Vantage prepping for new school year

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Final acceptance letters have been mailed to approximately 330 new students for Vantage Career Center’s 2024-2025 school year.

That was the word from High School Director Ben Winans during Thursday night’s Vantage school board meeting. He noted the number is about 30 higher than the previous school year.

“Our admin team is working through creating the master schedule and plans to have this completed in the next couple weeks,” Winans told the board. “As we have discussed we are planning for high enrollment which creates more difficulty in creating the academic schedule. We are confident that we can create a schedule that will not only meet the academic needs of the larger number of students, but also work well for our teaching staff.”

The first day of classes for Vantage high school students is Thursday, August 15.

Adult Education Director Angie Fahy told the board that both of Vantage’s nursing programs received full approval from the Ohio Board of Nursing. She also said there is high interest in nursing.

During his report to the board, Superintendent Rick Turner said plans are being formulated for the Thomas Edison Adult Center property, which was recently donated by the Van Wert County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

“We are meeting with Garmann Miller next week at our newly acquired facilities across the street for a tour and discussion on renovating the building, both short and long term,” Turner said. “We anticipate bringing you a recommendation for the repurposing of that building at the September Board meeting, shortly after our staff returns from summer break.”

He also said the school is looking at goals and priorities for next year, using the newly updated five-year strategic plan. He added the district wide goal for the 2024-2025 school year will be to establish dedicated space to provide additional programming options for high school students and adult students. Turner also said an administrative retreat is scheduled for August to finalize the details of Vantage’s goals.

During Thursday’s meeting, the board approved final revenues and appropriations for fiscal year 2024 and approved revenues and appropriations for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1. Treasurer Denise Mooney noted temporary revenues for fiscal year 20205 are $14.8 million, while appropriations are $13.4 million. Board members also approved four transfers, including two from the general fund to adult education, $85,000 and up to $150,000; $225,040 from the general fund to the maintenance fund, and $35,032.05 from equipment auctions to the permanent improvement fund for future equipment purchases.

Three resignations were accepted by the board – Paula VanTillburg, supervisor of student operations; John Norris Jr., public safety firefighting coordinator/instructor, and Kendra Sentelik, adult education financial aid coordinator/accreditation liaison. Sentelik was then approved as adult education coordinator.

The board also hired over 60 people to serve as various adult education instructors and coordinators as needed.

In other business, the board approved:

• The 2024-2025 adult education school catalog and student handbook.
• Pay rates for adult education.
• A contract with FA Solutions for financial aid servicing and support in adult education.
• An amended agreement with Brooks Construction to resurface a portion of the parking lot.
• A business service agreement with TSC for the school’s phone system.
• Overnight and out of state travel for junior cosmetology instructor Amy Grothouse to attend the Beauty Trade Show in Sevierville, Tennessee June 29-July 1.
• A resolution allowing Turner to seeks bids for CDL truck driving lot expansion and illumination and construction of a fire training facility.
• A memorandum of understanding with the Vantage Teachers Organization for online day plans.

An executive session was held at the end of the meeting to discuss personnel matters but no action was taken afterward outside of adjournment.

Seven of the 12 board members – Dennis Recker, Robin Etter, Brian Egnor, Michelle Gorman, Greg von der Embse, Debby Compton and Becca Suever – were present for the meeting, just enough for a quorum. Compton served as acting president for the meeting.

The next meeting of the Vantage Career Center Board of Education will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, August 1, in the district conference room.