Rushmore to move to Tri-Rivers Career Center

MARION – Rushmore Academy director Steve Vanderhoff needed more space. Tri-Rivers Career Center Superintendent Chuck Speelman needed more students.

A snow day last winter provided an opportunity for the two educators to meet with Marion City Schools superintended Gary Barber and kick around some ideas.

As a result, about 250 Rushmore Academy students will move into a new classroom complex under construction within the Tri-Rivers Career Center, which should be completed by the school's next session beginning July 29.

Rushmore Academy, founded in 2009 for 53 at-risk teens, now has about 250 students located in the old Colonial Acres Elementary School on the city's westside. The 1,200-square-foot building, built in 1967, was shuttered in 2002 and used as a storage facility by the district before Rushmore moved in. The academy is sponsored by Marion City Schools, and provides flexible class schedules, online learning and specialized support services for students who dropped out of traditional area high schools.

It's a collaboration that will help both schools by moving students into Tri-Rivers, where a decline in enrollment has resulted in fewer state dollars, and by providing Rushmore students additional job skill training in a modern learning environment.

Final learning option

"Our students have left the traditional education setting for a number of reasons — pregnancies, behavior problems, credit deficits, bullying or homelessness," said Steve Vanderhoff, Rushmore's director.

"These kids truly had no school options left," said Vanderhoff.

The community school has assisted 475 students in earning a high school diploma since it opened, students who otherwise might have fallen through the cracks, according to Vanderhoff.

"Rushmore's mission is to help every student get a second chance at a high school diploma by providing one-on-one instruction, crisis intervention, regular home visits and job placement assistance with local partner employers," said Vanderhoff.

The move isn't just to acquire more space, however. Vanderhoff's effort's to get his students work experience dovetailed with the "diploma plus" concept now being implemented at Marion City Schools where curriculum is being expanded to offer career technical courses in early childhood development, exercise science and global logistics within the high school so graduates will leave school with skills local employers are looking for.

Speelman said they set out to develop a career-based learning curriculum specific for Rushmore students, based on input from local industry. Rushmore students will receive two hours of academic instruction for every hour of technical training leading to a state or industry certification in manufacturing, health services, auto maintenance, food service and building and grounds maintenance, and hospitality services, including commercial laundry operations. A tow-motor operator/technician program is also being studied.

Transition 'into the world of work'

The new classrooms, like the curriculum, will be separated from the Tri-Rivers students, though Rushmore students will have an opportunity to be accepted into the Tri-Rivers' traditional programs. A child watch room will be provided for students with small children from a grant from Nucor Steel. A dedicated kitchen is also under construction.

"This is something that hasn't been before, co-locating a drop out recovery intervention school within a career center," said Speelman, who had to sell the idea to state and federal education officials.

"The state is looking at this as a model. The hope is that more kids can transition into the world of work. Once we engage them in a career path, often the light goes on and they realize 'I can get a better job,'" said Speelman.

Tri-Rivers will get $8,333 in rent per month to cover utilities and the building renovations from Marion City Schools, the main sponsor of Rushmore, plus the additional career technical funding provide by the state on a per-pupil rate. Because of the different methods used to calculate enrollment at Marion City Schools and the career center, Rushmore will retain its current per-pupil funding.

Helping Tri-Rivers

The timing couldn't be better for Tri-Rivers.

Tri-Rivers Career Center is facing the dual challenge of high school guidance counselors emphasizing college preparation and declining enrollment in most of the high schools partnered with the technical school, about to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Tri-Rivers had 1,100 students in 1975, but had only 650 students in 2015.

A reduction in business taxes passed by the state legislature, coupled with a voter reluctance to pass levies to provide any additional funding had administrators facing a $2 million deficit in a recent five-year forecast. Tri-Rivers eliminated its transition program for sophomores last year as a cost cutting move, and was facing additional layoffs this fall. Tri-Rivers will also transfer their early child development and health technology programs, and the accompanying expenses, to Marion City Schools this fall.

"We are very excited to allow several teachers, about five or six, to avoid lay-offs," said Speelman, who added that the additional students doesn't solve the career center's funding challenges long term.

"We still need to bring dollars into the general funds," said Speelman, and added that $700,000 in cuts has been made at the center.

"When we first opened, we did a good job training to the workforce needs of the community. But the needs have shifted and factory jobs have changed. The need is for more high tech training for those high paying jobs," said Speelman, who pointed to the rigorous robotics, veterinarian technician and welding programs at the school as examples.

Speelman thinks the new students offer a different challenge, and a different set of opportunities.

"Training students for entry-level skill jobs is just another pathway to re-engage these kids. It takes more than a strong back to get a job these days," said Speelman.

"However the money works out in the end, these are the communities' kids. It might be the former coach in me, but I believe you've got to coach up these kids. Don't tell me what they can't do."

jsmiller@gannett.com

740-375-5148

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