Day one of the 2026-2027 school year in Union County ended with a bang when a thunderstorm delayed dismissal on Wednesday, Aug. 5. Nevertheless, the hours before were filled with a collective effort from teachers and students of all ages to make sure the first day went as well as possible.
For example, Union County Elementary School Principal Jerry Bavero shared that several high school football players were there that morning to greet the younger children, and teachers and staff helped lead the smaller students and new additions to the cafeteria for breakfast.
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“We’re so excited to get the first day under our belt, and we’re excited to partner with all of our parents and our community members and community sponsors,” Bavero said.
Those football players were back at the high school in time to attend a presentation by Principal Josh Davis in the Fine Arts Center to go over basic rules and expectations, like behavioral conduct and the dress code.
“We don’t just bring the whole school up here to talk to you just to entertain you or something like that. No, we’re trying to be proactive,” explained Davis. “Sure, we talk about some rules and things like that, but we’re just trying to set you guys up for success for the year.”
And success was evident across the system. Carly Hughes’ second-grade classroom had a wonderful day, judging by the cheers and unanimous thumbs up when asked.
“(The first day) went great; it was good. It’s always very busy, but I have a great group of kiddos, so I’m excited to be here,” Hughes said.
Across the hall, Gina Young agreed, for her part adding that “it was amazing. It’s lots of learning procedures and routines, but we had a great day.”
The rain began just as it was time to load buses, but that didn’t seem to dampen the mood. In fact, the younger children were spotted playing in it as they ran to greet their bus drivers for the year.
“While this is a downfall for adults, (the students) like it. They’ll remember their teachers getting drowned on the way to the bus,” joked Rachel Beck, an elementary teacher who helped with bus duty that day.
At one point, a loud thunderclap boomed at the elementary school, startling teachers and students alike. As the quickly formed storm grew in intensity, administrators decided to briefly delay dismissal across the system.
“With the storm moving through our area during dismissal time, we felt the safest decision was to keep students and staff inside until the most severe weather had passed,” explained Chief Academic Officer C.T. Hussion. “We know any change in dismissal can create inconvenience for families, and we appreciate their patience and understanding.”
Ultimately, Beck was right that the day “set the tone” for the rest of the school year, with fellow educator Tina Payne joking that aside from the “Biblical flood,” the day went smoothly, and morale remained high.
“There is a real sense of family and shared purpose across our schools,” Hussion said. “As we begin a new year, we are excited about where we are and even more excited about where we’re headed.
“We have great people doing great work, and I believe there are a lot of good things ahead for our students, staff and community.”
