Vantage board learns solar saves money

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Vantage Board of Education learned of the benefits of its solar energy array in dollars and cents from Treasurer Lori Davis during its August meeting on Thursday.

Davis noted that the district saved approximately $49,000 in electrical energy costs as a result of installing a 4,200-panel solar array at the school. The treasurer noted that, while the amount was a little lower than her original estimate of $55,000, it was still a significant amount of money to save in electricity costs.

Superintendent Staci Kaufman added that installation of the array, along with other energy efficient construction techniques, helped Vantage earn a gold LEED rating for its Ohio School Facilities Commission renovation/construction project.

Also attending the meeting was Mary Ann Falk, who was transferred to a new position of technology integration specialist/curriculum coordinator following board approval later in the meeting. Falk, who has used technology in the classroom for approximately 18 years, and also has gone “paperless” in her English classroom the past two years, said she was looking forward to working in her new position.

“I am extremely excited about this position,” Falk said, “to say it’s my dream job doesn’t even do it justice. This is what I have wanted to do for a long time.”

Falk said she hoped the position could also benefit Vantage’s “feeder” schools, as well as the career center. “It’s going to be neat to see how this works,” she added.

Student Samantha Rohrbacher and teacher Lynda Ragan were also at the meeting to speak about the FCCLA’s “Blankets of Valor” program, which provided blankets to veterans who traveled to memorials in Washington, D.C., as part of the Honor Flight program.

Rohrbacher also talked about her experiences at the national FCCLA competition held in San Antonio, Texas.

New Paulding Satellite agriculture teacher Nathan Snyder was also at the meeting and introduced himself to the board.

In other action, the Vantage board:

• Approved one-year contracts to Brenda Wurst as a teacher’s aide for the Buildings and Grounds program, as well as a one-year contract to Snyder as Paulding Satellite ag teacher.
• Authorized supplemental contracts for Mike Miller, Snyder and Falk.
• Employed the following Adult Education employees: Debbie Venderley, Karen McGilton, Vickie Bidlack, Cheryl Nichols, Jennifer Rigdon, and Donna Wheeler, Adult Education instructors; and Deb Richardson and Benjamin Showalter, ABLE instructors. Brent Wright was also awarded a $50 stipend for each AWE Welding Certification test he performs.
• Designated Health Technologies instructors Reesa Rohrs and Leigh Carey as school nurses.
• Appointed Board President Lonnie Nedderman as Vantage’s delegate to the Ohio School Boards Association’s Capital Conference in November.
• Accepted a donation of $800 worth of shear steel from Crown Equipment Corporation in New Bremen.
• Approved an amended job description of Vantage lead teachers, and a new job description for the technology integration specialist/curriculum coordinator position.
• Approved the amended Paulding Satellite agreement for the 2014-15 school year.
• Approved the Western Buckeye Educational Service Center list of substitute teachers and non-teaching employees.
• Approved a list of NEOLA-recommended board policy changes.

The next meeting of the Vantage Board of Education will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, September 4, in the district conference room.