BLOOMINGDALE — A series of comings and goings marked the latest session of the Jefferson County Joint Vocational School Board of Education on Oct. 15.

Lee Gillison took the oath of office at the beginning of the meeting and succeeded longtime member Barbara Cunningham, who resigned after nearly eight years of service. He will serve as the appointed representative of the Jefferson County Educational Service Center Governing Board and will complete Cunningham’s three-year term, which concludes on Dec. 31. In addition, JVS board member Kim Mark submitted her resignation after almost three decades and her final day will be on Dec. 1.

Gillison, who has served with the JCESC panel for the past two years, said he was still learning the ropes with the JVS.

“I’m filling a term, but I’m looking at the JVS board a little differently than the ESC board,” he said.

Mark, who represented Indian Creek Local Schools, was a school board member in that district for almost three decades until she left in 2023. She has been part of the JVSBOE for about 27 years and said she would miss working with the board, administrators, staff and students.

“I’m retiring from everything,” she said, adding that she was also leaving her job with the Jefferson County General Health District. “I’m going to miss it. This is a great board because I’m able to see things that are happening. This is probably the most active board I’ve been on in all the years I’ve been at the JVS.”

She added that she was planning to spend time with her family but would always support the vocational school.

“I’m proud of the school,” Mark commented. Her replacement will be announced at a later date.

Board President Steve Bezak III wished her well and Superintendent Todd Phillipson said she and Cunningham were assets to the JVS, while he also welcomed Gillison aboard.

“They’ve been great board members and will be missed,” he added. “I welcome Mr. Gillison and have known him quite a while.”

In other business, Phillipson said engineers were preparing cost estimates and bids for future houses the carpentry program would be building in the Breezewood Manor Subdivision. Leaders want to extend Breezewood Drive behind the school and eventually build 10 new houses. Plans were tentatively approved by Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission and hopes are to begin excavation in the spring and start a new house next fall.

“Once we get (the bids), we need to get a bond to the Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission to fund it, then the final plat will get approved,” he added.

During discussion, he said roads, sewer and water infrastructure would need to be installed to serve the new homes.

Among other matters:

• Six members of the health technologies program’s Health Occupation Students of America-Future Health Professionals organization shared details of their trip to the Washington Leadership Academy in the nation’s capital on Sept. 27-30. Students mentioned taking part in workshop sessions on leadership, tours of national landmarks and advocating for career-technical education at the Capitol. Additionally, the students demonstrated the Hal 3000 nursing patient simulator the program acquired last spring after gaining an estimated $65,400 grant from the Mary Jane Brooks Charitable Trust. The mannequin blinks, speaks and is responsive and can be programmed to have a series of maladies from anaphylactic shock to a broken leg, while students can practice performing EKG, blood pressure, pulse, CPR and other procedures;

• Supervisor/Assistant Principal Gabrielle Wilson said special education programming was going well this year and goals were being made which would be consistent with the home districts. She noted that all of the students could use the resource room to complete work;

• The board approved the reappointment of Jill Winski and Wayne Harris to the LPDC Committee for a two-year period from January to December 2026 and the appointment of Jamie Freeman to replace Diane Dalesio, whose term ends in December 2025;

• Leaders approved the addition of Karlee Warren to the classified substitute list as early childhood education aide for the 2024-25 school year;

• Officials scheduled the next board meeting for 5 p.m. Nov. 19.