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NEW MATAMORAS -- The Frontier Local Schools Board of Education discussed career-tech certifications as a way to save district dollars while increasing offerings Monday.
The certification discussion was lead by Superintendent Brian Rentsch and Counselor Kristi Leonard who explained the district has begun this year partnering with Building Bridges to Careers to increase opportunity exposure in the rural region.
"We're not adding staff, there's no money for that," said Rentsch. "But to just have the additional career-tech certification with a teacher that already meets state criteria based on their outside life experiences and who is willing to help offer another career pathway and other electives is what we're looking at."
Rentsch said the district is working to build up this certification programming within the high school after a trip to Groveport, Mo., modeled career and technical training integrated into surveys and programming with students beginning as early as grade 5.
Justin Hoff, vice president of the board, asked how exposure to options would be integrated, noting children like his are focused on becoming NBA stars, not careers in technical fields.
"That exposure is important," agreed President Jeff Knowlton, noting he asks his seventh-grader a similar question to the "what do you want to be when you grow up" one parents place on children throughout their lives.
Leonard said that's where the counseling and visiting speakers, and the mentorship program through BB2C will be useful.
"Where they can see what are different things a plumber or an electrician do when they come to talk with us, and then we can go research that field more," she said.
The board in its regular business also authorized a resolution explaining the amounts of revenue streams the school takes in each year and how they are divvied.
Rentsch pointed out the emergency levy renewed routinely by voters may be changed on the upcoming November ballot to a substitute levy of the same rate.
"It's only anticipated to send us $124,000 in the next year," he explained. "But if it passes at that rate, it won't have to be voted upon again. When you look at the whole budget, it's less than 10 percent."
The current emergency levy is funded at a rate of 2.34 mills and was last authorized by voters on Nov. 2, 2010. For a property valued at $100,000 (and a taxable value of $35,000), the levy costs $81.90 per year.
Rentsch said the board will look to gather a citizen committee to market the changes in the proposed levy beginning in May.