Tri-Rivers Career Center and Center for Adult Education

Tri-Rivers Career Center and Center for Adult Education is a vocational school that provides career-technical training to high school students and adults in north-central Ohio. The high school students come from schools in Marion, Morrow and Wyandot Counties. The Adult Education Center has become a regional campus that partners with area businesses to provide lifelong, continuous training programs in computer, health, industrial and public safety fields.

About the School

Students and Curriculum

The two-year career-technical high school serves 10th (sophomore exploration program), 11th and 12th grade students from 10 associate schools. High school students from Cardington-Lincoln High School, Elgin High School (Ohio), Marion Harding High School (Ohio), Marion Catholic High School (Ohio), Marion Harding High School (Ohio), Mount Gilead High School, North Union High School, Pleasant High School (Marion, Ohio), Ridgedale High School (Morral, Ohio), and River Valley High School (Caledonia, Ohio) have the opportunity to choose from a variety of specific career-technical and college tech prep career programs for their focus of study.

The school also has a full range of academic courses both in the classroom and on-line. There are also electives and physical education credits.

High School career programs include: Ag & Industrial Power Technology, Automotive Technology, Computer Networking Electronics Technologies (CNET), Construction Technologies, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Digital Media and Entertainment, Early Childhood Education, Engineering Technology, Health Technologies, Healthcare Professions, Horticulture, Job Training, Pathways to Employment, Precision Machining Technology, Public Safety Services, STEPS, Teaching Professions Academy, Transitions (Sophomore Exploration Programs) and Welding. Approximately 95 percent of Tri-Rivers students are successfully placed into the workforce, military, or college upon completion of their specific program requirements.^[1]

The Center For Adult Education offers Healthcare training for Nurse Aide, Home Health Aide, Patient Care Technician, Pharmacy Technician, Practical Nursing and was the first Adult Center in Ohio to offer an LPN to RN Program. Their comprehensive Industrial Maintenance courses teach blueprint reading, hydraulics, electrical and mechanical troubleshooting, and welding. They also offer Public Safety courses: EMT Basic, School of Paramedicine, Fire and Rescue, Firefighter I/II level, Emergency Medical Responder, and CPR training. In computer training they offer courses for the beginner and advanced student. They also provided workforce development and customized training for business and industry.

Location

Tri-Rivers Career Center is located in Marion, OH at 2222 Marion-Mt. Gilead Rd. (S.R. 95) It is just east of S. R. 23.

History

Dr. Robert Burton was hired to spearhead the funding effort for a proposed vocational school district in 1972.^[2] Originally called GATEWAY, the proposed district would have included all of Crawford, Morrow, Wyandot, Marion and Delaware counties. After an unsuccessful levy effort, the proposed size was revised and Crawford and Delaware counties, along with the Northmor District of Morrow County, were dropped.

A.O. Gross, Marion County Superintendent of Schools, served as an interim acting superintendent to head up a levy campaign featuring the revised district. Voters approved this levy in 1974. As part of the revised planning, Crawford and Delaware counties, along with the Northmor district in Morrow County, were removed from the vocational district. Construction began shortly after the levy approval, and the doors to Tri-Rivers opened in August 1976.

Charles Giauque, who was the County Superintendent for Knox County, was hired as the first Superintendent of the newly created district.

Upper Sandusky was also assigned by the State School Board to be part of the district. In addition, students from Carey attended through tuition payments in the early years. Eventually, they became part of another district.

Giauque served as superintendent until his retirement in 1983. Dr. Robert Ludwig was hired and served until 1988 when Jim Craycraft began his tenure. Mr. Craycraft retired in 2002 and was replaced by Dr. Charles Barr, superintendent of Wynford Local Schools. Dr. Barr retired in 2007. Chuck Speelman, former superintendent for Shelby Schools is the current superintendent.

In 1985, a change in focus was recognized when the name of the facility was changed to Tri-Rivers Career Center and Tri-Rivers Center for Adult Education. This change was made to reflect the emphasis on career preparation for high school as well as adult students.

Name

The name “Tri-Rivers” originated from the three rivers within the district: the Scioto, Sandusky and Olentangy.

The logo featuring three incoming white arrows intertwined with three outgoing blue arrows symbolizes the incoming untrained students and outgoing skilled employees.

The Adult Center was the first Career Center in Ohio and possibly the nation, to offer an LPN to RN Transitions program.

Tri-Rivers’ flag features interconnecting circles to indicate the collaboration needed to meet the goals of the entire Career Center. The triangular loop represents the three rivers, three counties in the district, and the three components of its programming: adult, secondary and community center.^[3] The 10 stars represent the 10 associate schools of the district. The seven circles represent the major groups of people who work together to make Tri-Rivers function: students (adult and secondary), alumni, staff (including school board members), parents and families, advisory committee members, agencies and community organizations, and business/industry.^[4]

References

External links

• tririvers.com
• on facebook

Coordinates: 40°34′59″N 83°04′13″W / 40.5830556°N 83.0702778°W / 40.5830556; -83.0702778