Madison Messenger - May 5th, 2019

www.madisonmessengernews.com May 5, 2019 - MADISON MESSENGER - Page 15
South Charleston
Southeastern expands
ag education program
By Kristy Zurbrick
Madison Editor
Southeastern Local Schools is expanding
agricultural and environmental programming
at the junior high and high school and
the staffing to go with it.
At their April meeting, the school board
approved the hiring of a second vocational
agriculture teacher. Ellyse Shafer, a recent
college graduate, joins Darrick Riggs, longtime
ag teacher and FFA advisor at Southeastern.
Shafer’s one-year contract takes
effect for the 2019-20 school year.
“She’s raring to go,” said Superintendent
David Shea, adding that Shafer interviewed
well. She was among a dozen or so applicants
for the job and one of five interviewed
for the position.
The district is retooling its agricultural
programs to be more comprehensive and career-focused.
In the past, the district has
provided courses in agribusiness and production
systems. Starting next school year,
new courses will cover:
• agronomic systems;
• ag and industrial power;
• electronic and electrical systems;
• hydraulics and pneumatics;
• principles of bio science;
• bioresearch;
• meat and science technology;
• environmental science for agriculture
and natural resources; and
• business management for agricultural
and environmental systems.
The district is looking to collaborate with
Clark State Community College to offer college
credit for a high school class that feeds
into Clark State’s precision ag associate degree
program.
New at the junior high for next year are
introductory ag classes available at the seventh-
and eighth-grade levels. Each are nine
weeks long and include an overview of agriculture
and its importance to Clark County.
“As efficiency in agriculture increases, it is
important that our students be instructed on
the concepts needed to apply the new technologies,”
Shea stated. “The era of scientific
agriculture is upon us. Biology, computer science
and engineering will all play roles moving
forward. The demand for technical
expertise on and off the farm will become
more prevalent in Clark County and beyond.
Our goal is to better prepare Southeastern
students for the ever changing world.”
In addition to agriculture classes, the district
offers engineering classes in grades 7-
12. Junior high offerings include
engineering design and modeling in seventh
grade and automation and robotics in
eighth grade. Possibilities at the high school
include engineering design, civil engineering
and architecture, digital electronics, and
principles of engineering.
150th anniversary
School board member Kim Owens passed
along information from a group of alumni
who are planning a celebration of 150 years
of public education in South Charleston.
The anniversary year, 2021, coincides with
the 50th reunion year of the Class of 1971.
Duane Robbins, a 1971 graduate, is spearheading
the planning. The group’s next
meeting is set for 1:30 p.m. June 15 at Chillicothe
Street Pizza, 54 S. Chillicothe St.,
South Charleston.
Llama Llama!
Enjoying a photo opportunity with
Llama Llama are Aaron White, pastor at
First Presbyterian Church in South
Charleston, and his children: Tori (in his
arms) and Cora and Violet (standing).
Llama Llama, the main character in a
series of New York Times bestselling
children’s books, visited Houston Library
in South Charleston on April 23
for a program of stories and songs.