Vantage board OKs employee contracts

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

In addition to hiring a new superintendent, the Vantage Career Center Board of Education approved a number of administrative and staff contracts and officially ended the school’s facilities project begun in 2010 during its March meeting on Thursday.

Board members also learned of benefits accruing from the school’s partnership with a local wind energy company, as well as a new LPN program Vantage is developing, while also receiving an update on a career fair being held later in March.

The board approved a three-year administrative contract for Ohio Technical Center Director Pete Prichard and a one-year contract for Darrell Miller as Vantage attendance/discipline officer.

Other contracts approved include the following: Rhonda Davis, preschool teacher, two-year contract; Alaina Ellis, high school secretary, two-year contract; Lisa Enyart, cafeteria worker/custodian, two-year contract; Tara Miller, cafeteria worker, two-year contract; Thomas Bowersox, custodian/maintenance worker, continuing contract; Miriam Owens, superintendent’s secretary, continuing contract; and Phyllis Wortman, OTC evening secretary, continuing contract.

Shelly Bair was also hired as a medical assistant for the Vantage OTC adult education program.

The board also authorized Superintendent Staci Kaufman and Treasurer Laura Peters to close the Project Construction Fund and dispose of any remaining funds in accordance with state law, officially ending the school’s facilities project.

Kaufman also spoke about an $80,000 donation from the Amazon Wind Farm in Paulding County and EDP Renewables to purchase a trainer for the Vantage Advanced Energy Academy, an adult education program that provides training for alternative energy careers. In addition to purchasing a Nacelle trainer, the money would also be used for wind turbine training, Kaufman noted.

The Vantage superintendent said the partnership with EDP Renewables has not only benefited the school, but also the Paulding County Area Foundation, which manages investment funds for the wind farm in that county.

“That’s done a huge service for the Paulding County Area Foundation to help their bottom line,” Kaufman said, “and there will be additional scholarship money coming into that same fund now.”

She noted that EDP Renewables also added a new scholarship donation of $5,000 a year for the next 25 years.

Kaufman also spoke briefly about an LPN credentials program the school is developing through a partnership with an area college. The program would provide a career path that could eventually lead to an associate’s degree in nursing or RN degree.

“Our idea is that we can build a pathway here at Vantage that they can get that training and education with college credit,” the superintendent added.

Kaufman also updated the board on a career fair being held at Vantage from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 29. The fair, for students in grades 8-12, would provide information on a number of careers being offered by area employers.

“We hope to fill the commons with employers for this expo,” the superintendent added.

The board also approved a resolution accepting amounts and rates for Vantage tax levies, and certifying them with County Auditor Nancy Dixon’s office. Peters said the levies include an operating levy that generates approximately $3.5 million annually, a permanent improvement levy that generates approximately $583,000 a year, and a bond retirement issue that generates $1.476 million.

In other news, the board:

• Approved the following overnight trips: A field trip to Lima for FFA State Ag Power Diagnostics, on March 2-3; a field trip to Columbus for the State BPA competition March 16-17; an overnight field trip to Wooster for the FFA State Ag Mechanics Contest March 30-31; a field trip to Columbus for the SkillsUSA State Competition April 10-12; an overnight field trip to Toledo for State HOSA April 19-20; an overnight field trip to Wooster for FFA State Outdoor Power April 24-25; an overnight field trip to Columbus for the State FCCLA convention April 26-28; and an overnight field trip to Columbus for the State FFA Convention May 3-5.
• Approved out-of-state travel for Prichard to attend a legislative seminar in Washington, D.C. March 12-15.
• Appointed Vantage High School Director Tony Unverferth as the district homeless liaison, per school policy.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel issues, with no action taken after the session.
• The next meeting of the Vantage Board of Education is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Thursday, April 6, in the district conference room, with Vantage’s annual All Boards Dinner to follow in the Vantage commons.