Vantage adult ed medical classes to move

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Adult medical programs at Vantage Career Center will soon be on the move.

Those classes – Practical Nursing, STNA, Medical Assisting and the new Registered Nurse transition program – will relocate to the Thomas Edison building across the street from Vantage. The move is scheduled to be complete by January.

During Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting, board members approved a three-year lease agreement with the Van Wert County Board of Developmental Disabilities for space in the building.

“This move will allow for an expanded schedule of offerings for our adult medical programs and it will free up space in this building to better accommodate our increased enrollment and our high school programs,” Superintendent Rick Turner said.

“Our vision is to have that building reflect what’s in the building so that the students still feel like they’re at Vantage,” Adult Education Director Angie Fahy added.

The board also approved the purchase of computers and software equipment from Xtek Partners, using $53,586 from CARES Act funds for use for medical programs at the Thomas Edison building.

Board members visited the practical nursing lab and saw brief demonstrations of a new anatomy table plus “Susie” – a training mannequin that presents a number of different scenarios to nursing students. Both items were purchased with CARES Act funds.

During her report to the board, Treasurer Laura Peters said the recent refinancing of bonds will save Vantage just over $1 million dollars and she said overall bond refinancing will result in savings of over $5 million when the bonds are retired in December of 2030.

High School Director Michael Knott told the board that 32 students were recently inducted into the National Technical Honor Society. The list includes Dylan Barricklow and Allison Dingus from Crestview and Emilee Phillips and Sydnee Savage from Van Wert.

Knott went on to explain that local businesses have been visiting Vantage to present students with early placement job opportunities.

“I’m very excited for the opportunities for our students,” Knott said.

He also said next the school’s salon will have a soft opening next week and he noted eighth grade tours of Vantage will take place in early November.

Board members hired a handful of adult education instructors on an as-needed basis, including Josh Anderson, Gary Gasser and Scott Wolf, EMT instructors; Jeffery Hammons, Edward Klausing and Bruce Showalter, public safety-police academy, and Kimberly Fowler, practical nursing instructor.

Board members also approved a lengthy list of student workers, student banquet workers and adult banquet workers.

In other business, the board agreed to approve a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) agreement with Ebar Xor LLC for 15 years and 100 percent, plus a resolution to approve the City of Van Wert’s expansion of the Airport Area Community Reinvestment Area to include 206 aces.

The board approved the purchase of $54,000 worth of steel from Benjamin Steel for use in various labs.

Board members also approved out of state travel for Chris Miles and the construction equipment class to the Fort Wayne Farm Show on January 19, and Miles and Mel White and the construction equipment and electricity classes to the Fort Wayne Home and Garden Show on March 4.

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