Vantage bd. learns about new program

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Vantage Career Center Board of Education said good-bye to Vantage Director Ben Winans and hired his replacement, while also learning about a new program for the upcoming school year during its July meeting held Thursday.

Winans thanked the board for its support over the past three years he has been director, while also saying he has learned a lot during his decade of service to the school.

“I’m not sure there is a means to measure the experience I have gained over the course of my time here the last 10 years,” Winans noted. “I certainly know I cannot find enough words to thank all of you.”

Later in the meeting, the board formally accepted Winans’ resignation and approved a three-year administrative contract for his replacement, Tony Unverferth, who is currently a social studies teacher at Vantage.

Superintendent Staci Kaufman said the search committee had good response to the position, adding that the committee felt Unverferth was the best fit for the job.

Ted Verhoff also provided a presentation on a new program at Vantage: Construction Equipment Technologies. The new program will cover four semesters, with instruction as follows: first semester, core and sustainable construction; second semester, carpentry and masonry technology skills; third semester, heavy equipment operation; and fourth semester, construction site preparation.

Verhoff said the program, which already has its 13-student quota for the first year, is one of only four or five such programs in Ohio, including one at Apollo Career Center that currently has 40 students enrolled.

He noted the program would use a portion of land north of the main facility that provides an area large enough for heavy equipment use, also noting that people passing by will be able to watch students operate the equipment.

“We think that’s going to be a great selling point,” Verhoff said. “I expect every year we will see a full class in that program.”

Cafeteria Manager Penny Baucom was also at the meeting to give her annual cafeteria report. Cafeteria prices will remain the same for the 2016-17 school year, Baucom noted, adding that Vantage has a new dairy provider this year: Huntington, Indiana-based Schenkel’s Dairy.

Following Treasurer Laura Peters’ relatively brief report, the board approved temporary appropriations, as well as last-minute transfers and supplemental appropriations to close out the fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Personnel actions include hiring Alaina Ellis as a secretary, and approving supplemental contracts for Mary Ann Falk as a lead teacher and Penny Baucom as a special events worker. Several instructors were also approved for the Ohio Technical Center (Adult Education). They include Lonnie Schlosser, Natoshia Wilhelm, Donna Wheeler, Wendy Baumle, and Theresa Mengerink.

The board also authorized Kaufman to serve on the board of the Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission for the 2016-17 school year, and will pay the following instructors $125 a day to remove old lab equipment and install new equipment: Larry Ray (total of $250), Michael Miller ($250), Brent Wright ($125), and Michael Villena ($125).

In other action, the board:

• Approved a memorandum of understanding for Vantage Ohio Technical Center’s adult workforce education program to administer grant funds in connection with Apollo, Four County, Vanguard, and Penta career centers.
• Accepted a donation of 2,720 pounds of cut steel, valued at $816, from Crown Equipment Corporation, to be used by the Trade and Industry programs.
• Approved Community Reinvestment Area projects for the James and Martha Clark Family Trust, 267 Prairie Lane, and Robert Chavarria, 244 Parkview Drive, both in Van Wert.
• Approved a bullying and harassment report for the 2015-16 school year.

The next meeting of the Vantage Career Center Board of Education will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, August 4, in the district conference room.