ATTENDANCE REWARDS PROGRAM AT UTC:

United Technical Center is continually striving to improve student attendance.  Students who miss two or less days per month will be eligible to sign up monthly for the drawing in May of 2007 for the 1994 Chevy S10 truck that will be given away at the annual UTC Car Show.  The maximum number of days that can be missed for the year is ten.  Any student exceeding this ten day limit will be eliminated from the drawing.  Also, monthly rewards are being given in small group settings to further promote good attendance.

 

HALLOWEEN CELEBRATED AT UNITED TECHNICAL CENTER:

Students at UTC celebrated Halloween by dressing in costume and eating special treats by the Prostart class.  Classes were chosen for pizza parties with the most students participating.  Drafting students recorded everyone’s efforts with pictures to use throughout the year.  Prostart and Drafting sponsored this activity.

 

UTC BUSINESS PARTNERS SUPPLY CURRENT INDUSTRY INFORMATION FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS:

UTC business partners annually provide needed information for programs at United Technical Center.  Job trends, required training, and industry standards are continually changing and students and faculty need updated information regularly.  UTC’s partners are as follows:  KCI Aviation, Tolley Electric, Central Supply Company, J.F. Allen/Alcon, PDQ Print Shop, Engine Rebuilders, City Window and Construction, Bombardier Aerospace, Michael Romano – Attorney at Law, and Miley Legal Group.

 

FOOD DRIVE UNDERWAY AT UTC:

UTC holds an annual food drive for local food pantries.  Classes are currently conducting the 2006 Holiday Season Food Drive.  All collections will be distributed prior to the Christmas holidays.  The class who collects the most food items receives a pizza party at UTC.  All donations are sincerely appreciated.

 

TABE TESTING COMPLETED:

All students at United Technical Center were recently tested to ensure the services needed for mathematics and reading instruction during each student’s training at UTC.  Cheryl Snyder and Tom Scott worked for several weeks to complete the testing and are now working with students daily in needed areas.  Programs such as Kurzweil, ACT KeyTrain, Kaplan Reading Empowerment, Kaplan Math, Bell Ringer math and reading, and Plato are being used to improve student deficiencies.

 

“GIRLS CAN DO” WORKSHOP HELD AT UTC:

The first Girls Can Do Workshop was held at United Technical Center on October 19, 2006.  This event was sponsored by UTC and West Virginia Women Work.  Female mentors worked with approximately 120 ninth grade girls from Harrison County high schools.  Workshops were held in welding, forestry, soil conservation, communication, public utility works, aviation, electricity, and information technology.  These areas were chosen by Lisa Diehl, the coordinator for WV Women Work, because women traditionally do not work in these fields.  Ms. Diehl and UTC staff deemed the event successful.  The Prostart class at UTC provided lunch and several students served as volunteers.

 

UTC PARTICIPATES IN CLARKSBURG CHRISTMAS PARADE:

Students and staff at United Technical Center participated in the annual Clarksburg Christmas parade on November 27^th.  Mr. Larry Couch and students from his EMS class and other volunteers from drafting decorated the UTC fire truck and followed the theme of Magical, Mystical Christmas.  Sparky The Fire Dog with UTC students arrived to greet parade goers.  UTC students dressed in clothing to represent their different shop areas distributed candy throughout the parade route.

 

HEALTH ASSISTANT CLASS TO SPONSOR PATIENTS AT CONTINUOUS CARE AND CHRISTMAS CAROLING FOR UTC STUDENTS:

The HOST class at UTC will be adopting two patients at Clarksburg Continuous Care for Christmas as a class project.  The students will be touring the local facility during December to prepare for clinicals during second semester.  Also, the HOST students will be sponsoring a Christmas caroling activity for UTC students prior to the holidays.  Students interested in Christmas caroling should see Mrs. Altman.

 

GOLDEN TRASH CAN AWARD GIVEN FOR OCTOBER:

During the school year at UTC, classes are rewarded for keeping their shop areas exceptionally clean and maintained.  Each semester pizza parties are given to the shop areas with the most nominations for the semester.  October’s winners for the Golden Trash Can Award are Aviation and Medical Assistant.  Congratulations!

 

CAR RAFFLE BEING HELD FOR FUNDRAISER:

United Technical Center is conducting a raffle for support of student programs.  A 1929 Replica Mercedes will be given away at the annual spring car show at UTC.  Tickets are available for $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00.  Contact UTC for tickets or further information.  The telephone number is 326-7580 or 326-7588.

 

FINANCIAL AID INFO FOR SENIORS:

It will soon be time for families to submit financial aid forms for students to further their education.  Local high schools will be sponsoring financial aid workshops to assist students and parents with this process.  UTC students should be aware of new grant opportunities if they qualify for the Pell Grant.  Additional grants are now available for students who have completed courses and received EDGE credit at a post-secondary college and for students who have completed High School’s That Work curriculum.  Students and parents should check with high school counselors about these programs.  The deadline for submitting financial aid forms for the 2007-2008 school year is March 1, 2007.

 

NEW FIBER OPTICS CLASS TO BE OFFERED AT UTC:

Orbit Educational Group, Inc. and United Technical Center will be enrolling students in a new course in fiber optics and communications.  The course will be 24 weeks in length and will earn 35 college credits.  The college credits are available toward an AAS-Fiber Optics Associate Degree.  Certifications will be achieved in the following areas:  fiber optics installation, data cabling installation, security alarm installation, CCTV installation, telecommunications installation, and wireless networking installation.  Please contact a representative from Orbit at 1-800-372-5211. 

 

INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE COURSE MAY BE OFFERED AT UTC:

The Administrative Council at United Technical Center and the State Department of Education is currently looking to implement an industrial maintenance program at UTC.  The program would be available next year for the 2007-2008 school year.  High school students and adults will be able to participate in this new program to prepare for prospective jobs available in the coal industry.

 

END OF COURSE TESTING TO BE HELD IN JANUARY:

Students at United Technical Center will be completing end of course testing as final exams in January of 2007 for first semester.  Testing will be done in the Success Lab under the direction of classroom instructors and Mrs. Snyder and Mr. Scott.  Students are encouraged to prepare and do well on the testing.  Course credit, EDGE credit, and course certification and licensing depend upon successful completion of end of course testing in West Virginia.

 

UTC NIGHT PROGRAMS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE SPRING:

United Technical Center will be distributing information for the spring schedule after the holidays.  Several new courses are being proposed if student registration is good such as ACT Prep, Cisco Networking Academy, and on line courses, etc. Please contact Connie Kovach at 326-7590 for further information after 3:00 p.m. daily.

 

PLASMA CUTTER BEING USED BY WELDING AND MACHINE SHOP STUDENTS:

UTC students are being exposed to the use of new computer technology in working with a new plasma cutter in welding and machine shop.  Eric Younkins and Mike Goodwin have been working on projects with their students to improve their skills and utilize equipment purchased by recent grant money received by the school.

 

IDENTITY THEFT BECOMING AN ISSUE FOR STUDENTS:

Parents and students need to be aware of current problems at the post-secondary education level concerning identity theft.  Students need to take precautions to prevent damage to financial credibility.  There are many sources on line to provide information to protect your identity.  AES can provide you with helpful hints to avoid identity theft.   Please contact AES at www.aes.org.

 

SCHOOL CALENDAR:

January 15, 2007                            -  Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birthday, NO SCHOOL

January 16, 2007                            -  End of first semester, third six weeks

January 17, 18, 19, 2007                -  Semester Exams

January 22, 2007                            -  First day of second semester