Vantage CC eyeing renovated facility

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The Vantage Career Center Board of Education has taken a step toward transforming the former Thomas Edison Adult Center across the street from the career center into the Vantage Academy of Medical Careers. The facility is currently home to Vantage’s medical programs but will be renovated to house expanded and additional high school and adult medical programs.

During Thursday night’s monthly meeting, board members unanimously approved a resolution allowing Superintendent Rick Turner and Treasurer Denise Mooney to obtain and evaluate proposals from professional design firms and to negotiate a contract with the top-rated firm.

“Different sectors of the economy go up and down but health care is going to be around for a long time,” Turner said. “The need is there and it’s going to continue to be there and we’re committed to training the personnel to make sure our citizens have good health care.”

Turner added he’s been told by an architect that the design process could take six months and the actual renovation process two years.

During his report, Turner said Vantage Career Center issued 1,853 industry credentials during the 2023-2024 school year, a 24 percent increase over the previous year. He also reminded the board that this year’s Build Your Future event will be held on Wednesday, September 18, at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds.

“We have all Paulding County, Van Wert County, and Parkway schools participating,” he said.

He added the Vantage Day of Caring and a Red Cross blood drive will be held September 27.

High School Director Ben Winans said enrollment is up by approximately 50 students this year and he said he spoke with 42 students last week about meeting the necessary criteria to be inducted into the National Technical Honor Society.

“Students are now tasked with completing their paper application, getting recommendations, creating a resume and writing a short essay as part of the screening process,” Winans said. “All information is due by September 11 at which time our committee will screen the applications and then look to invite those who meet the criteria to the induction on October 1.”

Adult Education Director Angie Fahy said all fall programs are underway and she said prompted by increased interest from the community, Four County Career Center will hold a CPR Instructor class at Vantage. She added she would like to start offering monthly CPR classes at Vantage.

Among the personnel moves approved Thursday night – Tricia Myers as adult education STNA coordinator/instructor; Barrett Dorner, firefighter coordinator/instructor; Craig King, firefighter instructor, and Ronald Joseph, police academy instructor. The board also accepted two resignations, Marsha Stechschulte, STNA program coordinator, and Diane Schrader, maintenance.

The board was introduced to several new employees – preschool teacher Kelly Moreno, maintenance worker Steven Smith, intervention specialist Amolia Pope, cook Susan Merkle, math instructor Gregroy Puthoff, interim career-technical supervisor Bill Clifton and intervention specialist Ryan Strickler.

In other business, the board approved overnight and out-of-state travel requests for Turner and Fahy. Turner will attend the NCLA conference in Portland, Oregon October 8-11, while Fahy will attend the COE annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia November 11-15.

Board members accpeted a pair of donations – a 2000 Lincoln Continental sedan worth $2,000 from Vernon J. Hundley and two medicine carts worth $1,000 from VanCrest of Van Wert and HomeTown Pharmacy of Pandora for use in the adult nursing programs.

At the end of the meeting, the board went into executive session to discuss personnel matters but outside of adjournment, no action was taken afterward.

The next meeting of the Vantage Career Center Board of Education will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 3, in the district conference room. A records committee meeting will be held at 6:15 p.m. that night.