Vantage board tours T&I improvements

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Vantage Career Center Board of Education toured improvements in the Trade and Industry areas of the school and heard a summary of the school’s State Report Card scores, while also approving the purchase of replacement robotics equipment and a list of student and adult banquet workers during its October meeting on Thursday.

Career Technical Education Supervisor Ted Verhoff first took board members on a tour of improvements made in the various Trade and Industry areas. Improvements included new paint on the walls, better ventilation equipment, and a new open robot trainer. Verhoff said the robot was the first at the school without clear protective walls around it, with the CTE supervisor noting that the robot has a laser safety system that prevents the machine from operating until students are a safe distance away.

Later in the meeting, the board approved the purchase of a replacement Universal Robot and updated electrical accessories at a cost of $27,617.81 for use in the Electricity program.

High School Director Tony Unverferth also provided a summary of Vantage’s State Report Card grades, noting that, while staff and administration were not satisfied with some of the grades received, Vantage was ranked at or near the top when compared to all other vocational programs.

The school earned a “B” in the area of technical skill attainment, an “A” in the graduation rate category, a “C” in the “prepared for success” portion of the report card, and an “A” in post-program outcomes, which measures how many students went on to work in areas related to their school major.

While the Vantage director said school staff was unhappy with the low grade in the “prepared for success” area of the report card, Unverferth did note the “C” was the highest grade any career center earned.

Unverferth also said Vantage finished first among Joint Vocational School District buildings similar to it, of which there are 49 in the state, while the school was second among all vocational programs in the state.

“I think that’s something to be proud of,” Unverferth said of Vantage’s ranking, while also pledging that the school will continue efforts to improve on State Report Card scores.

Also Wednesday, the board approved a list of student and adult banquet workers. Student banquet workers include Tanam Brown, Dominique Bush, Hailey Cotterman, Brittney Cross, Christopher Earl, Emily Freund, Aleksandr Galyk, Jacob Mueller, Blake Schumm, Xavier Sherburn, Johnathon Thomas, Ashley Bowers, Paige Gibbs, Suzanne Manz, Dacota Nash, Audrey Pease, Haley Phillips, and Brittney Vibbert.

Adult banquet workers approved were Marcia Osenga, Penny Baucom, Cindy Harting, Diana Becker, Annette Klinger, Karen McGilton, Nancy Keith, Gail Gillett, Beth Evans, Mary Ann Hall, and Robin Burns.

Mary Jane Fast was also hired as a medical assistant instructor for the Health Careers area.

In other action, the board:

• Accepted the following donations: 5,300 pounds of steel, valued at $720, from Crown Equipment Corporation in Minster, for the Trade and Industry programs; and trailer lights and lighting accessories, valued at $339.98, from Tractor Supply Company in Van Wert, for the Automotive Technology program.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel matters, with no action taken following the session.

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