Vantage approves negotiated contracts

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Vantage Career Center Board of Education approved a contract with the Vantage Teachers Organization, as well as contracts for a number of Ohio Technical Center employees, during a relatively brief June meeting on Thursday.

The board unanimously approved a new VTO three-year contract that will run from July 1 of this year to June 30, 2020. The contract includes moderate salary increases of $1,500 the first year, and 1 percent the second and third year. The Vantage non-certified staff benefit/wage package was also approved, as well as the salaries of those not on salary schedules, who received the equivalent of the VTO negotiated agreement.

Superintendent Staci Kaufman was very complimentary of the negotiation process, and commended VTO representatives for their cooperation in the process.

“It was a very positive environment and we think we corrected some problems where we can serve students better,” the superintendent said.

Kaufman also commended the entire Vantage staff for the positive working environment at the school.

“It’s just been a terrific staff to work with, but especially the last three or four years,” she said. “Everybody has really pulled together … and done a lot of quality work.”

Kaufman also showed off a welding sculpture she received during her retirement open house last month. She thanked Vantage student Aaron Stringer of Continental for making the sculpture, which is designed to be a paint brush holder (Kaufman paints as a hobby), and welding instructor Brent Wright for designing it.

“It’s really a cool thing, and I’m touched,” Kaufman said of the gift.

Vantage High School Director Tony Unverferth started his report with a little humor. “It was a very, very good school year,” Unverferth said, adding, “I’m glad I survived it.”

He also noted that class fees were being increased from $75 to $100 next year, mostly because of the addition of sweatshirts to the school uniforms. Unverferth said that, because of fluctuating temperatures within the building and large overhead doors that are sometimes open during cold weather, it was decided a Vantage sweatshirt should be part of students’ uniforms.

He also noted that the senior awards program went off well, and thanked Van Wert Superintendent Ken Amstutz, VWHS Principal Bob Priest for setting up the program at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center or Northwest Ohio, as well as Rona Trammell, VWCS district transportation coordinator, for sending three extra buses to help transport Vantage juniors to the program.

He also commended some students for recent accomplishments, including Peter Wehri and Blake Miller, who received State FFA degrees — the first Vantage students to earn that designation since 2002 — and Shelby Wilhelm, a Medical Office Management student from Delphos St. John’s, who competed at the BPA national competition in Orlando, Florida.

Ohio Technical Center Director Pete Prichard showed off photos of new trucks obtained for Vantage’s truck driving school and also talked about the successes with the OTC Police Academy, where responses have nearly doubled.

The board also approved a number of personnel contracts in various areas.

Ohio Technical Center contracts include the following: Jean Sullivan and Linda Arnold, Medical Assistant (MA) clinical instructors for the 2016-17 school year; Bruce Showalter, Police Academy coordinator; Jackie Brandt, Kevin Taylor, Kip Wright, Dillon Staas, Glenn Schenk, Robert Miller, Matthew McDougal, Edward Klausing, and Ronald Joseph, Police Academy instructors; Virginia Hammons, Robert Garcia, Shawn Cook, Robert Black, Adam Wehage, Steven Boroff, and Chad Cupples, Police Academy instructor; Jackie Brandt, EMS coordinator; Shirley Jarvis, Nurse’s Aide program coordinator and instructor/medical assistant; Amelia Miller, MA instructor/state tested nursing assistant; Mary Roof, STNA; Christy Wortman, MA lead instructor; Marcia Osenga, Natoshia Wilhelm, Karri Fife, Shelly Bair, Paula Bogle, Wendy Baumle, and Annette Klinger, MA instructors; Kristie Jones, enrollment coordinator; Diane Meringleo-Dirksen, OTC lead coordinator and Adult Job Club instructor; Ron Schumm, FBPA coordinator/OTC instructor; Michael DeMoss, CDL and logistics instructor/training manager; Chuck Peters, CDL and logistics lead instructor; Michael Miller, Trade and industry instructor; Larry Ray, customized training instructor; Pat Vogel, certified welding inspector; Brent Wright, certified welding assistant; Tom Bowersox, welding instructor assistant; Cynthia Krizan, WSOS Ready to Work coach; Pam Knodel, resource center specialist; Angie Shellabarger, Adult Job Club instructor; Annette Klinger, substitute secretary; and Theresa Mengerink, Ruth Brickner, and Annette Klinger, assistant proctors.

Other employment contracts approved include seasonal and summer technology held, as follows: Penny Baucom and Karen McGillon, seasonal custodians; and Crystal Holcombe and William McGonigal III, summer technology helpers.

The following supplemental contracts were also approved: Kari Casto, Michael Miller, and Marcia Osenga, $250 stipend as Local Professional Development Committee members.

Lucas Compton, Vantage computer technician, also received three additional years of employment experience not given when he was hired, raising him to Step 12 of the salary schedule for the 2017-18 school year.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the Vantage parent and student handbooks for the upcoming school year.
• Accepted the following donations: $100 from the Beta Delta Chapter of Psi Iota Xi Sorority in Convoy to be used for the preschool; and 6,310 pounds of scrap steel, valued at $442, from Crown Equipment Corporation in New Bremen, for the Trades and Industry programs.
• Authorized the following equipment purchases: 25 Dell Latitude 3480 mobile laptops and SMART boards from Schoolhouse Electronics at a cost of $78,690.66.
• Approved Vantage Preschool fees for the coming school year.
• Authorized Community Reinvestment Area tax exemption agreements with Brandon Clementz of Continental for 50 percent abatement for five years for a $275,000 investment, and Geise Properties LLC, doing business as Geise Transmission Inc. of Ottoville, for 100 percent abatement for 15 years for a $700,000 investment (with Vantage receiving $119.71 annually).
• Approved an amended job description for the adult education director’s secretary position.
• Approved a resolution of necessity to place a renewal of the school’s 0.8-mill levy for another five years on the ballot.
• Approved the Avantage Salon & Spa price list for the upcoming school year.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel items, with no action taken after the session.

The next meeting of the Vantage Board of Education will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 29, in the district conference room.