Welcome
The 2016-2017 school year is here, and we are very excited about our students filling our classrooms with energy and enthusiasm for learning.
Our strategic plan for 2016-17 consists of two major goals including “Building on our District Culture” and “Improving the Teaching and Learning of our Students.” I would like to focus on our three strategies within our “Teaching and Learning” goal. Our professional development plan for staff will target,
- Improving Formative Instructional Practices
- Implementing Technology Integration into our Classrooms
- Aligning the English/Language Arts Curriculum and Resources.
The indicators of the success of these strategies include state, district, building, and classroom level data as well as survey data, attendance, and principal and staff evaluations.
To support our strategies and goals, Kristi Matlack will be moving from a Project Lead the Way teacher at the Middle School to a Project Lead the Way/Technology Integration Specialist. She will be specifically targeting integrating hands-on technology tools into the Middle School Science and Social Studies classrooms to target the literacy standards in these areas. We will specifically use the analysis of data within our gifted subgroup as well as learning data from all of our students to indicate success in this area. Chad Russell will move from 7th Grade Science to Project Lead the Way teacher.
As we enter the brand new school year, we would like to welcome our new employees.
- Jackie Ardrey, Middle School, 7th Grade Aide
- Deb Brady, Transportation, Bus Driver
- Janel Chapman, High School Principal
- Keith Conkling, High School Assistant Principal
- Debra Cummings, Food Services, High School Cook
- Zac Hamilton, Middle School, 8th Grade Science
- Maria Hirst, Elementary Assistant Principal
- Sue Kessler, Elementary School, 5th Grade Language Arts
- Kim Long, Elementary School, 5th Grade Language Arts
- Tonja Lowe, Transportation, Bus Driver
- Aaron Myers, Middle School, 7th Grade Science
- Taylor Price, Middle School, 8th Grade Language Arts
- Sherry Sidders, Elementary School, Preschool Teacher
- Amy Spriggs, High School, Educational Aide
Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for sending your students to our schools, and stress the importance of attendance and good health in the classrooms. We have the students for 180 days each year, and we would like to use every minute of every day toward growth in learning and the well-being of each of our students. We have developed a new form to approve pre-arranged absences. Although the form is new, the policies remain the same. The new form can be found on our website at http://www.n-union.k12.oh.us/Forms.aspx.
The form explains that family vacations will only be approved up to five days, and only if students have less than five undocumented absences for the year. It also explains that students may make-up work for credit with approval, and that the approved absences will still count toward the 12 undocumented absences allowed by board policy and state law.
In addition, we encourage the learning experience of participating in the Richwood Fair. In fact, we encourage family attendance at the Richwood Fair, thus the three scheduled days off during the Fair. If a student’s participation requires additional absences from school, those absences will be approved by the superintendent with documentation from a project advisor. If you have any questions about this policy, please call the principal or superintendent.
We will be hosting four events at the Richwood Bank Coffee Shop in Richwood called the State of North Union. Please save the date, plan on listening to our message, drinking coffee, and eating snacks on the following dates. I will speak at each of the events detailing different items about our district. The first meeting will be on September 26 at 6 p.m. again at the Richwood Bank Coffee Shop. At the first meeting, our Chief Academic Officer, Vickie Hoffman, will be speaking about our Teaching and Learning Goals, sharing district data, and detailing our professional development plan. We look forward to seeing you, and everyone in the community at this event. The additional dates are December 5, February 27, and May 22, same time and place.
We are excited about this school year, especially educating the students of the North Union Community. Thank you for all the support, and we hope to see you soon.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Baird
Superintendent