Vantage construction project delay addressed by BOE

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A delay in the opening of the Vantage Academy of Medical Careers didn’t sit well with the Vantage Career Center Board of Education.

Last month, the board was informed that instead of August 1, which was the original target date for completion, the building housing the academy would be ready September 29. During Thursday night’s regular monthly meeting, Alexander and Bebout President Sara Zura gave a brief update and said the building remains on schedule for a September 29 opening.

However, Vantage Board President Tim Fitzpatrick (Fort Jennings) voiced the board’s displeasure with the near two month delay from the stated date of August 1.

“I’m glad that it’s moving along but there’s frustration from the board that it wasn’t done on time,” Fitzpatrick told Zura. “When you have that expectation that it’s going to be August 1, that gives the teachers and kids the chance to come into a clean environment without construction. How can we certify that September 29 we’re going to get those keys?”

Fitzpatrick also referred back to late June, when the board did a walk through of the building and was told work would be complete by August 1.

“That was really not the realistic aspect of it,” he said.

“We had some hurdles, kind of blind spots for us,” Zura responded. “We can’t go back and change it, all we can do is learn from it and give you guys the best product that we can give you.”

She added plans are in place and progress is continuing as expected toward the revised completion date.

Board member Karen Grothouse (Delphos) said she spoke with several teachers who were frustrated by the delay and will have to give up a weekend to come in and prepare their classrooms before the building opens.

“I don’t know if your company has given any thought to what you want to do…they’re giving some of their time that they typically wouldn’t have to do,” Grothouse said. “If that was my company I would want to do something for the teachers and apologizing to the teachers for missing the boat – here’s lunch or something.”

Zura said Alexander & Bebout’s crews are working with teachers and said they’ll be there to give additional support moving in furniture and other items.

“We are there to support in that way,” she said. “We’re not to the point where we’re doing that yet but that is our intention to support in that way.”

Zura also told the board her company should have done a better job communicating the delay.

“If we would have known in June, if we would have known in March, that there were things that were not necessarily set in stone because of products not being able to get here or people walk out on a job – these guys needed to know that in order to be able to make some alternative adjustments for their own start of the school year,” Fitzpatrick said.

Once complete, the academy will be housed in the former Thomas Edison building across the street from the main campus.

During his report to the board, Superintendent Rick Turner said planning needs to occur to ensure Vantage can run smoothly when the Bonnewitz Avenue extension project is done. He shared a diagram what could happen with the south driveway and parking lot areas and said he would share the information with Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Brent Stevens and QTS to begin dialogue early in the process.

A donation of $100,000 was accepted from QTS for high school and adult education equipment, along with a donation of personal items for students in need from Lifehouse Church.

“Thank you to QTS for their generous donation toward career technical lab equipment across several of our programs,” Turner said. “We also extend our gratitude to LifeHouse Church for donating essential personal items for students in need. Community support like this is vital to fulfilling our mission – serving students and supplying local businesses with a skilled workforce.”

High School Director Ben Winans informed the board that enrollment is up by 20 students compared to last year and he said he’ll be meeting with 39 students who have met the eligibilty criteria for the National Technical Honor Society.  Those students will have to submit a resume with references for induction consideration.

Adult Education Director Angie Fahy gave an update on fall enrollment and said a local fire department contacted her about donating a fire truck for use in Vantage’s fire program and the fire training facility. More information is expected at the next meeting.

“We are very excited about the possibility of having a truck on site to utilize for training purposes,” she said.

Jessica Yoder was approved as a work-based learning and marketing assistant, and three adult education instructors were approved – Stephanie Craft, CNA instructor; Robert Widener, public safety instructor, and Luchasa Pelton, nursing instructor.

In other business, the board approved an amended contract with Munger Munger and Associates Architects to include renovations to the main building, along with a contract with Weigland Construction Company to provide construction manager at-risk services for certain renovations at Vantage.

Three overnight and out-of-state travel requests were granted by the board:

• Social studies instructor Cheyenne Oechsle to the National Council for Social Studies Conference in Chicago December 3-6.
• English instructors Sonya Yenser-Hammon and Shaun Collins to the National Council for Teachers of English Conference in Philadelphia November 18-20.

The board also heard from three students – Sophia Brickner and Moriah Bertsch of Lincolnview and Grace Welch of Fort Jennings – and a pair of instructors, Sarah Koch and Matt Miller, who traveled to Germany over the summer as part of the German Interact Club short term exchange. They briefly shared information about the trip and their experiences in Gummersbach, Germany and other nearby areas.

Prior to the meeting, a new employee meet and greet was held in the Cup and Saucer.

The next meeting of the Vantage Career Center Board of Education will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 1, in the district conference room. A records committee meeting will precede the meeting at 6:15 p.m.