Jeff Tech operating committee meets

The Jeff Tech Operating Committee met in regular session on August 26 after talking the month of July off.  At the beginning of the meeting, the committee viewed a presentation on the school’s PBIS program

PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support. It is a school-wide system that teaches positive social behaviors.

School principal Melissa Mowrey provided an overview to the committee of how the program will continue to be integrated at Jeff Tech this year and in the future.

Overall, the program encourages and rewards positive behavior in areas such as attendance, grades, and discipline. The overarching theme of the program is responsibility, respect, excellence, and safety.

Students will have opportunities to earn rewards over the school year, including field trips. Students have provided input on those rewards. Teachers will also be rewarded for their efforts to encourage the goals of the program.

Students will be given an overview of the program on August 30 and will receive additional training the following week.  Posters and other information will be placed around the school.

The members of the PBIS committee include Mowrey, Jenna Shenkle, Brandon Nichol, and Jessica Schwabenbauer. Meghan Yohe from the DuBois Area School District will join the team this year.

Committee president Dr. Fred Park commended the team for its efforts.

“You deserve to be acknowledged for the hard work you do, and I think it’s important that our communities, our school districts, realize what good things go on here,” he said.

Online auction

Once the presentation was completed, the committee proceeded quickly through the agenda, pausing occasionally to comment on individual items.

The committee was informed that this year’s online auction of used and obsolete equipment took in $17,000.00 for the school. Troy Frederick, the maintenance director at the school, helps to organize the event.

Frederick said this is the third year of the program, and it helps to clear out space

“It [the auction] just depends, more or less, on what new equipment we’re getting, what equipment we’re pulling out, and what kind of room we have,” he said.

School director Barry Fillman commented, “It helps us to stay in front of the equipment curve.”

Jeff Tech number one

One other item that attracted attention was the recognition Jeff Tech recently received.

Committee member Jeff Ginther pointed out that the school’s Cooperative Education (CO OP) program had the highest percentage of participation rate of the Western Pennsylvania Cooperative Education Association for the 2018-2019 school year.

“Thanks to everybody involved in that program,” he said. “I love Co Op and we’re number one.”

Backpack program

Committee chairman Fred Park made sure to acknowledge the organizations that have donated money to the school’s backpack program.

Monetary donations came from the Reynoldsville Elks Club, the Punxsutawney Eagles Club, the Falls Creek Eagles Club, and the Sandy Hose Company Number One in Sandy Township.

The program provides backpacks filled with food to needy students.