MVCTC Superintendent thanks voters for passing levy

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DARKE COUNTY – The Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC) sought voter support from 27 school districts across nine counties Tuesday, including Darke County. The 1.43 mill levy passed by a narrow margin, with about 51 percent voting for and 49 percent against.

MVCTC accepts students from every school district in Darke County. During the 2016-17 school year, 767 students from Darke County attended the school, including 344 participating in satellite agriculture programs in local school districts such as Arcanum, Franklin Monroe and Tri-Village.

“The positive outcome tonight was the result of a lot of hard work by many people and the continued support of our students, parents, employers, post-secondary institutions, partner school districts, and staff,” MVCTC Superintendent Nick Weldy said on Tuesday. “I thank each one of them for the part they played in our success.”

Weldy also expressed thanks to the voters who made the levy a success.

“Last evening was a historic night for us,” Weldy said. “The voters made an investment in not only the future of all of our students, but also in our region’s economy. On behalf of the Board of Education and staff of MVCTC, I want to thank the voters for their support and continued faith in our ability to provide the skilled workforce needed to grow the Miami Valley.”

A portion of funds from the successful levy will go toward upgrading the facility’s security cameras and access doors, as well as issuing badges that would not only limit access to most areas of the campus to students and staff, but also allow students to be located electronically in the event of an emergency.

“We have 850 of the most precious things in the world to somebody on our campus every single day,” Weldy said in an earlier interview with The Daily Advocate. “That’s something we don’t take lightly.”

Levy funds will also allow the school to update equipment in their various training facilities, according to Weldy, including those geared toward manufacturing and various healthcare-related fields, in order to ensure that CTC students continue to be trained using the latest, most up-to-date equipment in their industry.

Finally, levy funds should help prevent the school from having to turn students away from popular programs such as sports medicine, dental assisting, nursing, physical therapy, criminal justice, and graphic arts. Some of these fields are so in demand that graduates typically find themselves fielding up to four or five different job offers apiece, according to Weldy. But the school couldn’t have continued to accept all those students if they didn’t have the space to accommodate them.

“We’re just here to help these kids,” Weldy said, “and to make sure the companies we work with have the right employees, so they’ll continue to grow and continue to locate in Ohio. That’s in everyone’s best interest.”

The district will start meeting with representatives from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) as early as next week to begin the formal process of improving and expanding the school’s facilities.

MVCTC accepts students from every school district in Darke County. During the 2016-17 school year, 767 students from Darke County attended the school, including 344 participating in satellite agriculture programs in local school districts such as Arcanum, Franklin Monroe and Tri-Village.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_11196318_10153229245854840_4032624181734751289_n.jpgMVCTC accepts students from every school district in Darke County. During the 2016-17 school year, 767 students from Darke County attended the school, including 344 participating in satellite agriculture programs in local school districts such as Arcanum, Franklin Monroe and Tri-Village. Courtesy photo

ByTony Baker

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The writer may be reached at 937-569-4315. To join the conversation and get updates on Facebook, search Advocate360. For more features online, go to dailyadvocate.com

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