Vantage Bd. handles routine agenda

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Finances and the upcoming levy were briefly addressed during Thursday night’s meeting of the Vantage Career Center Board of Education.

After hearing a brief rundown by treasurer Laura Peters, the board approved the latest five year financial forecast.

“Vantage is in great financial shape and we want to continue to keep it that way and be able to do the things we do,” Peters said. “We don’t get too concerned going out on the forecast past a couple of years because we don’t know what the state is going to do with our funding.”

Superintendent Rick Turner urged voters in the district to renew the school’s 0.8 mill levy, which is on Tuesday’s ballot.

“It will not increase anyone’s taxes in our multi-county district,” Turner said. “The cost will be $18.87 per year on a $100,000 home. This levy provides about 13 percent of general fund revenue.”

Turner also said he, Peters and IT coordinator Luke Compton attended a recent conference on the importance of cyber security and he discussed how important it is to the school.

During is report to the board, High School Director Ben Winans said eighth graders will tour Vantage next week and he said high school attendance during the first nine weeks was 96 percent.

Adult Education Director Angie Fahy said enrollment in various programs is consistent, and she said a recent accreditation site visit went well.

Several hirings were approved, including Virginia Crisp, STNA Check-Off/Clinical Supervisor for Health Technologies; Penny Baucom, cafeteria manager; Cindy Harting, adult banquet worker; Graeme Bockrath and Michael Yambor, adult education customized training instructors, and Austin McIntosh, adult education police academy instructor.

The board accepted the resignations of Edward Klausing, police academy instructor, and Michelle Porter, adult education STNA instructor. The board also terminated the contract of Carrie Dysinger, food service worker.

Board members approved out-of-state travel requests:

• Larry Davis and Dan Edwards, auto body program, to the National Auto and Truck Museum in Auburn November 16.
• Chris Miles and Deb Richardson, CET program and Mike Miller, Ag program to the Fort Wayne Farm Show January 18.
• Miles and Richardson and Mel White, electricity program, to the Fort Wayne Home and Garden Show March 3.
• Theresa Mengerink and Sarah Koch, social studies instructors, to Philadelphia for the National Council for the Social Studies Conference December 1-4.
• Susan Farr, TTW instructor to Indianapolis for the FFA convention, retroactive to October 28-29.

In other business, board members accepted a $70 donation in memory of former Vantage substitute teacher Kenneth Stahl and the donation of a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado C1500 valued at $1,100 from Edwin F. Eickholt to be used in the auto body program.

The board also heard a brief presentation from Dan Edwards, auto body instructor and two of his students, Maggie Cox of Wayne Trace and Sonya Roeder of Delphos Jefferson.

At the end of the meeting the board met in executive session to discuss personnel matters, but no action was taken afterward.

The next meeting of the Vantage Career Center Board of Education will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 1, with the annual holiday dinner to follow at 6:45 p.m. at the Cup & Saucer.