Vantage CC Board hears various reports

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

This week’s in-person sophomore visits to Vantage Career Center were successful.

During Thursday night’s monthly meeting, the Vantage Board of Education learned hundreds of tenth graders from member schools visited the campus on Wednesday, with over 200 applying to attend next school year.

“I do think the culture and the excitement about Vantage is out there and students are excited to come,” High School Director Mike Knott said. “We’re excited to see where that number ends up.”

Knott added area freshman will visit the campus March 7-9 to do tours they missed last year as eighth graders.

Community Relations Coordinator Miriam Owens talked to the board about marketing the campus during COVID-19 times and said the emphasis was on virtual marketing.

“We have come through a year of adapting and changing our marketing game,” Owens said. “We didn’t know what to expect but here we are coming through a really great school year. I couldn’t be more proud of what we accomplished as a team at Vantage and I’m really proud of our current student body and what they represent and what they’re working hard for, because we give them opportunities, we do not hand them to them and they are taking them full steam ahead.”

Owens also reminded the board of the upcoming Open House and Taste of Vantage, scheduled for 5-7:30 p.m. Monday, February 28.

During her report to the board, Treasurer Laura Peters said she took part in a recent school funding webinar.

“We’re still not totally sure on our funding yet because career tech is kind of in the wings because they’re making sure everthing is set for K-12,” Peters explained. “There are still 26 reports that they’re writing that we don’t access to them to check them.”

Superintendent Rick Turner told board members he took part in a recent legislative session in Columbus.

“All the major players in legislation were there and they all had great things to say about career tech,” Turner stated.

He also said construction of an Intel computer chip facility near Columbus will have a far reaching impact, including as many as 7,000 jobs.

He also said Vantage issued 1,071 work credentials last school year and he said 42 percent of Vantage students further their education by going to college and/or enrolling in apprenticeships.

The board approved the purchase of $27,541.71 worth of additional equipment and manikins from Diamedical USA Equipment for use in the medical program, with the expenditure being covered by CARES Act money. The board also accepted a $50,000 grant from the Van Wert County Foundation for use in the LPN-RN Transition Program.

In other business, the board:

• Accepted a Chevrolet Trailblazer worth $1,987 from the county commissioners for use in the auto collision program.
• Accepted four Dodge Ram trucks worth approximately $12,000 for the Vantage FFA program.
• Approved an overnight stay for BPA contestants March 17-18 in Columbus.
• Approved an out of state field trip for precision machining students to Continental Diamon Tool and Hook Industrial Sales in New Haven.
• Approved overnight and out of state travel for Kelly Horstman and Sherryl Proctor to Indianapolis March 17-18 to attend the NCTM regional conference.
• Learned that Vantage will host Skills USA regional competition in 2024 and 2025.

The board accepted the resignation of Jaclyn Gunsett, who holds the titles of Adult Education Financial Aid Coordinator, VA School Certifying Official and Accreditation Liaison Officer, effective June 30. Board members also accepted the resignation of Shawn Jones, cook, effective February 4.

The next meeting of the Vantage Career Center Board of Education will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3.