HPTC board hears marketing report [The Woodward News, Okla.]

Nov. 06--The marketing management program at High Plains Technology Center continues to grow.

In fact the program has grown so much that it has been split into 2 instructional areas. This led to the hiring of Marsha Bowers earlier this year to instruct the traditional marketing classes. While the previous marketing instructor Forrest Rogers continues to expand a film editing and production class that he has developed over the past few years through the marketing program.

HPTC Board of Education members heard from Bowers and Rogers about these marketing program expansions during the board's November monthly meeting on Monday evening.

Bowers shared how the program offers interactive learning opportunities not only through virtual business simulations on the computer, but also through hands-on training at 4 student-operated stores that are offered at the school, she said.

These stores are a printing company called DECA Designs; a retail store called Second Act Clothing; a concession stand called Intermissions Food Store; and the film editing program led by Rogers.

Rogers shared how the film program, which started around 4 years ago, "really grew in the last year."

"After the tornado last year, we helped Marty Logan with some video and then Gary England showed it on Channel 9 and the students were excited that their videos were being shown on television," Rogers said.

Since then, he said the Oklahoma City Thunder contacted them about doing a video about Woodward which was broadcasted as part of a Thunder commercial. In addition, he said several local businesses have also hired them to shoot various videos for them, including everything from 60 second commercial spots, to 3 to 4 minute web videos to even hour-long safety videos.

Both Rogers and Bowers spoke about how the training students receive through the marketing program helps prepare them for college and going on to a wide variety of careers.

"Around 70 to 80 percent of the students who enroll in our marketing program want to go on to college," Bowers said. "So this is kind of a good jump start for them."

Rogers said it is also a jump start for the students in the job market.

"I know of at least 4 entrepreneurial businesses in Woodward that were started by kids that have gone through our program," he said.

After listening to the presentation, HPTC Board Member Carol Bradley said she was impressed to hear what all the marketing program does.

"It's amazing to see how it's grown over the years and how it's expanded and how it helps prepare students to work and maybe pay their way through college," Bradley said.

HPTC Superintendent Dwight Hughes said Monday's marketing program presentation is just the latest in a series of presentations by HPTC instructors in an effort to keep the board updated on the school's various programs.

"I'm having a different program make a presentation each month," Hughes said. "I think it helps the board to understand what all the programs are and how big their scope is."

In addition, he said that the board doesn't often get to hear from staff members at the school, so the presentations "allow for more interaction between our teachers and the board."

"And it gives the teachers the opportunity to brag about their programs," he said.

ACTION ITEMS

Once Bowers and Rogers finished with their presentation, the HPTC board got down to business and moved quickly through the action items on their agenda.

Foregoing a scheduled executive session, the board jumped directly to a vote approving the hiring of Terry Groce and Pam Kline as bus drivers and Art Nine for part-time maintenance.

They then approved a resolution calling for the annual school election to be held on Feb. 11, 2014 to elect a board member for Zone 2, which is the seat currently held by Bradley.

The board also adopted a new Emergency Operations Plan.

Hughes explained that previously the HPTC board was asked to approve separate emergency plans for different situations.

"Before we might have had a tornado plan or an intruder plan," he said. "But this pulls that all into one comprehensive plan instead of a bunch of separate little plans."

By consolidating all the emergency procedures into one plan, Hughes said, "it makes it easier to follow."

"This new plan lays out what each area is responsible for in case of an emergency and spells out the whole emergency plan," he said.

In other business, the HPTC board addressed routine financial items including the October monthly Activity Fund and treasurer's reports.

Also in financial matters, the board approved FY14 General Fund encumbrances in the amount of $93,742.40, which included nearly $40,000 in expenses for repairs after a significant portion of the facility was flooded back in September. Hughes said the flood related expenses should eventually be reimbursed by the school's insurance.

In a brief update to the board as part of his superintendent's report, Hughes said that construction on the school's new Energy Training Center is about 60 percent complete.

He also shared how the school is already putting it's new activity bus to good use and passed around a photo showing how the bus' exterior was wrapped with a design featuring the HPTC logo. Hughes said that on Tuesday morning the bus would be "making its third trip" since the vehicle was purchased back in August. He said Tuesday's trip was to take HPTC nursing students to attend a State Board of Nursing hearing in Oklahoma City.

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