Vantage grads talk about national contest

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Vantage Board of Education heard from two 2014 Vantage Career Center graduates about their experiences last year at the national SkillsUSA competition in Kansas City, Missiouri, during its September meeting on Thursday.

Ben Schnipke and Austen Stukey, who both graduated in 2014, competed in the carpentry portion of the SkillsUSA competition, where they had to complete a project in a few hours using detailed blueprints. Schnipke brought his project, a small chest with a cutaway top, to the board meeting.

Both now work for construction firms, Schnipke for his godfather and Stuckey for his father.

Accompanying both grads was Vantage Carpentry instructor Jerry Robinson, who spoke highly of both students.

Vantage Director Ben Winans told the board the beginning of school went well at Vantage, noting that the school had an enrollment of approximately 420 students at this point.

“We had a smooth start and really haven’t had any major hiccups so far,” Winans said.

Also Thursday, the board approved a project that would install additional structural support to the original roof joists in the C hallway at an estimated cost of $41,985. Superintendent Staci Kaufman said the work was needed because of damage caused by heavy snowfalls on the roof this past winter.

In personnel action, the board approved supplemental contracts for Penny Baucom as special events coordinator, and Tillman Karl, Theresa Mengerink, Laura Stocksdale, Katie Drerup, Kelly Horstman, Ashley Cline and Angie Shellabarger as virtual learning graders.

The following were also hired as Adult Education instructors: Annette Klinger, Tanya Bunch, Lynn Schweitzer, Mary Jane Fast, Brent Wright, Gary Cearns, Craig Black, and Troy White. Jackie Brandt was employed as public safety programs coordinator and Police Academy assistant, while Gary Dilworth and Virginia Hammons were hired as Police Academy assistants, and Pamela Weippert employed as an ABLE instructor.

In other action, the board:

• Approved a resolution to allow school nurse designees Reesa Rohrs and Leigh Carey, Health Technologies instructors, to act in a medical emergency during the 2014-15 school year.
• Approved a list of van and bus drivers for the current school year.
• Adopted the Tyler Munis Enterprise Resource Planning system via a partnership and participation in the OASBO/MCOECN Munis Program as a pilot program.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the Vantage Teachers Organization to approve credentialed satellite evaluators.
• Approved a Community Reinvestment Act abatement from Tin Cap Investments LLC in Van Wert for a 10-year, 100-percent abatement to renovate a building at 109 S. Washington St. in Van Wert at a cost of $50,000. The renovation will create two upstairs luxury apartment rentals and one downstairs commercial space.
• Approved a list of Ohio Teacher Evaluation System certified evaluators, which includes Dave Froelich and Bill Clifton, as Van Wert satellite administrators, and Todd Harmon as Paulding satellite administrator.
• Approved a resolution to participate in the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio Inc. group retrospective rating agreement of participation and consent program, with Sheakley UniService as the sponsoring organization.
• Authorized a transfer of $1,200 from the General Fund to the Fiscal Year 2015 GOALS Fund.

The next meeting of the Vantage Board of Education will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, October 2, in the district conference room.