 sophomores at the school.
The following is list of students in each shop and their instructors:
Health occupations (RuthAnn Helfrick), seven; cosmetology (Mary Heim), 16; culinary arts (James Schiavoni), 13; computer tech (Debbi Dobson), five; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (Andrew Bartholomew), two; automotive tech (Dan Shuman), eight; collision repair (Jeremy Johnson), five; carpentry (vacant due to retirement of James Yurick), two; electrical construction (Richard Roughton), five; protective services (Matt Dunn), four; welding (Michael Bradley), 12; and occupational child care (Gwen Spurr), eight.
In addition to the strong recruitment, enrollment figures increased when school officials agreed to allow sophomores and juniors at Mount Carmel Area to attend certain classes on a half-time basis. Shamokin Area and Line Mountain students also have been offered the same opportunity.
James said, "Before the changes were made, we only had four students coming here next year from Mount Carmel Area. We are trying to accommodate all the districts."
Mount Carmel Area Acting Superintendent Bernie Stellar commended guidance counselors in his district with convincing more students to attend the vo-tech school by working hard to adjust their schedules at the home school.
"We are happy more students decided to enroll here," Stellar said. "Hopefully, this program will encompass the needs of all the districts."
Stellar pointed out that no new students from Mount Carmel Area have enrolled at the Schuylkill County Technology Center (SCTC) next school year. He said there are currently eight students attending programs at SCTC that aren't offered at NCCTC.
Director Charles Shuey of Shamokin Area School District said he doesn't believe the senior-only program will work at NCCTC due to a lack of students that could result in the elimination of some shops. He said SUN Area Vocational-Technical School, which was used by NCCTC officials as their model when developing the senior-only, full-day, one-year program, encompasses five school districts and approximately 900 students; whereas NCCTC only has three school districts and far less students.
Barry Michael Buriak, former longtime auto mechanics instructor and cooperative education coordinator at the school, said Wednesday he was glad to hear enrollment was increasing, but remained skeptical about the one-year program.
"You can't have a handful of students in shops because it won't be affordable to the home school districts," Buriak said. "I think you should go back to a half-year program. I've put a lot of years in here and I don't want to see the building crumble."
Last month, Buriak voiced similar concerns. He agreed that students need to attend full-day sessions, but said instruction shouldn't be limited to only seniors.
In other business, the board recognized Line Mountain senior Brittany Vogel for being named Shamokin Rotary Club Student of the Month for April at the vo-tech school. Vogel, a student in the protective services program, commended her instructor, Matt Dunn, and other personnel at the school for her successful career at NCCTC.
Vogel, who plans to become a police officer, will be among 16 vo-tech school students to participate in the SkillsUSA Conference/Competition on April 18-20 at Hershey. Instructors Dunn, Dobson and Shuman will accompany the students.
The board reappointed Herring & Roll, a certified public accounting firm, to perform an audit of the school for the school year ending June 30, 2012, at a cost of $5,425.
Directors also renewed a management services agreement with Charles J. Mannello, a certified public accountant from Kulpmont, from July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2013.
Joseph Jurewicz, a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) director at SCI-Coal Township, and Eric Specht of Frank's Electric, Leck Kill, were added to the HVAC Occupational Advisory Committee.
The board granted permission to Coal Township VFW Post 317 to utilize the school's 2.5-ton military truck in the annual Memorial Day Parade on May 28. Welding instructor Michael Bradley will drive the truck in the parade.