Vantage employees honored at meeting

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Two Vantage Career Center employees have been honored for quite possibly saving the life of a student.

Community Relations Coordinator Miriam Owens and Maintenance Supervisor Kyle Hammons were lauded during Thursday night’s Vantage Board of Education meeting. Last week, the two successfully performed the Heimlich maneuver on a student who was choking in the cafeteria at the career center. Superintendent Rick Turner presented Owens and Hammons with a Certificate of Recognition and thanked them for their efforts.

A Toledo firm was selected to assist in planning, designing and constructing the Vantage Academy of Medical Careers. Munger Munger + Associates Architects Inc. was chosen by a unanimous vote. The firm was one of three to submit designs. The architectural firm will be in charge of renovating and repurposing the building at 525 Augustine Drive, across the street from the main Vantage campus.

During monthly report, Turner told the board he had a brief conversation with Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman earlier this week and termed it a very good discussion. He also said Vantage will host Ohio Senator Susan Manchester next week for a tour of the career center and a discussion about the next biennium budget.

After being postponed due to fog delays, Vantage held its annual sophomore visit day on Monday and High School Director Ben Winans said the day was a success.

“We were able to have close to 900 sophomores visit two programs of their choice for roughly 45 minutes and get hands-on experience to assist them in choosing their program,” Winans explained. “To date we have 365 students who have applied to enroll at Vantage in the fall.”

Winans also noted a handful of upcoming events, including the SkillsUSA regional competition at Vantage, February 13-14; the Taste of Vantage Open House, February 24, and senior mock interview/junior ACT testing on March 4.

Adult Education Director Angie Fahy said several high school students have shown interest in taking classes through adult education, specifically CAN, EMT, fire and nursing. She also said all adult education programs are currently running.

In other business, the board approved several agenda items including:

• The 2025-2026 school calendar.
• An asphalt agreement with Garmann Miller and Associates for parking lot asphalt repair. 
• An out-of-state field trip for auto technology instructor Larry Davis, auto collision instructor Dan Edwards and students to attend the Summit Racing Career Day in Detroit, Michigan, February 28.
• Overnight travel and stay for interactive media instructor Jill DeWert, network systems instructor Larry Regedanz and BPA students who qualified for state to attend the BPA State Leadership Conference in Columbus March 10-11.
• Overnight travel and stay for medical assisting instructor Diane Laing, health technology instructor Audree Markward and HOSA students who qualified for state to attend the HOSA State Leadership Conference in Toledo April 9-10.
• Overnight travel and stay for construction equipment technology instructor Chris Miles and three students to attend the Ohio SkillsUSA Heavy Equipment Operations contest in Richfield February 21-22.
• A contract with Schrader Realty for the sale of real estate (502. N. Walnut St., Van Wert) at public auction.

The board also accepted a Talent Ready Grant for $55,475.

Just one personnel item was on the agenda – Richard Macpherson was hired as an adult education CDL instructor.

Before the meeting, board members took part in a brief tour of the campus.

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