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This edition has an array of exciting topics to keep you informed and engaged.

• Superintendent Dr. Andrew Houlihan presents 2025-2026 budget proposal
• Important update: New student information system coming soon
• Help fill the UCPS Book Bus!
• Proud of a soon-to-be 2025 graduate? Help us share their story!

That's only a few of our highlights; enjoy the read and stay connected to the exciting happenings in our district.

Superintendent Dr. Andrew Houlihan and Chief Finance Officer Shanna McLamb presented the proposed 2025-2026 budget at the April 1 Board of Education meeting. The recommended budget has four main priority areas: investing in our employees, investing in mandatory operational increases, investing in capital infrastructure and advancing academic performance.

The Board of Education unanimously accepted the superintendent’s proposed budget. The board will vote on the proposed budget at the May 6 meeting.

View the budget presentation. View the Board of Education discussion about the proposed 2025-2026 budget. (Scroll to 51:52 for the budget discussion.)

Big changes are coming to how you access your students’ information. Infinite Campus will replace PowerSchool as North Carolina’s student information system in just three months. This means there will be a new parent portal for viewing grades, attendance and more.

To help you prepare, we encourage you to watch the short video below. It explains what Infinite Campus is, what’s changing and when you can expect to receive more information.

Stay tuned—we’ll continue to share updates as we move closer to the official launch!

UCPS is collecting new and gently used books to stock the UCPS Mobile Book Bus! These donations will help students access books all summer, supporting their reading growth and literacy skills.

Book Drive Dates:

April 7 – May 2

Drop-off Locations:

• Cuthbertson High
• Huntington Learning Center – Wesley Chapel
• Monroe Aquatics and Fitness Center
• Parkwood High
• Porter Ridge Middle
• Sun Valley Middle
• Weddington Elementary
• Wingate Elementary
• UCPS Central Services—Church St.

Let’s support our students—one book at a time!

Another Way to Donate

Thanks to the Union County Education Foundation, you can now support the UCPS Book Drive with a financial donation. Your contribution will help put more books in the hands of students across our district.

UCPS is looking to spotlight members of the Class of 2025—and we need your help! If you're a parent of a graduating senior or someone who knows an incredible senior, encourage them to share their story for a possible feature on our website, social media or in a special Snapshots edition.

Students can submit their journey, accomplishments and future plans by Friday, May 2. Selected students may be contacted for follow-up, including photos.

Let’s celebrate the Class of 2025!

Rea View Elementary School took home the top prize at the Region 6 Battle of the Books competition recently held in Statesville. We are proud of these dedicated readers and their incredible accomplishment. Way to represent UCPS!

Congratulations to Marvin Ridge High School’s Cameron Ruiz, who was named to the First Team Academic All-America by the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) during this year’s Junior Division banquet in Richmond, Virginia.

This prestigious honor is awarded to only five student-athletes nationwide, recognizing outstanding achievement in academics, extracurricular involvement, and a student-submitted project. Cameron’s hard work in the classroom and on the court is a shining example of what it means to be a student-athlete.

This is the 28th year the Junior Division has recognized its top student-athletes with this honor. Cameron's selection to the First Team places him among the top five high school wheelchair basketball players in the country for academic excellence. Learn more about the award here.

Congratulations to Aadit Krishna, a student at Central Academy of Technology and Arts, who brought home two major awards from the North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair.

Aadit was awarded the North Carolina One Water Award and was also named North Carolina’s state representative for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP)—the most prestigious international award presented to a high school student for a water-related research project.

In addition to these outstanding honors, Aadit is also a regional prize winner for the International Science and Engineering Fair, one of the world’s largest and most competitive STEM competitions for high school students.

Cuthbertson High School’s band recently had the honor of performing in the National Vietnam Veterans Parade in Oahu, Hawaii, a significant event that honors the brave men and women who served during the Vietnam War. View more photos on our district's Facebook.

Students in Parkwood High School’s construction class recently put their skills to work on a meaningful project that will benefit students across the district. In response to a need for portable shelving at the UCPS warehouse, the class designed and built three custom shelving units on casters to help store and organize the tubs of books used for the summer Book Bus program.

The shelving units are mobile, making it easy for staff to pull them out when needed and tuck them away when not in use, adding function and flexibility to the warehouse space.

Last week, Indian Trail Elementary’s first graders wowed families and staff during their very first 1st Grade Zoo—a fun and creative celebration of their Core Knowledge Language Arts unit on animal habitats.

Each classroom transformed into a different habitat, including saltwater, freshwater, desert, rainforest, arctic and savannah. Students researched an animal from their assigned habitat and wrote their very own informational books, giving them a chance to sharpen their reading and writing skills in a real-world context.

To take learning a step further, students and their families participated in a geometry-inspired at-home project, using recyclable materials like boxes, bottles and egg cartons to build their animals. The results were imaginative and impressive.

The zoo event allowed families to walk through the exhibits, read students’ books, and admire their animal creations. It was a joyful showcase of cross-curricular learning, creativity, and collaboration. 

Thank you, UCPS volunteers!

Always needed, forever appreciated.

In every school, on any given day, there are people hard at work in UCPS. These special parents and community members are our volunteers. Whether reading with students, helping at events, organizing fundraisers, coaching or assisting with lunch duty, our volunteers are to be celebrated.

As we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Week (April 20–26), we pause to recognize and thank the incredible individuals who generously give their time, talents and hearts to UCPS.

The gift of time is one of the most generous gifts a person can give. From parents and grandparents to students, community partners, and staff, our volunteers have stepped up in so many ways this year and we want to say thank you.

If you want to volunteer in UCPS, there’s room for you. To get started, complete a volunteer application.

Volunteer Opportunities

• Mentoring
• Tutoring
• Classroom Assistant
• Parent Organizations
• Sponsor a school-based program or initiative
• Career-day speakers
• Read with U

The Union County Board of Education has honored Alexandra Florentino, a Marvin Ridge junior, with the John H. Crowder Service Award for April.

As the founder of the Youth4Abolition Club, Abigail Wan has demonstrated exceptional initiative and organizational skills. Under her leadership, the club successfully organized nine local fundraisers, raising $50,605 to support survivors of human trafficking. Her dedication to this cause is evident in her ability to plan and host a compelling Q&A panel featuring survivors, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and non-governmental organization directors, which attracted more than 200 attendees and garnered media coverage from WCNC-TV. Her efforts educated and inspired her peers, leading to the club’s growth to 106 members.

• April 18 - Holiday - All schools and offices are closed.
• April 21-25 - Spring break for traditional and Early College students.
• May 6 - Board of Education Meeting, 7 p.m.
• May 13 Early College Teacher Workday (No school for students.)
• May 13 - Early College Graduation at Sun Valley High Auditorium.
• May 20 - Last day for Early College
• May 21-22 - Early College Teacher Workday

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