Vantage looks at Northwest State pact

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Vantage Board of Education approved a number of personnel items and also heard a report from Superintendent Staci Kaufman concerning efforts to bring Northwest State Community College classes to Vantage.

Kaufman said that having Northwest State classes at Vantage would be an asset to the community, while she also noted that she felt a partnership with the community college would be a good match for Vantage.

“I believe our cultures and philosophy of education match,” Kaufman noted. “If we could attain this it would be terrific, but it will be a long process.”

Kaufman noted that the Van Wert County Board of Commissioners already supports the partnership, with Commissioner Todd Wolfrum especially enthusiastic about adding Northwest State classes at Vantage. State support will also be needed, though, if the partnership is to get off the ground, she said.

Kaufman also reported briefly on security measures being taken at Vantage, noting that teachers are being urged to view a three-hour-long school safety video from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s office that has been made available online.

Vantage Treasurer Lori Davis talked about the Build America bond program, noting that recent reductions in bond yield will also lower the school’s estimate of how much it will receive from the bond program.

In addition, because of a revised state policy concerning board members for vocational schools, Vantage is currently accepting applications and resumes for board members, with a preference being given to representatives from the business community in Vantage’s service area.

Nearly all of the current Vantage board members have submitted applications to remain on the board.

Vantage Director Ben Winans spoke briefly about the eighth grade tours scheduled for November, noting that all 13 Vantage member school districts are participating in the tours.

A lockdown exercise held in conjunction with the Van Wert Police Department also went well, Winans said. “They were impressed,” Winans said of the police response to the lockdown.

In personnel action taken Thursday, the board employed Adelina Alvarez as a part-time cafeteria cook and also accepted the resignation of Sarah Noggle as Paulding Satellite vocational agriculture instructor. Rob Schnipple was hired as Noggle’s replacement.

In other personnel action, the board:

Approved the following supplemental contracts – Donovan Carnahan, Brittany Harruff, Bethany Heiser, Chance Hollingsworth, Zechariah Price, Jereka Spieth, Austin Steele, Marisa Armentrout, David Fisher, Derek Foy, Justis Harvey, Alexis Moellering, Kayla Reed, Amber Smith and Zach Wilkes, student banquet workers; Marcia Osenga, Penny Baucom, Cindy Harting, Diane Becker, Annette Klinger, Karen McGilton, Lori Allen, Nancy Keith, Vicki Smith, Diane Mercer, Gail Gillett, Beth Evans, and Mary Ann Hall, adult banquet workers; Robin Burns, banquet supervisor; Shirley Jarvis and Lynn Schweitzer, STNA check-offs for Health Technology; and Schweitzer and Tanya Bunch, Health Technology clinical supervisors.

Employed the following Adult Education instructors, on an as-needed, as-scheduled basis – Donna Wheeler, Beverly Melton, Mary Jane Ebinger, Jennifer Rigdon, Larry Ray, Katherine Wehnes and Cheryl Nichols; and Ronald Joseph as an Adult Education instructor assistant.

The board also approved a Community Reinvestment Area application in Ottoville and approved an overnight stay for the Vantage Van Wert Satellite FCCLA student to attend that organization’s Fall Leadership Conference in Marengo.

The board also went into executive session to discuss personnel matters, with no action taken following the session.

The next meeting of the Vantage Board of Education will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 7, in the district conference room.