The Union County Board of Education enjoyed a packed work session Jan. 15 while recognizing the award-winning performance of the Union County High School Pride of the Mountains Marching Band at the recent Peach State Marching Competition.
On Oct. 25, the Pride of the Mountains earned the highest ratings in every category and took home First Place out of six other bands in Class 2A. Competing against 20 other bands, UCHS musicians finished Fourth Place overall and earned the Carruth/Shook Award for Outstanding Musical Performance and the David Walters Grand Champion Award.
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That said, two band members stood out above the rest. Called to the front were Laura Jane Daniel and Roland Lawrence, having displayed outstanding musical talent.
Daniel has received a full tuition scholarship to attend Young Harris College and major in music, and Lawrence has earned accolades as the 2nd Chair Clarinet in the State of Georgia at the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band.
Next in the meeting was the Fiscal Year 2025 audit presentation. The findings were unremarkable, meaning that “the financial statements present fairly in all material respects.”
There was an increase in net position; the total assets came out to $177.9 million, offset by liabilities at $85.2 million, resulting in a positive net position of $92.7 million.
In addition to the audit report, a compliance report was issued, and there were no reports of significant deficiencies or material weaknesses.
“That saves our county a lot of headache, a lot of worrying about everything,” said School Board Chair Tony Hunter, and the board thanked Finance Officer Karen Bundy for her role in keeping track of the district’s finances.
Each principal was then given a chance to share school updates, staring with High School Principal Josh Davis, who noted that last semester featured some “high notes,” with increased attendance and high test scores.
Middle School Principal Tammy Hughes said she was looking forward to the eighth grade Pathway Fair and Pathway Tour, designed to get upcoming high schoolers thinking about what studies they want to focus on.
Meanwhile, Elementary School Principal Jerry Bavero said benchmark testing data had yielded positive results, and students were enjoying a new set of swings on the playground at their brand-new school building.
Primary School Principal Deborah “Debby” Decubellis revealed that teacher training was going great, and that the new nursery had experienced successful growth.
Last but not least, Woody Gap Principal Wendy Reynolds noted a marked increase in attendance, saying that there were no students with perfect attendance the previous school year while last semester saw 12.
That said, Superintendent John Hill expressed interest in looking into recent disciplinary history among students and seeing if there is a correlation with the new cellphone ban. Principals of multiple schools have reported better performance and increased attendance, leading Hill to wonder if the lack of screen time has lent itself well to a healthier learning environment.
Finally, keeping with the first-of-year routine, the board used the action item and organizational section of the agenda to re-elect officers, specifically the Chair and Vice Chair. This was accomplished during the regular meeting, which also saw acceptance of the audit report.
