Board of Education approves new 2023-2024 academic calendar | |
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At the Jan. 27 special called meeting, the Union County Board of Education voted to rescind the 2023-2024 traditional academic calendar that was approved on Dec. 13, 2022. The board approved a new 2023-2024 traditional academic calendar. Students will begin school on Monday, Aug. 28 and end on Friday, June 7.
Calendar Highlights:
- The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 28
- The last day of school is Friday, June 7
- Winter Break for students is Dec. 18, 2023 – Jan. 1, 2024
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Preschool/Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten registration starts Feb. 1 | |
Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten are important milestones. Below is important information to help guide families through the enrollment process. | |
Preschool/Pre-Kindergarten
There are several pre-kindergarten options for UCPS families. Parents are encouraged to visit the Pre-K page to learn more about the options and apply if eligible.
Information sessions will be held on Feb. 16 and Feb. 23 at Walter Bickett Elementary in the auditorium, 830 Martin Luther King Blvd. from 6 to 7 p.m. Please attend a session if your child is four years old and you are interested in Preschool/Pre-K programs for the 2023-2024 school year. Parents will learn about program offerings, the application process, criteria, the pyramid model and locations.
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Kindergarten
Union County parents of children who will be five years old on or before Aug. 31, 2023, are encouraged to enroll students for kindergarten through Scribbles, the district’s online enrollment portal.
UCPS is home to 30 elementary schools that provide competitive academic offerings and a well-rounded educational experience for our youngest students. Kindergarten is an important milestone for children, and UCPS is here to guide families through the enrollment process.
Parents are encouraged to visit the Kindergarten Registration page to learn more about what is needed to register their child. This page also includes a registration guide, health assessment form and a school assignment finder.
In addition, all elementary schools will host open houses/tours to provide parents with an opportunity to meet teachers and administrators, and to learn more about their child’s school.
Parents should contact their child’s school if they have additional questions.
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School Choice update and
Lottery information
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School Choice
At the Jan. 10, 2023, Board of Education meeting, the board voted to postpone School Choice for the 2023-2024 school year. There will be no schools of choice for next school year. Students who are currently assigned through School Choice will remain in their school assignment through the terminal grade.
When more information is available about School Choice, UCPS will share updates with employees and parents. If you have questions about additional transfer options, visit the Student Assignment page.
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Special Program Schools Lottery
Union County Public Schools offers a variety of academic programs to students, including special programs. These provide them with the opportunity to explore a variety of disciplines and learn in a variety of settings. Please see the information below if you are interested in any of these special programs.
- February 13 - March 12: Application window
- March 27: Parents notified
- April 3: Deadline to claim seats
- March 13 - April 9: Application window
- May 1: Parents notified
- May 8: Deadline to claim seats
- May 8 - May 28: Requests, renewals only
- June 1-30: New school transfer requests
- July 1: New school transfer requests (only for new to UCPS, new home construction and newly hired UCPS employees)
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Attend a Parent Education series workshop | |
UCPS is offering workshops to help parents with resources and tools to navigate tough situations. All parents are invited and encouraged to attend the next one in the series, which will focus on suicide awareness. It will be held Feb. 16 at Sun Valley High from 7 to 8 p.m. | |
Dual Language immersion students celebrate Lunar New Year | |
The Chinese New Year celebration at Kensington Elementary Friday, Jan. 20, was a joyous occasion, with students, staff and parents bursting into cheers and smiles as a lion dance troupe performed. Students lined the hallway holding colorful dragons, red paper lanterns and other relevant artwork. The celebration was a chance for the school to show its appreciation for Chinese traditions and culture. | |
Students research paper published in a scientific journal | |
Shitij Govil and Aidan Lee, two Marvin Ridge High seniors, have been working under Professor Dr. Cuixian Chen and Asami Minei from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington for two years on machine learning research using hyperspectral LiDAR to identify coastal wetlands. The students did the coding, using Geospatial Software, and wrote the research paper under the guidance of their mentors. The paper has been published by MDPI, a publisher of open-access scientific journals. | |
January is National Mentoring Month | |
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National Mentoring Month is an annual event recognizing the importance of mentors in the lives of others. In addition to helping people learn and grow, mentors can provide needed support. They have the unique opportunity to help someone reach their full potential. It is both rewarding and inspiring.
Union County Public Schools has many examples of formal and informal mentorship for students and adults. Often, it is an adult mentoring a child, but peer-to-peer mentorship is just as important.
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Bonding through different languages
Porter Ridge High and Sardis Elementary teamed up to create a Multi-lingual Learner (ML) Mentorship Program last year. The idea was to pair former ML program high school students with current ML program elementary students to improve learning outcomes. The mentorship allows the mentee to learn from a shared experience, which could make them feel more comfortable and connected.
What began with three high school students helping third graders with reading and math has expanded to 23 mentors this semester and about 13 to 15 next semester.
Read more
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Creating connection through shared passions
Teachers Emily Holbrook and Ashley Klepfer were new to Western Union Elementary three years ago and instantly bonded. From then on, their friendship blossomed into a mentorship, providing encouragement and support to each other.
"I was a first-year teacher. Ms. Klepfer was not. I saw how she hit the ground running, and it inspired me," said Holbrook. "I had an assigned mentor who was also a third-grade teacher. We communicated virtually during our first two years, and she was wonderful. At the same time, I was building a strong connection with Ms. Klepfer."
Read more
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Parkwood High student receives
January Crowder Award
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The Board of Education honors students who are making a difference in their school and community with the John H. Crowder Service Award. At the Jan. 10 meeting, a Parkwood High School senior, who is a shining example of dedicated leadership and volunteerism was honored.
Maddie Simpson is ranked in the top five of her class. She is the type of student who volunteers regularly. Maddie serves as the National Honor Society president and is a member of Beta Club—both service-oriented clubs. In those clubs, she has participated in breakfast events for the community and campus clean-ups, among other things. She has tutored numerous students in calculus, English and other math classes.
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Cheerwine Festival T-shirt design contest | |
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Are you a high school student interested in creating the winning design for the 2023 Cheerwine Festival t-shirt? If so, you have a chance to win a $1,000 gift card, a plaque and more. Your teacher will also receive $500 in art supplies and more. Talk to your art teacher about submitting your work.
If you know a student who is interested, have them talk to their art teacher to submit a design. The deadline for all design submissions is Friday, March 3.
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Feb.7 - Board of Education Meeting, 7 p.m.
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Feb. 16 - Early College - Required Teacher Workday (No School for Early College Students)
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Feb. 16 - Parent Education Series, Topic: Suicide Awareness, Sun Valley High, 7 p.m.
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