Vantage funding info coming next week

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent writer

Vantage officials will soon learn how a proposed new school funding formula will affect the local career center.

During Thursday’s Vantage Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Rick Turner said he and Treasurer Laura Peters will head to the state capital next week to learn more about the bipartisan funding proposal authored by State Representatives Bob Cupp (R-Lima) and John Patterson (D-Jefferson).

“Laura and I will attend a meeting that will specifically address how this new formula will impact career technical education,” Turner said. “The proposed new base-cost funding model and simulations for career centers will be presented and reviewed at this meeting.”

“Hopefully, we’ll get a look at how this new model will specifically affect Vantage Career Center,” Turner added.

During her report, Peters told board members that the process of taking inventory will begin soon and she said she’ll be sending budget sheets to supervisors for next year.

The board approved a satellite agreement with Van Wert City Schools for the 2019-2020 school, approved the 2019-2020 school calendar and approved Ohio Technical Center tuition and expenses for the upcoming school year.

Board members approved a field trip for Electricity and Construction Equipment students to attend Construction Career Day at Ivy Tech in Fort Wayne on April 24, and approved field trip for Early Childhood students to the Fort Wayne Zoo with preschoolers on May 2.

The board accepted the resignation of CDL Training Manager Charles Peters and hired James Rosen as his replacement, and board members approved four-year contracts for Auto Technology instructor Larry Davis; Construction Equipment instructor David Delano; Intervention Specialist Samantha Heckler; Math teacher Jamie Kipfer; Social Studies teacher Sarah Koch; Science teacher Matt Miller; Ag and Industrial Power Tech instructor Mike Miller; Industrial Mechanics instructor Kevin Van Oss, and Senior Health Technology instructor Wendy Baumle.

Two-year contracts were approved for Intervention Specialist Heather Brickner; Preschool Head Teacher Rhonda Davis and Criminal Justice instructor Zacharaia Miller, and one year contracts were approved for Welding instructor Gary Cearns; part-time Guidance Counselor Mickey McConahay; Dean of Students Darrell Miller and Math teacher Audrey Stechschulte.

The board also agreed to hire Joanne Simmerman and Lea Purk as Medical Assistant instructors; Shawn Cook and Mark Ernst as Police Academy instructors; Kelli Bergstrom and Cassandra McCord as a Practical Nursing Program instructors; Jarett Funk as a Firefighting instructor and Bruce Showalter as Assistant Police Academy Commander.

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