Bob Nelson of Weleetka, recited the Oath of Office at WWTC's regular board meeting January 11th. Nelson was appointed to fill the Zone 2 board member position on WWTC's board of education. He will replace Benny Ross, Weleetka, who resigned to due to a residential move which placed him outside of this zone. Pictured (left to right) Board President David Smith, Bob Nelson, Allen Johnston, and Ed Perry.

The WWTC Surgical Technology class was recently recognized by the Accreditation Review Committee on Education in Surgical Technology (ARC-ST). At the end of the 2005-2006 school year, the Surgical Technology students took the required Program Assessment Exam (PAE).

Our students' high scores placed WWTC in the top 20 out of over 400 schools nationwide!

We are now a member of the "PAE Elite 20 Program" in honor of the high achievement for program assessment evaluation.

Pictured left to right: Director of Health Occupations, Linda Sanford; Superintendent, James Moore; and Surgical Technology Instructor, Natalie Kennedy.

Are you thinking about your career? We are!

WWTC has been continuing to increase opportunities for students to advance in their chosen career areas. This fall, students have been taking advantage of three Cooperative Alliance Agreements which are available through WWTC and area colleges.

Students are pictured enrolling and taking advantage of three agreements which are available through WWTC and area colleges. WWTC high school and adult students may both earn college credits through Cooperative Alliance Agreements with Seminole State College and OSU-Okmulgee. A Cooperative Agreement is also available through Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. The agreements which are approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education allows students to receive college credit for their classes at WWTC.

WWTC Surgical Technology Program Recognized

The Surgical Technology program at WWTC was named in the Summer 2006 edition of the Student Connection magazine which is a national publication for the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST).  Three of WWTC's 2006 completers were recognized as AST National Honor Society inductees.  Heather Johnson, Wetumka; Jamie Schatt, Henryetta; and Kerry Simpson, Cromwell, were listed in the national publication for this prestigious honor.  WWTC was the only school in Oklahoma recognized in this edition. The WWTC Surgical Technology program was accredited in October 1999 by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).  The evaluators recognized the WWTC Surgical Technology program for its compliance with the nationally established accreditation standards which are established by CAAHEP, the American College of Surgeons and the Association of Surgical Technologists. The WWTC Surgical Technology program is just one of the 418 surgical technology programs across the United States that has been accredited with only 14 programs accredited in Oklahoma.  The WWTC Surgical Technology program is listed on the CAAHEP website (www.caahep.org) which allows potential students to identify accredited programs that meet educational standards deemed necessary by professionals in the field.

WWTC was recognized by the Oklahoma Association of Technology Centers (OATC) as a Gold Star School at the Oklahoma Career and Technology Education Summer Conference held August 1-3 at the Tulsa Convention Center.  This prestigious award recognizes only those schools which meet a rigid set of quality standards and demonstrate exemplary programs designed to meet a broad spectrum of community needs.  Accepting the award left to right, Andrea Kreis, Practical Nursing Instructor; James R. Moore, Superintendent; Benny Ross, Board President; Steve Killmer, Agricultural Business Management Instructor; and Jackie Gryder, Maintenance.  Others pictured are Dr. Phil Berkenbile, State Director of Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education; Mary Rigdon, OkACTE Board of Director President; and Pat McGregor, OkACTE Executive Director.

Welcome!

Wes Watkins Technology Center welcomes four new instructors for the 2006-2007 school year. They include (l-r) Jerry Kinnamon, Construction Trades Technology (CTT) instructor; Lynn Brooksher, Math instructor; Linda Scott, Adult Health Careers Certification instructor; and Jodie Dunn, Computer Information Technology/Office Management and Accounting instructor.

Partners for Progress

Holdenville General Hospital was recognized with the Partners For Progress award during the 2006 Career and Technology Education Summer Conference held August 1-3, 2006, at the Tulsa Convention Center. WWTC nominated the business to honor them for their contributions to the development, promotion, and progress of Oklahoma's technology center system. 

(l-r) Benny Ross, Board President; Frank Alexander, Director of Adult Education; Bridget Cosby, HGH Chief Financial Officer; Chris Skillings, Head of Dept of Radiology; Linda Sanford, Director of Health Occupations; and James R. Moore, Superintendent

Nine staff members received Service Awards on August 4, 2006. Fifteen-year service awards were presented to Sandy Fields, Communications & Marketing Officer and Shelley Carter, Computerized Information Technology Instructor. Ten-year service awards were presented to Crystal Orr, Administrative Assistant and Thelma Davidson, Maintenance. Five-year service awards were presented to Natalie Kennedy, Surgical Technology Instructor; Jackie Gryder, Maintenance; Baine Sams, Network Manager; Kevin Winn, Maintenance Supervisor; and Erika Findley, Medical Office Technology Instructor. 

(l-r) Sandy Fields, Jackie Gryder, Shelley Carter, Baine Sams, Crystal Orr, Kevin Winn, Thelma Davidson, Erica Findley and Natalie Kennedy.

Shelley Carter Re-Elected

Shelley Carter, Computerized Information Technology Instructor was re-elected to serve a second term as President of the Business and Information Technology Education (BITE) Division at the Oklahoma Career and Technology Education Summer Conference held August 1-3, 2006, at the Tulsa Convention Center. Her duties will include presiding over all BITE division meetings, appointing committees as necessary, serving on the BITE Executive Board, OkACTE Administrative Council, Advisory Committee and OkACTE Executive Committee, planning activities for committee chairs at leadership conferences to discuss duties and to communicate condolences and congratulations to members on behalf of the division. Mrs. Carter (2nd from left, front row) is pictured along with the other presidents which represent the different divisions within OkACTE.