BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The following is a news release from Derrick Bopp Director of the Sheyenne Valley Area Career Technology Center in Valley City.
New Staff and Staff members who Received Awards at State Conference
“This summer there have been several new employees added to the Center’s staff starting with the new Director Derrick Bopp, who has seven years of administrative experience, taking the place of retiring Director Jeff Bopp.
The Center hired veteran Agriculture Education instructor, William Fritz who taught Ag. Ed. in Rolla for the past several years and brings 19 years of teaching experience to our Center.
The Center also hired first year Health Science instructor Megan Grafing. Megan holds a Registered Nurse Degree and brings several years of nursing experience in multiple settings throughout the area.
The Center was fortunate to add D’Aulan Bussman who will be teaching Information Technologies (IT). D’Aulan brings a variety of educational experiences both in administration as well as classroom instruction.
Additionally, the Center has added an additional part-time Career Development Counselor position. Lacey Enger joined the team and will serve the Litchville-Marion school district. Career Development counselor Allyson Dockter had been serving both the Litchville-Marion and Barnes County North School Districts but will now be serving the Barnes Country North School District full-time.
Each August, the Sheyenne Valley Area Career and Technology Center staff attends the North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education Professional Development Conference. This year, the conference was held at the Bismarck Event Center where the theme was; “CTE: Learning that Works for North Dakota.” At this year’s conference the Center had three staff members receive state recognition and awards.
Ag. Ed. Teacher William Fritz was recognized for receiving the North Dakota Association of Career and Technical Education Carl Perkins Community Service Award. His projects included the Backpack Food Program, helping the girls’ basketball program, aiding the local Farm Bureau, Kiwanis Club, Soil Conservation Service, and the International Peace Gardens.
Transition Program Career Resource Educator Kalyn Botz received the North Dakota Association of Career and Technical Education Innovative Program of the year award. Kalyn’s Transition/Work Placement program provides an expanded variety of work experiences designed to assist the student understand the workplace skills necessary to be a prepared worker and their own personal interests and skills. The program fosters an understanding of what it takes to be an independent person having independent living skills. The program places a strong emphasis on instruction in career exploration, individual personality, interest traits and appropriate workplace readiness training.
Former Director Mr. Jeff Bopp was awarded the North Dakota Career and Technical Education Association Administrator of the Year Award. Jeff retired in May as the Director of the Sheyenne Valley Area Career and Technology Center, a position he had held for twenty years. Mr. Bopp started teaching Automotive Technology in August of 1979, a position he held for 18 years. Prior to becoming the Director, Jeff worked for two years as the School to Work Coordinator and Assistant Director. Jeff has been an active member of ACTE for 40 years. Jeff served as president of the North Dakota Council of Education Leaders Association (NDCEL) as well as President of the Career and Technical Administrators Association -offices within the Trade Industrial Technical and Health Association. Jeff served on the Valley City, Barnes County Development Cooperation, and currently serves on the Valley City Commerce Committee, the Barnes County Planning and Zoning Board and the church council and finance board. Jeff has been a huge supporter of Career and Technical programs for the Barnes County region. He championed programs such as the Adult Education, Career Resource Education and Special Populations. He served as the Region VI Coordinator for Adult Education programs both at the Sheyenne Valley Career Technology Center and at the James Valley Area Career and Technology Center. He was an innovator who always looked for ways to grow and expand programs for students. Most recent addition had been adding Litchville-Marion as member school to the Center as well as adding an Agriculture Education program at the Center. Jeff Bopp’s passion for providing opportunities for students to excel in Career and Technical Education fields was obvious and contagious for those who were fortunate to have worked for/with him during his 40-year career in Career and Technical Education.”
Derrick Bopp
Director
Sheyenne Valley Area Career and Technology Center
Valley City, ND
