Vantage board learns details of grant

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Vantage Career Center’s Board of Education learned details of a nearly $500,000 loan the center is expected to receive later this year to purchase robotics and advanced manufacturing equipment for the school. Board members also received a hands-on demonstration of three robotics machines Vantage has purchased.

Vantage Director Ben Winans announced that Vantage would be purchasing approximately $485,000 worth of robotics and advanced manufacturing equipment, such as CNC machines, with money received from a Straight A grant the center sought in conjunction with Tri River Career Center, which wrote the grant using information provided by Vantage.

“Basically, it means we’ll be able to get more equipment like what you just saw,” Winans said of the half-million-dollar grant.

The money will purchase equipment through RAMTEC (Robotics & Advanced Manufacturing Technology Collaborative) program, and will include robotics machines and simulators, CNC equipment, a welding trainer, and a mobile hydraulics trainer for the industrial maintenance program.

In addition to new equipment, the grant will provide training for Vantage instructors and will allow Vantage to expand its current precision machining, industrial maintenance, and electrical programming to provide students with valuable experience on today’s advanced industrial machinery.

Winans said Vantage final approval on the grant will come from the Ohio Controlling Board on February 22.

Board members also had the chance to get an up-close look at three robotics machines — a robotics welding machine and two programmable robots that perform a variety of tasks.

Vantage students Josiah Dealey, Joe Callow, and Marcus Landin provided demonstrations of the equipment under the direction of instructor Ted Verhoff.

Winans said that approximately 600 sophomores from member schools were able to see the robotics equipment in action, as well as a new CNC machine received by the Carpentry program, when they visited on Wednesday as part of the school’s Sophomore Day. The event allows area sophomores to see what Vantage offers as they decide whether to stay at their home schools or come to the career center for their remaining two years of high school.

Superintendent Staci Kaufman also noted that Vantage would celebrate its 40th anniversary on February 22 that will also feature the first inductees to the Vantage Hall of Fame.

Adult Education Director Pete Prichard talked about scores for the General Educational Development (GED) being readjusted downward, noting he was not certain how many students that would impact at Vantage.

He also noted that the Police Academy would be conducting a crime scene investigation this Saturday.

Prichard also thanked the board for allowing him and Winans to attend a legislative day in Columbus, where he was able to visit with State Senator Cliff Hite and State Representative Tony Burkley.

In personnel action, the board approved hiring four Adult Education instructors: Todd Gaerke, Kristina Byrd, Gerald Balliet, and Charles Peters, while the board also accepted the resignation of cook Susan Osenbaugh, effective February 2.

In other action, the board:

• Waived the district’s 45-day notice for a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreement with Grote Farms.
• Approved a contract with the Northwest Ohio Area Computer Services Cooperative for Internet services.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel items, with no action taken afterwards.

The next meeting of the Vantage Board of Education will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3, in the district conference room.