Tri-County School Corporation

A Rural District Building Big Opportunities

Career Pathways, Dual Credit Growth, Strong Community Partnerships, and Expanded Student Supports Position Tri-County for Long-Term Success

In many small communities, the school system is not just a place where children learn. It is where the community gathers, where traditions are reinforced, where families seek support, and where the future workforce begins to take shape. For Tri-County School Corporation in Indiana, that role is not a slogan—it is daily reality.

Superintendent Pat Culp describes Tri-County as the hub of the community in the truest sense. With three school buildings serving roughly 750 students—an early learning and primary site in Remington, an intermediate school in Wolcott, and a junior-senior high school located between the two towns—Tri-County functions as a central thread tying together civic life, community programs, and student success.

“At Tri-County, we put students first,” Culp says. “That means building strong relationships with our students and our families. We relish the opportunity to take kids who may not have been successful in other settings, make them part of Tri-County, make them a Cavalier, and help them have success here.”

That student-first culture is supported by an unusually strong network of services, modernized facilities, and a career-readiness strategy that is expanding rapidly—without sacrificing college preparation.

A District Built on Relationships and Support

Culp and high school principal JR Haskins speak with remarkable consistency about the foundation of learning: trust. Research and experience align, they note—students learn best when they feel known, respected, and safe.

That culture begins the moment students arrive. Bus drivers, cafeteria staff, office teams, and teachers are all part of the relational fabric. Students and families are greeted, supported, and reminded, even on difficult days, that school is a safe place and that they are valued.

Tri-County has invested heavily in services that support the whole child. For a district of this size, the staffing structure stands out. Each building has counseling support, with four guidance counselors districtwide—an unusually strong ratio for a rural corporation. The district also employs full-time nurses in all three buildings, reinforcing both physical care and a broader role in student wellbeing.

One of Tri-County’s most recent additions is a family engagement liaison, created to help families navigate needs that often sit outside academics but directly impact learning. That role supports everything from hygiene and free-and-reduced lunch forms to housing and rent pressures, digital navigation, and parent support strategies that strengthen home-school alignment.

Culp is candid that modern education is increasingly complex. Students and staff arrive each day carrying more needs than schools saw even a decade ago. What makes Tri-County notable, he says, is the willingness to meet those needs directly and to treat student support as non-negotiable.

Importantly, this commitment to wellness and support predates the pandemic. Tri-County expanded counseling and nursing capacity before COVID, and those decisions proved critical during and after the disruption of the pandemic years. In an era of tightening budgets, the school board has kept those staffing supports intact, recognizing that student success and teacher sustainability depend on them.

Support for staff is also built into the culture. Administrators check in daily. Counselors support both students and adults. Community partners contribute in tangible ways—coffee trucks, meals, holiday support, and visible expressions of appreciation that reinforce a simple message: the community values educators and the work they do.

Technology That Prepares Students for the Modern World

At the secondary level, Tri-County is one-to-one, with students in grades seven through twelve equipped with laptops and classrooms supported with interactive instructional tools. Technology is viewed as a platform for learning—not a replacement for instruction—but district leaders recognize that technology expectations in the workplace are only increasing.

Principal Haskins emphasizes that the conversation has moved beyond whether schools should address AI. In his view, the question is how to do it responsibly and proactively.

“We can’t take the approach that we’re not going to allow AI,” he says. “It’s not going away. We have to teach students how to use it responsibly, because if they graduate without AI readiness, they’ll be behind.”

Tri-County is focused on building staff understanding through ongoing professional development and positioning technology as a tool that strengthens learning and prepares students for real-world environments.

Career Technical Education That has Taken Off

Where Tri-County’s momentum is especially visible is Career and Technical Education. Over the past five to six years, CTE participation has grown rapidly—and the district has responded not by trimming programming, but by expanding it.

One standout is the welding program. What began as a component embedded in an agriculture course has been developed into a full standalone pathway. More than 50 students are now enrolled, and all eighth graders rotate through exposure to welding, ensuring students explore the option before selecting pathways for high school.

The impact is tangible. Students are earning certifications. Graduates are stepping directly into strong welding jobs. Others are continuing welding-related education at the post-secondary level. For a graduating class of about 50 students, placing even a handful directly into quality employment each year represents meaningful outcome impact—and reinforces the program’s value.

CTE growth has also expanded into culinary, health careers, engineering, drone-related applications through agriculture courses, and business. The district continues to refine offerings based on student interest and workforce need, but the underlying theme remains consistent: Tri-County wants students to graduate with real skills and real options.

A key differentiator is how deeply the district listens to local industry. Pat Culp points to a powerful example in the engineering pathway. Through required advisory board meetings for CTE programs, industry partners provided feedback that the software students were using did not align with what employers needed. The district pivoted mid-year to adopt SolidWorks, a more relevant industry-standard platform, allowing students to earn a credential that carries real value in local employment settings.

That willingness to pivot—quickly, based on real feedback—signals a district that treats career preparation as dynamic, not static.

Work-Based Learning and the Reality of Rural Logistics

Tri-County’s partnerships with local employers are growing, but Haskins notes one practical barrier that affects many rural districts: work-based learning rules and liability structures often assume students are 18, while many seniors do not turn 18 until late in their final year.

Local employers have been eager to take students, but insurance and liability constraints can reduce internship timelines to only a few months. Tri-County has begun working with businesses that have adjusted insurance structures to allow 17-year-olds to participate earlier, opening the door to more meaningful work-based learning.

One key partner is Chief Industries, which has demonstrated interest in Tri-County welding students and has already hired graduates. The district anticipates expanding internship participation as eligibility and logistics improve.

Health care partnerships are also in focus. While travel can be a factor in rural settings, Tri-County is working to expand access to clinical and medical exposure through tours, partnerships, and health career pathways that can lead to certifications such as CNA.

Dual Credit and the Indiana College Core Advantage

Tri-County’s approach is not “either career or college.” It is both.

The district has strong partnerships with Ivy Tech Community College, giving students access to dual credit opportunities and supporting post-secondary progress while still in high school. Students can pursue Advanced Placement coursework, dual enrollment, and early college planning while also earning technical certifications through CTE.

Culp notes that it is not unusual for Tri-County students to graduate with both an Academic Honors Diploma and a Technical Honors Diploma. In a class of about 50, it is common for 20 to 25 students to earn both, reflecting a district culture that refuses to limit students to a single track.

A key upcoming focus is the Indiana College Core, which will become increasingly important as diploma requirements shift. Haskins sees the College Core as a strategic next step that fits naturally alongside work-based learning expansion.

Capital Investment Aligned with Career Readiness and Early Learning

Tri-County is nearing completion of a major renovation cycle totaling approximately $20 million. A significant portion of this investment has been directed toward updating the junior-senior high school’s CTE areas—modernizing spaces, upgrading technology, and improving instructional environments to match the district’s workforce readiness goals.

Investment has also been districtwide. The corporation’s early learning and primary building has undergone a full remodel, including expanded kindergarten classroom capacity and a refreshed learning environment that is bright, modern, and built for student engagement. The intermediate school has added a dedicated sixth-grade wing designed to support students through a critical developmental transition, giving sixth graders a more tailored space as they grow into middle-level learning expectations.

Looking ahead, Tri-County is exploring pre-K expansion, with discussions underway to grow from one section to two. Current capacity is capped at 36 students, and a waiting list indicates significant demand. District leaders view early childhood education as a foundational investment, supported by data showing stronger academic readiness for students who access quality pre-K.

Community Support That Makes the Difference

Underlying Tri-County’s ability to expand programs, maintain student supports, and invest in facilities is extraordinary community backing. The district operates with an approved operating fund referendum, and when it was renewed in 2023, it passed with an 84 percent approval rate.

That vote reflects not only trust, but a community belief that Tri-County is worth investing in. It also gives the district flexibility to do what many rural corporations cannot: add programs, maintain staffing supports, and build opportunities across both career and college pathways.

Culp notes that the referendum is not taken for granted. It comes with responsibility and forward planning, particularly as the current approval cycle runs through 2030. District leadership is already thinking ahead to what Tri-County will look like in that next phase—and how to sustain momentum while keeping resources focused where they matter most.

Looking Ahead: Scaling Work-Based Learning and Expanding Pathways

Over the next 18 to 24 months, Tri-County’s priorities are clear. Work-based learning must expand to meet new diploma requirements and seal expectations. Indiana College Core offerings will grow. Career pathways will continue to strengthen, with attention on areas such as HVAC and IT where regional demand is strong and credential-linked employment can be immediate.

At the district level, early childhood expansion remains a high priority, along with continued investment in student support services that have been defined as non-negotiable by both leadership and the school board.

For Tri-County, the mission is consistent: create opportunity, meet students where they are, and build a future where graduates leave with more than a diploma. They leave with confidence, credentials, community pride—and real choices.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Tri-County School Corporation

What: Meeting students where they are and focusing on their futures with the very best academic and career tech base

Where: Wolcott, Indiana

Website: www.trico.k12.in.us