Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development
Summary of the March 2005 Board of Directors Meeting
Live Oaks Career Development Campus

 
Recognition of Staff
On behalf of Great Oaks and the Great Oaks Education Foundation, Dr. White recognized the following staff members for their recent outstanding accomplishments:
· Deborah Beamon - Fifth Third Bank Profiles in Courage Award
· Ellis Doyle - Milford-Miami Township Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year
· Greg Fiebig - Thomas R. Oberschmidt Award
· Mary Ellen “Mel” Forman - National Board Certification
· Gary Gebhart - President of the Adult Workforce Development Division for Ohio ACTE and President-elect of NCLA
· Courtenay Mayes - Applause Magazine’s Leaders of the Future Award
· Ed Pregitzer - Leavey Award from the Freedoms Foundation
· Bob Scarborough - Ohio ACTE nominee for the ACTE Arch of Fame Award and Vice President of the Adult Workforce Development Division of ACTE
· Donna Schultz - New Professional for Ohio ACTE and Region I of ACTE
· Lillian Willis - National Board Certification

Live Oaks North Central Peer Team Visit
The North Central Evaluation Team visited Live Oaks on February 16th and 17th to review the Live Oaks School Improvement Plan (HSTW Blueprint).   They commended the staff for improved student achievement on all their performance goals.  The Team particularly commented on the commitment of the staff to their students and each other, as well as their own professional development.

Electronic Portfolio
Members of the Class of 2005 will create an Electronic Portfolio, which is a PowerPoint resume demonstrating their accomplishments and skills.

Senior Project
Beginning this year, all seniors are expected to complete projects on a topic in their career field.  This involves research, preparation of a paper, and presentation before a panel of experts.

CARF Accreditation
Great Oaks is again applying for CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Faciities) Certification.  This certification ensures that Great Oaks is providing the highest quality of programs and services to our customers and provides the opportunity to serve people with disabilities.  The rigorous process involves three days of interviews on 137 standards.

Saturday Youth Enrichment Enrollment
Saturday Youth Enrichment classes offer students in grades 1 - 5 a wide variety of fun and educational opportunities.  They are held on four Saturdays in February and March.  Seven hundred forty-seven students enrolled in 87 classes.

Sophomore Visitation Report
The total number of 10th graders in the 36 school districts is 8,926, and 3,666 of them visited a campus.

Enrollment Process
Counselors are working with students, parents and affiliated schools to ensure that students are placed in the appropriate programs with the necessary support.  New district guidelines make certain that each student is on track for graduation with a post-graduation career plan.

Mental Health Services
Great Oaks continues to seek and implement services that help students who have social and/or emotional issues that impede learning.  Some interventions include conflict resolution, anger management, communication skills, problem solving and stress management. Each campus, as well as the Achievement Academy, has contracted with mental health professionals to work with counselors in providing these services.

Occupancy/Use Agreements
The Board of Directors approved renewing two existing Occupancy/Use Agreements.  Mobile Communications will use an area behind the main building at the Live Oaks campus for countywide emergency communications.  Ohio Multi-Agency Radio Communication Systems has access to a similar parcel of land to improve communications between Miami Township, Clermont County and the State of Ohio.  Another one-year agreement was approved with the University of Cincinnati Clermont College Police Academy for $3,500 to utilize classroom space at Live Oaks.

Master Plan Update
Committee discussion continued on the Master Plan for the Scarlet Oaks Campus that is being developed in conjunction with our consultants.  Present emphasis is on making entrances and internal space more accessible for customers.

National Policy Seminar
Several Board of Directors reported on the recent Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Policy Seminar in Washington, D.C.  Board members, business partners, and administrators visited the offices of nine Congressmen.  The meetings were extremely important since Congress is now acting on Perkins Reauthorization, the primary federal funding program for career-technical education.  Bob Scarborough, Director of the Adult Division, is the new president elect of ACTE. 

Report of the President/CEO
Dr. White reported on the recent celebration held at Laurel Oaks to recognize the importance of new interactive media technology.  It makes information available to students with disabilities.  A resolution from Representative Dave Daniels - legislator from the 86th district and graduate of Great Oaks - was read aloud by the new technology.