Home Care In North Ridgeville, OH

NORTH RIDGEVILLE , Ohio -- North Ridgeville High School recently hosted its annual Future Fair.

The program is designed for students in grades 9-12, offering an interactive opportunity to explore post-graduation pathways and connect with industry professionals.

Students attended career preparation and exploration workshops all day on Feb. 21 on the Future Fair’s “convention floor.”

The Future Fair serves as a bridge between education and the workforce, bringing together local businesses, agencies and military branches to showcase the diverse opportunities available to students.

Through hands-on exhibits and direct interactions, students gain valuable insights into potential careers.

To maximize the students’ experience, they prepare in advance by researching exhibitors and developing a personalized plan for the event.

The Four “E’s” -- Enrollment, Employment, Enlistment and Entrepreneurship -- remain the foundation of the Future Fair, ensuring that students receive a well-rounded perspective on their post-graduation options.

Lee Armbruster, director of community partnerships for the school district, was the driving force behind this event.

She said the Future Fair welcomed nearly 100 exhibitors representing industries such as manufacturing, skilled trades, health care, finance, government, higher education and the military.

The goal is to provide students with real-world, high-demand career insights through interactive exhibits and workshops that inspire their future decisions.

“You can’t be it if you can’t see,” Armbruster said. “The whole idea is to give students an understanding of all the different career options there are for them out there.

“This is like a learning curve for everybody in high school public education. The expectation was for you to go to college, and you figure it out in college and if you don’t know when you start, that’s OK.

“Well, that’s not OK, because some kids shouldn’t be going to college.

“There’s so many great jobs out there with different programs and different tracks, and going and spending $80,000 to figure it out isn’t the right way,” Armbruster continued.

“We really need to start younger with these students and showing them the different options, from the trades to the first responders to military service.”

Armbruster said this year, the event also had workshops where the students could get a taste of what it would be like to actually work in a given field, such as design or forensics.

She said Lorain County officials in the court system, 911 and others were particularly gracious in donating their time and energy, offering a variety of programs and workshops.

Lorain County Community College also had a large presence, showcasing its different departments, future opportunities and career paths for the students.

Armbruster points to the exorbitant cost of a traditional four-year college education as a major catalyst for students seeking a different career path.

She said student loan debt is a major burden for college graduates.

There is also a high dropout rate at these types of universities, whereas the trades pay for workers to learn on the job in apprentice and skilled tradesman type roles, she said.

“When I started this four years ago, when I walked into the high school, I saw that the colleges have tables set up, the military have tables set up and there are all these recruiters, but so many businesses don’t have the staff to do that,” Armbruster said.

“But now, we’re seeing so many businesses and the courts and healthcare services, especially, getting involved and getting folks out there to talk to these kids.

“There are businesses that are coming out and really supporting this. But you know, just getting the local government involved has helped us tremendously,” she said.

“In this area, what we’re seeing in the future for high-demand workers, it’s in IT (information technology), manufacturing and health care.

“When a person walks into the hospital and all the different departments that are involved, you don’t have to be a nurse or you don’t have to be a doctor. There’s just so many options.”

Read more from the Sun Sentinel.

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NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio -- Sometimes he’s Santa Claus. He most certainly decks the halls.

He is part electrician, occasional cheerleader and beloved by his peers, both young and old.

Most know him as the head custodian for North Ridgeville High School.

Roger Fleming has worked in a school setting since he was 17. Now at 59, he said he is still going strong and loving the job.

He began his career after graduating from Elyria High School. He started working for his alma mater, initially repairing plaster and maintaining floors.

He then began working in carpentry and became a crew supervisor, working in the 27 buildings in that district.

He retired at the ripe old age of 47 with his 30 years in, but was quickly drawn out of retirement by the North Ridgeville district.

Starting his career with no college loan debt to pay off and able to retire at under 50 years old with a nice pension was a goal for Fleming.

One of the big things he said he has seen in his time with the schools is a seismic shift in the number of students opting for apprenticeships and skilled trades vs. attending college.

And as head custodian for North Ridgeville High School, Fleming wears many hats.

Every morning, he comes in and turns on the lights. He puts out the traffic cones for the daily student drop-off.

Then he goes about his routine -- which he admits is largely anything but routine on any given day.

“I have to take care of the night crew scheduling and manage the overtime and work with all the outside groups for parks and rec(reation),” Fleming said.

“I work with the traveling league basketball. I’m here all day.

“I’ll start cleaning the halls if there’s nothing pressing, and always want to make sure the front entrance always looks good,” he continued.

“If it’s winter, I’m outside shoveling the walkways and running the snowblower and putting down salt. While I’m doing that, I’ll get a call to come in because of this or that.

“I have lunch duty, and then after that it’s whatever needs to be done.”

Fleming never attended any formal school to learn his craft. Rather, he said he learned on the job while doing -- with his co-workers and “the old school guys” that showed him the ropes.

He said he can, at this point, do just about anything that comes up -- quite literally -- and takes great pride in how well maintained and clean the high school is, even at its age and with the increase in wear and tear as the result of an increase in the student enrollment.

But it’s those kids that Fleming said are the best part of his day.

“I want to make a difference, and I make it a point to say good morning to 99 percent of the kids every single day when they walk through the hallways, coming into the buildings or walking down the halls,” Fleming said.

“I always stop in some classrooms and tell them ‘have a great day.’ I’ll sit with them at lunchtime sometimes and have a quick chat, then go about my business.

“I interact with the students a lot here. Everybody is important to me here, and I want everybody to have a good day,” he continued.

“We’ve had students graduate from here years ago, and they’ve actually came back to school to be a speaker in a teacher’s classroom and the kids asked, ‘What do you miss the most?’ They said, ‘We missed Roger.’”

Fleming has been Employee of the Month numerous times and was Employee of the Year last year.

He is particularly excited about the opening of the new high school and expects that facility, since it’s new, will be easier to maintain.

He also enjoys seeing three of his own grandchildren attend the school.

But he says the job is a seven-day-a-week affair for several months at a time during the school year.

He wanted to share that the school district is hiring custodial staff.

He said it’s a rewarding career choice.

“A lot of people may not even consider it. They may not even think about it,” Fleming said.

“It’s rewarding when you see these kids. And some kids just need somebody to say ‘hi’ to.

“I just want to be the difference maker, which I believe I’ve done in my 11 years being here.

“When you hear outside people come in and say: ‘I’ll tell you what. I think you guys don’t get enough credit. I think you guys are unsung heroes.’

“Most people don’t necessarily notice exactly what you do, but they definitely notice when you don’t.”

Read more from the Sun Sentinel.

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NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio – The city of North Ridgeville is modernizing its water metering system, replacing outdated meters with advanced technology that will improve billing accuracy and allow residents to monitor their water consumption.

Mayor Kevin Corcoran explained in a video released by the city that North Ridgeville has been relying on “failing technology” for both residents and commercial businesses that leads to estimated bills.

These estimates can cause issues when an actual reading takes place. Tara Peet, director of community services, explained that if an account has six months’ worth of estimates before a reading comes in, and there was a water leak in that time frame, that customer is going to be hit with an unexpected large bill.

The new meters will allow residents to use the EyeOnWater app, where they will be able to track their water usage in real-time, helping them quickly identify problems when they arise.

“[The application] will show them their daily usage, it will show them whether they have a leak, so the user is able to see their water usage almost as quickly as they’re using it,” Peet said. “I’m really excited for the empowerment for the resident. It makes you more mindful of how you’re using your water.”

The city has partnered with Utility Metering Solutions, which will handle scheduling and installation. In compliance with an EPA mandate, the installation team will also identify the type of material used in the piping that connects homes to the water meter.

Each installation is expected to cause minimal water disruption, lasting no more than an hour per household, Corcoran said in the video. To accommodate local businesses, the city is offering evening and weekend appointments to minimize operational disruptions.

Installers will work through the city section by section, notifying homeowners by mail when it’s time to schedule an appointment. Appointments can be booked by phone or online. Because many meters are located inside homes, an adult must be present during installation. Residents are asked to secure pets and ensure a clear path to the meter.

“We are hoping to achieve this project in 12 months, but really, it’s going to take the cooperation of the residents,” Peet said. “So, when you get your letter in the mail, it’s very important that you quickly schedule your appointment.”

Residents can find more details about the project by watching the city’s YouTube video.

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