Vantage hears state report card update

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Vantage Board of Education heard an update on the school’s first-ever state report card and also learned that Vantage is working on an internship program with several area businesses.

Superintendent Staci Kaufman provided more details on the first state report card issued to joint vocational schools, noting that Vantage received two As and a C from the state. She also explained that the “C” grade could have been nearly an A if Vantage could have confirmed the placement of some of its students, who had moved on to careers, the military or college, six months after their graduation.

Vantage had a 92.8 percent placement rate for students, which is just two-tenths of a percent away from an A on the report card, but the fact that the placement of just 78.6 percent of students could be confirmed by the school resulted in the C grade.

“We’re already working on how to improve that,” Kaufman said, noting that Vantage staff would be contacting students sooner, rather than waiting 6-9 months after graduation to do so.

She also said staff members also plan to use social media sites, among other tools, to maintain contact with students after they graduate.

In addition to graduation rates and the placement score, the state report card also dealt with how effectively technical schools use their finances, with an ungraded portion detailing what percent of funding is used directly for instruction and how much money was used for non-classroom purposes.

Vantage ranked second out of 25 schools on the percentage (76.3) spent for classroom instructional purposes. That’s nearly 8 percent higher than the state average and nearly 9 percent higher than a comparison group.

Vantage did even better when detailing the percentage of funds spent for non-classroom purposes, ranking 24th out of 25 schools in the category, with only 23.7 percent of funding used for non-classroom purposes, a number lower than both the state average (31.2 percent) and a comparison group (32.6 percent).

Overall, Kaufman said Vantage ranked in the top third of joint vocational schools in the state on new report card.

Kaufman also introduced Vantage’s new assistant treasurer, Lori Gunderman, who replaces retired assistant treasurer Lori Balliet, and talked about the possibility of Vantage board members going to three-year terms — something that would be a benefit, as it would provide more longevity, and, thus, more time to become familiar with the workings of the Vantage organization.

Treasurer Lori Davis noted in her report that revenues have increased by approximately $17,000 over projections for the current fiscal year, while expenses are up approximately $9,000 over projections.

Vantage Director Ben Winans updated the board on the start of classes, noting that things were going smoothly at this point. “We had a very good start to the school year,” he noted.

Adult Education Director Pete Prichard talked about work to add more college classes to Vantage’s adult education program, as well as plans to develop an internship program with area businesses.

“It’s one of the things the state has been pushing for a long time,” Prichard said, adding, “We think we have found a way of doing this that will be cost-effective for the employer, and give people skills that will put them to work, while getting them 29 semester hours and putting them on a career path.”

In other action, the board:

• Approved a resolution to transfer Annette Klinger from Media Center secretary to a support staff position.
• Accepted the resignation of cafeteria cook Kristy Rogers, effective August 31.
• Approved the following supplemental contracts: Penny Baucom, special events worker; and Tillman Karl, Theresa Mengerink, Laura Stocksdale, Katie Drerup, Kelly Horstman, Ashley Cline and Angie Shellabarger as virtual learning graders.
• Employed the following Adult Education instructors: James Loughrie, Robert Miller, Robert Black, Mike Miller, Mary Jane Fast, Robert Garcia, Ted Tumbleson, Mark Figert, Roger Roberts, Patricia Beams, Vicki Bidlack, Sandra Henkener, Shane Lee, Kevin Gehres, Carol Schaefer, Rebecca Mayer, Karen McGilton, Linda Hartman, Jim Grant, Stacie Leiter, Sonya Yenser-Hammon, Matthew McDougall, Cindy Krizan, Debra Richardson and Paula Miller.
• Approved the 2013-2014 Adult Education student consumer handbook and program catalog.