By KEVIN BOWDEN
Staff Reporter
Opening day for the 2011-12 school year is a little more than a month away for the Union City School System. Union City’s Director of Schools Gary Houston said Monday the new school year will begin in style for students and teachers.
He outlined for the Union City School Board all the work being done at each of the three schools in the city.
Houston’s update on all the renovation work taking place this summer highlighted a 15-minute school board session Monday night.
He informed the board that right now things are “a mess” at the three schools, but added all the renovations will be completed by the first day of classes on Aug. 15.
The first day of classes in the city is scheduled two weeks later than normal, according to Houston.
Student registration is set for Aug. 11.
The elementary, middle and high schools are getting new flooring and walls are being repainted. New wood chips are also being added to the playground at Union City Elementary School, according to Houston.
“It really looks good at the middle school,” Houston said during his report to the board.
He said when students return to Union City High School next month, they will be essentially getting a new library. The high school library has been recarpeted, repainted and new furniture is on the way.
Houston said the summer spruce-up of the city’s three schools has involved the strategic placement of the school’s system’s colors and Golden Tornado logo.
A majority of the work at the three schools is being done by school staff, according to Houston.
“We’re really proud of the work,” he told the board Monday night. “A lot of things are going on right now.”
Houston also informed the board that work is being done to the air conditioning systems at the middle school and high school.
He said the administration is “excited” about the upcoming school year and school officials are maintaining a positive attitude about the future in spite of the Goodyear plant shutdown.
Houston said he will also be challenging students and teachers in the school system to keep a positive attitude.
With the start of classes a little more than a month away, the school board took care of several personnel matters Monday night and accepted bids for cafeteria items for the upcoming school year.
Board approval was granted to the hiring of three new teachers at UCES — Becky Crabtree, Jennifer Durham and Katie Worrell. UCES teacher Leah Jackson’s resignation was accepted by the board. Approval was also granted to having Chuck Reedy, Marty Sisco and Ronald Ward work as paraprofessional coaches at UCHS. Reedy will work with the girls softball program while Sisco and Ward will be returning to work with the boys’ basketball program.
Bids that were accepted by the school board included a low bid of $1,392,765.68 from U.S. Foods for food and non-food items, a low bid of $50,993.71 from Goldenrod for milk products, a low bid of $150,517.30 from McCartney Produce for produce items, a low bid of $4,723.97 from Turner Dairies for ice cream and frozen desserts and a low bid of $8,584.68 from Interstate Brands Corporation for bread products.
Absent from Monday night’s meeting were board members Dr. Wright Jernigan and Dr. John Clendenin.
Prior to the opening of the meeting, Houston led in prayer and, after the meeting started, the board recited its mission statement and stood for the Pledge of Allegiance. Once school starts, the Pledge will be led by the board’s student representative.
Staff Reporter Kevin Bowden may be contacted by e-mail at kmbowden@ucmessenger.com.

Published in The Messenger 7.13.11