Vantage OKs 2022-23 personnel actions

DAVE MOSIER/for the Van Wert independent

Vantage Board of Education approved overnight stays for two students and their instructors headed for the SkillsUSA national competition later this month, in addition to personnel items for the coming school year during its June meeting on Thursday.

Vantage Treasurer Laura Peters was also presented the Auditor of State Award from Joe Braden, west regional liaison for Auditor of State Keith Faber’s office.

Braden lauded Peters, the treasurer’s staff and Vantage staff members overall for earning the award. 

“It’s important to note that this puts the Vantage Career Center in a very select group,” he noted, while praising Peters for her “outstanding leadership.”

Braden added that only 16 percent of the nearly 6,000 entities audited by the state are eligible for the award, while those who earn the award must meet a long list of “clean audit” criteria.

During her report, the treasurer spoke about the renewal of a participation agreement related to the renewal of the district’s property, fleet and liability insurance coverage with Ohio Schools Risk Sharing Authority for the upcoming fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2023. 

Peters noted that cyber liability insurance, which had been paid through OSRSA excess funds the past few years, is now part of the district’s liability insurance premium because of the increasing cost of the coverage. She said cyber claims have increased 300-400 percent over that same time period, while also noting that obtaining the insurance from another carrier would likely be several times the cost of the OSRSA coverage.

The board approved the renewal policy, which totaled $65,170.

The board also authorized overnight and out-of-state travel for Construction Equipment Instructor Chris Miles and student Braxton Williamson, and for Precision Machining Instructor Larry Ray and student Taylor Lucas, to attend the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Competition in Atlanta, Georgia, June 19-25. The students, and their instructors, were praised for earning the right to qualify for the national SkillsUSA competition.

Superintendent Rick Turner’s report included information on an operating levy the district is seeking to renew in the future. The levy was first passed in 1989 and renewed three times before becoming a replacement levy, with two further renewals, provides $935,000 annually for Vantage’s General Fund. Board members approved a resolution of necessity — a preliminary step to placing the renewal tax issue on the ballot.

The superintendent also discussed HB 583, which includes legislation that would provide more flexibility for hiring substitute teachers.

High School Director Mike Knott said the end of the school year was successful, and thanked Van Wert High School for hosting Vantage’s Senior Awards Ceremony. Vantage will also host middle school students next week for a summer camp, as well as host educators in the next couple of weeks from Van Wert County and Paulding County school systems.

Knott also noted that he hopes 18 Vantage seniors will earn CDL certification this year, which would bring total CDL certifications to 63.

Adult Education Director Angie Fahy talked about a conversion she had with representatives of Intel, which plans to hire and train 3,000 workers, along with hire 7,000 construction workers for its Columbus chip production facility.

The board also approved the following personnel actions for the 2022-23 school year:

Employed the following list of employees: Leslie Ringwald, in-school discipline coordinator and summer maintenance; Penny Baucom and Karen McGilton, summer maintenance workers; Reesa Rohrs, high school STNA coordinator, STNA check-off/clinical supervisor and phlebotomy check-off/clinical supervisor for Health Technologies.

Employed the following Adult Education employees:

Erin Askins, practical nursing instructor and nursing tutor; Hartseld Bryant, CDL coordinator/training manager; Brian Heitkamp, CDL instructor; Marty Katterheinrich, Diversified IT coordinator and customized training instructor; Jessica Hoyng, practical nursing coordinator; Daniel Garza Jr., CDL instructor; Sara Beining, practical nursing instructor; Michael Ruby, public safety/emergency medical technician; Brock Blackmore, Mark Ernst, Virginia Hammons, Michael McClain, Police Academy instructors; David Cummings, Public Safety (Firefighter 1); Josh Anderson, Public Safety/EMT; Sarah Simms, Public Safety/EMT coordinator-instructor; Shirley Jarvis, STNA coordinator; Brook Crosby, practical nursing instructor; Jean Sullivan, LPN-RN transition coordinator/instructor; Terri Schmenk, customized training, robotics and engineering; John Cannon, Public Safety/EMT, Firefighter 1; Samantha Joseph, practical nursing/LPN-RN; Brian Sheets, firefighting instructor; Kenneth Armstrong, customized training instructor; Virginia Crisp, Health Occupations/STNA instructor; Brian Ankney, firefighting program coordinator/instructor; Robert Herber, firefighting instructor; Steven Stechschulte, Public Safety; Gary Gasser, Public Safety/EMT and firefighting training; Russell Moorman, firefighting instructor; Craig King, Public Safety/Firefighting 1; Jon Jones, firefighting instructor; and Kimberly Fowler, practical nursing instructor.

The board also authorized Kelly Horstman to move from Column III to Column IV on the district salary schedule for the upcoming school year.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the initial purchase of steel for the 2022-23 school year from ALRO Steel Corporation at a cost of $58,000.
• Accepted the resignation of Scott Hibbard, Adult Education EMT instructor, effective May 16.
• Accepted the resignation of Leslie Ringwald, secretary to the treasurer, effective June 30.
• Adopted a resolution accepting the Building Directors’ annual wellness reports, based on the Wellness Committee review.
• Approved the Local Professional Development Committee meeting list for the upcoming school year.
• Approved Vantage Preschool fees and policy manual for 2022-23.
• Approved Avantage Salon fees for 2022-23.
• Approved the 2021-22 Bullying & Harassment report.
• Approved a Regional Training Center agreement with Pitsco Education LLC.
• Approved the Vantage Career Center Adult Education Policy/Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, per state auditor recommendations.
• Accepted $162,808.55 from the Van Wert County Foundation’s Rose R. and Ellis C. Lampe Fund by Frieda Rothacker to purchase electrical program equipment.
• Accepted an annual bequest of $1,517.92 from the Patricia M. Lichtensteiger Memorial Fund for Vantage’s Literacy Fund.
• Accepted a number of NEOLA policy changes, including adding Juneteenth as a holiday to comply with state law.
• Approved a tuition reimbursement program for non-certified personnel.
• Accepted a donation of two HP servers and three Cisco routers valued at $1,200 from Cooper Farms for Vantage’s Network Systems program.
• Accepted the donation of cook Janey Knittle, effective August 15.
• Approved a new salary schedule for the in-school suspension coordinator.
• Okayed resolution regarding amendment to high school director’s term of employment and approval of high school director’s contract.
• Approved payment to Leslie Ringwald of all accrued, unused vacation leave at her per diem rate.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel matters, with no action taken afterward.

The next meeting of the Vantage Board of Education will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 23, in the District Conference Room.