September 10, 2024 at 6:00 PM - Pioneer Technology Center Board of Education Regular Meeting

Discussion:  Also in attendance were Traci Thorpe, Ryan Burkett, Kendra Keelin, Kahle Goff, Stacey Rush, Molly Kyler, Terri Busch and Allison Christy.

Discussion:  In the last 5 years that we have had the Fire tower open, we have produced 25 career firefighters.  We have served 34 different agencies so far with our fire tower. OSFA has funding for Fire 1 and Fire 2 training, which helps pay for school and turn out gear. In Kay county we have 18 departments total. Four are career departments, the rest are volunteer departments. The training tower is used for things such as rope rescue and confined space training. OSU Fire Training is one of the biggest and best training programs in the country. 

Discussion:  Kahle Goff, Dr. Burkett, Tyler Foster, Mike Orr and Traci toured the CSE Bliss Manufacturing facilities to view potential areas that could house the PTC Full-Time and Evening Welding programs during the renovation project. Tom Riley, General Manager, provided the tour and discussed the amenities available with each of the locations available on their site. There is a suitable area, with the necessary connections for equipment, a small classroom, teacher’s office and multiple restrooms. We will be discussing a lease
agreement for the time needed to utilize the facility.
This year’s entrepreneurship activity with our FTP students will focus on a Student Pitch Off Competition. Students will learn about entrepreneurship, how to develop their ideas into a business plan and will present
their concepts to a panel of "Sharks" in a Pitch Off Competition.
PTC hosted the B&I Breakfast for the EMT/Fire Service/Law Enforcement/Wildlife Enforcement sector in August. Thirty-four participants were in attendance, with seven automotive related businesses represented.
Discussion centered around the need for training in over the phone CPR/AED dispatcher training. Concerns from the group also indicate that prospective employees are not hearing back from employers to whom they have applied as well as an increase of candidates not showing up for interviews. Hiring and retaining employees was widely shared as a challenge for all agencies.
Ian Freeman, Molly Kyler, Heather Smith, Kahle Goff and Traci met with Josh Fields from Stolhand Wells Group to discuss the possibility of creating an apprenticeship pathway for employment in HVAC at SWG.
Currently, they are sending a few employees through the Meridian program.
Working on identifying maintenance needs for the ADPC building and some quotes for cosmetic updates to the exterior. We are waiting on the arrival of the HVAC units for the C-hallway shops, which are anticipated
mid-September. The contractor has begun installing the overhead doors for the backlot shop areas. Three of the 12 have been installed. They’re currently installing one each week. We prepared a concrete pedestal to mount the fox donated by Ponca City Noon Rotary.
The second interview has been conducted for the full-time Children’s Lab and Preschool position that will be vacated by Jessica LaBlue. We are still working to fill the upcoming vacancy for PTC
Facilities/Maintenance/Grounds position and the part-time Children’s Lab and Preschool position.
Stacey Rush, Chief Financial Officer, has tendered her letter of retirement for November 2025. We are going to move forward with posting a job and getting someone hired to be trained. 

Discussion:  Debbie Leaming asked how they mesure the amount of money that is saved by the programs BIS provides. Molly stated that they have a formula in which is shows the amount of savings and that is how they gauge those numbers.