Vantage’s Prichard taking new position

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Vantage Career Center will be saying good-bye to two longtime employees, one for whom is retiring, while the other is taking on a new position.

The Vantage Board of Education accepted the resignation of Ohio Technical Director Pete Prichard, who has spent 18 years in the district, and MaryJo Wilhelm, community relations coordinator, after 27 years in the district.

Prichard, whose resignation is effective March 26, is leaving to take a newly created position as workforce development director at Northwest State Community College. The position is funded by the Wood County Department of Job and Family Services.

Wilhelm’s resignation is effective June 30.

Superintendent Rick Turner, who said Vantage would be moving forward with efforts to replace both positions, also noted his longtime peer relationship with Prichard when Turner was adult education director at Apollo Career Center in Lima.

“I’ve worked with Pete in several capacities … we’re going to miss you, but we’re happy for you in your new position,” Turner said.

For his part, Prichard said there were so many people he wanted to thank for their support during his long tenure at Vantage.

“The only time I’ve been any place longer is when I was at home and I left for college…,” Prichard said, adding that he had enjoyed working with Turner as superintendent, as well as all three previous Vantage superintendents: Bob Brandt, Steve Mercer, and Staci Kaufman, and past and present Vantage board members.

The superintendent also said Vantage would greatly miss Wilhelm, who did so much to coordinate activities and events at the school, as well as publicize those events.

She is going to be hard to replace,” he noted.

The board also accepted the resignation of math instructor Kari Casto, effective March 23, and learned that Board member Eric Germann is also resigning because of work demands.

In addition to his own report, Turner also gave the report of Vantage High School Director Tony Unverferth, who didn’t attend the meeting because his wife just gave birth to a baby girl.

Turner noted the success of Vantage’s Open House/Taste of Vantage event, which was held Monday at the school, noting “it was a very good event.”

The superintendent also noted that students were taking the ACT and pre-ACT tests this week and also noted the school had received 244 high school applications, a small increase over last year’s excellent year. One of the courses already filled is Vantage’s criminal justice program, which Turner said was impressive, given it’s a new program at the school.

In other action, the Vantage board:

• Approved the following employee contracts: Adaline Alvarez, cook, continuing contract; Stephen Burrow, custodial/maintenance, continuing contract; Richard McKenna, custodial/maintenance, continuing contract; Michael Knott, student services supervisor, three-year contract; Natasha Martin, assistant treasurer, two-year contract; Debra Richardson, Construction Equipment Technology instructor’s aide, two-year contract.
• Hired the following Ohio Technical Center instructors: Patrick Chadwell, certified welding instructor; Jim Rosen, part-time CDL training manager; and Mark Verville, Paula Bogle, and Debbie Venderley, medical assistant instructors.
• Appointed Unverferth as the district’s homeless liaison, per the district homeless policy.
• Approved several out-of-state and overnight trips for students and instructors in various programs, as well as FFA students.
• Approved the 2018-19 school calendar.
• Accepted a donation of a 4-cylinder skid steer diesel engine, valued at $2,000, from The Kenn-Feld Group LLC, for use in the Vantage Ag and Industrial Power Technology program.
• Accepted the donation of six squares of 50-year shingles from Gamby Construction of Defiance, valued at $725, for the Construction Equipment Technology program.
• Approved the OTC catalog and student handbook.
• Approved the College Credit Plus memorandum of understanding between Northwest State Community College and Vantage.
• Approved a Community Reinvestment Area agreement with Continental residents Ryan and Katie Keck.
• Went into executive session to discuss employment of personnel, with no action to be taken after the session.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Vantage Board of Education will be held at 5:15 p.m. Thursday, April 5, prior to Vantage’s annual All Boards Dinner at 6 that evening.