School Board, faculty and staff gear up for new year

Moving has taken up a lot of time this summer thanks to completion of the new Elementary School; planning how to enforce new state law has been a top priority as well. In particular, the ban on cellphones and smart devices in classrooms has provided a change in direction.

The tentative plan is to have all students K-12 carry their phones in signal-blocking bags while school is in session; infractions will result in phones being taken to the front office for parents or guardians to pick up at the end of the day.

Students may use their cellphones if required to manage medical devices, but only for the necessary apps.

As an extra step in the initiative to help combat digital threats to overall student welfare, a free sign-up code for Parent ProTech will be sent home with children of all ages. Parents and guardians can access cyber security tips and guides to help limit and monitor internet access.

Traffic is an anticipated challenge, Hill added, asking that families practice patience when it comes to learning the new patterns for this year’s primary and elementary students.

“One of the big changes we’re going to attempt would be that the Primary School traffic will come back down by the red barn,” Hill said. “We’re forcing it back east to keep traffic off the bypass.”

On that note, five to six transit buses will be assigned to each school as part of the returning shuttle system. Families with multiple children can drop off all of them at the school of their youngest child, and older students will board the shuttles to be taken to the appropriate school.

Enrollment stands at over 3,015 for all schools combined, but numbers are expected to shift over the next 30 days and beyond. More accurate measures should be available after Labor Day.

Each principal shared some news from their school as part of the regular meeting.

Woody Gap has two new staff members, and Principal Wendy Reynolds said the new electronic board at the Suches-based campus will be useful in sending out messages to the community. It can be controlled via cellphone and will be used for announcements such as school closings due to inclement weather.

Some exciting news out of the Primary School is the addition of a learning lab, which will allow students to try out new STEM projects and interactive activities. A new approach to tardiness will also be rolled out, where students will be welcomed rather than punished for being late.

“We don’t want them to come in feeling down (with) their head hung low,” said Principal Deborah “Debby” Decubellis, emphasizing that for such young students, they shouldn’t be blamed for showing up late.

With the construction of the new building, there’s plenty for students at Union County Elementary to look forward to. Still, Principal Jerry Bavero expressed excitement for the new construction class that students can experience, which will give them a preview of instruction offered at the middle and high schools.

Although Union County Middle School Principal Tammy Hughes claims her school faced the least number of changes compared to those of her colleagues, she still looks forward to a year focused on shaping UCMS culture. A new wrestling instructor is expected to be hired in January, and until then, a teacher with experience as a college weightlifting educator will be filling the role.

Principal Josh Davis at Union County High shared that the new allied healthcare lab is expected to be a success after its introduction based on community needs. Students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare will use it as an introductory course in subjects such as phlebotomy. In other High School news, fall sports are gearing up to start soon.

To access all traffic maps, please refer to the “Traffic Patterns” section of the “Families” tab at the top of https://www.ucschools.org/. Good luck this new school year!