President Debbie West, board members Eric Reed and Pat Lang and Secondary Director Mike Elliot talk after the board meeting Thursday night. (PHoto by Clara Noelle)

The Washington County Joint Vocational School District Board of Education met Thursday night at the Washington County Career Center.

They discussed the sophomore visits the past two school days, enrollment numbers, and the resignation of Board President Debbie West.

West will be stepping down from her role as Board President to take up a role as the South West Regional Manager for the Ohio School Board Association. The Warren Board of Education will be appointing the person who will fill West’s soon-to-be empty seat.

On Feb. 6 and 7, the sophomores of the local schools had the opportunity to tour the Career Center to see if they wish to apply and attend their junior and, possibly, senior years. Secondary Director Mike Elliot reported that 497 sophomores visited over the two days, and within the past two days applications for the next school year have hit the triple digits.

The board also discussed that in the past two years, the Career Center has had high numbers of enrollment, with the year before last having a record high.

Superintendent Tony Huffman noted that they have hit their limit.

“We would have to hire more academic teachers if we took on more than 550 students,” said Huffman.

Later in the meeting, the board accepted the retirement of Auto Mechanics Instructor Dave Everson, who will continue to teach through the school year, but after May 24, he will officially retire.

In other business, the board approved the fund appropriations to the Super RADPIDS Fund ($696,430) and the Driver’s Ed (CODE) Fund ($146,150).

The board also honored students of the month Dylan Barth (Marietta senior) and Breanna Rowan (Warren senior), along with honoring this year’s contributors to Career and Technical Education (CTE): Mike Brill (Maintenance Manager), Brittany Corbitt (Human Resources Manager at Belpre Landing Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center), Candy Gillespie (Workforce Development Manager at WVU Medicine Camden Clark) and Angela Neiswanger (Recruitment Support Associate at WVU Medicine Camden Clark).

According to Adult Technical Training Director Evan Schaad, Brill has helped the Industrial paths at the Career Center and has helped form scholarships for those fields. Corbitt has helped Career Center students in the medical fields land jobs at Belpre Landing. According to Huffman, Gillespie has helped train incumbent workers at Camden Clark with the Career Center. Neiswanger has interviewed Career Center students for Camden Clark Medical Center and has helped them get a job there.