Vantage bd. looks at attendance program

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Vantage Career Center Board of Education heard a presentation on Vantage’s new Participation Points system, as well as an update on the school’s mew LPN program, during its June meeting on Thursday.

Vantage High School Director Tony Unverferth reported on the Participation Points system, noting that schools must have some type of attendance intervention program in place, due to mandates included in House Bill 410. Unverferth noted that students all begin the year with 75 points, but lose 4 points with every unexcused absence. Under the program, Vantage would contact parents of students who lose 20 points or more, while students who lose 30 points would have their parents and home school contacted by Vantage.

Unverferth said the program is meant to be “a positive incentive much more than discipline.

“It’s not meant to be punitive in any way,” he added. “It’s meant to keep more students here at Vantage, and give the home schools, as well as us, a better chance to keep them here and help our attendance numbers continue to improve.”

Unverferth said that Vantage’s current attendance rate is approximately 95 percent, while 120 of this past year’s approximately 400 total students would have had no unexcused absences if the incentive program had been in place then.

Students who maintain a 100-percent attendance rate would qualify for some type of small reward at the end of each quarter, Unverferth said.

Also Thursday, Ohio Technical Center Director Kit Tyler reported on the new LPN program, noting that it has exceeded the 20-student threshold for the class. Tyler said two high school students were enrolled in the LPN program, making the total enrollment 21 students.

Tyler also talked about the CDL commercial driver’s license program, noting that at least two high school students have also graduated from that program.

“We’re beginning to see there are some emerging pathways that we can provide through adult ed. for our high school students,” she noted. “A strong adult ed. program is going to provide a lot of opportunities for our high school students.

“Not all of them want to leave the area,” Tyler added. “This is a very rural area where people have strong roots. If we continue to provide opportunities to make them more employable in the area, it’s going to serve our community, and it’s going to serve our students.”

Vantage Treasurer Laura Peters also talked about her office’s work to tie up loose financial ends prior to the end of the fiscal year on June 30. Peters said she has also talked to most of the school’s administrators about their needs for next year’s budget.

As part of her consent agenda, the board approved a resolution to contract with the Ohio Schools Risk Sharing Authority to renew the school’s property, fleet, and liability insurance package at a cost of $53,265. Peters said the rate for the insurance was actually lower than before, but Vantage added more coverage to take advantage of the lower rate, making the final premium a big higher than last year.

Two people were also given certificates for being named to the Ohio School Boards Association Business Honor Roll for their efforts on behalf of Vantage. Those honored were Roger Sanders of APT Manufacturing and Denise Foley of Van Wert Health.

In other news, the board:

• Hired Dianna Ashbaugh as Vantage assistant treasurer. Superintendent Rick Turner said he was still working on hiring a new superintendent’s secretary.
• Hired the following OTC employees: Linda Arnold, LPN administrator and Medical Assistant instructor; Tom Bowersox, Welding instructor assistant; Ruth Brickner, assessment proctor; Jackie Brandt, EMT coordinator; Hartsel Bryant Jr., CDL instructor; Patrick Chadwell, certified welding inspector; Kevin Gehres, EMT instructor; Jaclyn Gunsett, financial aid coordinator; Virginia Hammons, Police Academy instructor; Barbara Hoffman, teaching assistant/Practical Nursing program; Shirley Jarvis, nurse and program coordinator and Medical Assistant instructor; Kristie Jones, OTC enrollment coordinator; Pam Knodel, Resource Center specialist; Cindy Krizan, assessment coordinator; Larry Longwell, certified welding inspector; Matthew McDougall, Police Academy instructor assistant; Theresa Mengerink, assessment proctor; Diane Meringleo-Dirksen, Job Club instructor and OTC lead coordinator; Amelia Miller, Medical Assistant/STNA instructor; Marcia Osenga, OTC instructor; Chuck Peters, CDL program instructor; James Rosen, CDL training manager; Ron Schumm, FBPA coordinator; Angie Shellabarger, Job Club instructor; Jean Sullivan, LPN instructor and Medical Assistant clinical instructor; Rachael Thomas, OTC substitute instructor; Ted Tumbleson, Police Academy instructor; Mark Verville, Medical Assistant instructor; Christy Wortman, Medical Assistant coordinator and instructor; Kip Wright, Police Academy instructor; and Wendy Baumle, Medical Assistant clinical instructor.
• Approved the Local Professional Development Committee’s meeting list for the upcoming school year.
• Authorized the Avantage Salon & Spa price list for the 2018-19 school year.
• Approved the Vantage Preschool Parent Handbook, fees, and Police Manual for the upcoming school year.
• Approved the 2017 Bullying & Harassment report and the Practical Nursing Student Handbook.
• Authorized out-of-state travel for Theresa Mengerink, Pam Knodel, and Susan Farr to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, June 17-22 for a civics seminar on immigrants to citizens.
• Authorized out-of-state travel for Samantha Heckler to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan July 9-13 for an Orton Gillingham phonics and reading comprehension improvement seminar.
• Approved the Career Education Opportunity (CEO) expansion agreement between Van Wert City Schools and Crestview and Lincolnview local school districts.
• Approved the Van Wert Area Business Advisory Council plan, in compliance with Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.82.
• Approved the expansion of the current Van Wert Community Reinvestment Area to include the former Dickinson Farm area off Van Wert-Decatur Road.
• Waived a 45-day notice and approved a CRA agreement between Vantage and Fox Road Investments for a $150,000 renovation project, and MacWhite LLC for building renovations and construction project totaling $480,000, both in Van Wert.
•  Approved a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) agreement from Rodney Niece Farms LLC for the construction of a hog barn, for a investment of $660,000. The agreement includes a 100-percent reallocation of property taxes for 15 years, with Vantage receiving a payback of approximately $162.55 annually.
• Went into executive session to discuss personnel issues, with no action taken following the session.

The next meeting of the Vantage Board of Education will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 28, in the district conference room.