Union Public Schools

Union Public Schools encompasses a 28mi² area in Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and acts as a unifying organization that provides a sense of pride, support, and identity for its patrons. Union began as a combination of four rural communities, and expanded to accommodate growth. Union's first graduating class consisted of only four students, and all classes (K-12) were housed in a two-story brick building.

In the 1980s, Tulsa's residential and commercial population boomed, and Union's population grew with it. Today, Union serves more than 13,000 students in its 16 schools. All 17 schools have State Department of Education and North Central Association accreditation.

Because of a supportive community, Union has been able to provide their students with advanced, instructional technology in order to enhance reading, language, math, science, music, and writing skills. Each school has the privilege of having media specialists, nurses, counselors, gifted programs, and special needs programs.

Union follows a Traditional Learning Calendar (TLC or a 9-month school year), and offers a Primary Multiage Classroom (for grades 1-2) at the elementary school level. Children that participate in the Multiage Program are able to be under the instruction of one teacher for more than a year. This allows for a child to develop at their pace without being "held back." Additionally, Union offers a gamut of courses in their secondary curriculum to accommodate both college-bound and non-college-bound students. Options among these courses are Advanced Placement (AP), and concurrent enrollment. These options enable students to earn college credit while fulfilling high school requirements. Students interested in careers or courses in vocational areas are transported to the one of the Tulsa Technology Center campuses for the curriculum they desire.

Community education, the district’s central enrollment center and Other features of the district include the Extended Day Program (before-and-after-school care for Union students in grades K-5), a host of parent organizations and the Union Schools Education Foundation which funds innovative teaching projects to reward and reinforce excellence. Union’s Board of Education consists of five members elected by district zones for five-year terms.

Schools

Union Schools is comprised of 16 schools.

Elementary schools

Union has 12 elementary school sites:

• Andersen Elementary, built in 1984 and named after an early land owner and dairy farmer who provided the district with free water before it was available from the city.
• Boevers Elementary, built in 1975 and named after George F. Boevers, a 35-year veteran of the district.
• Briarglen Elementary, opened in 1970 and named after the housing edition in which it was built. Its theme is "Land of the Free, Home of the Braves".
• Cedar Ridge Elementary, completed in 1995 and named after the area in which it was built.
• Clark Elementary, built in 1977 and named for musician and entertainer Roy Clark.
• Darnaby Elementary, opened in January 1980, after its students were temporarily housed in a wing of the Tulsa Public Schools.
• Grove Elementary, opened in 1975, and named after a science teacher and basketball coach who had served with Union since 1945. He was Union's superintendent from 1960 to 1975.
• Jarman Elementary, opened on August 21, 1991, named after Wesley V. Jarman, a former superintendent who served with the district from 1975 to 1990. Its slogan is "Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success". The students are known as the Patriots.
• McAuliffe Elementary, built in 1988 and named in honor of Christa McAuliffe, who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger accident. Their motto is "We challenge the future", and students are called "Challengers".
• Moore Elementary, opened in the fall of 2000, and named for one of the district's first board members.
• Peters Elementary, opened in 1978, and named after Tom W. Peters, the founder of Oklahoma Greenhouses who served on the Union board of education for 16 years. Peters is home of the Panthers.
• Rosa Parks Elementary, Union's newest elementary, which is named for the famous civil rights activist, has not yet been opened.

They passed a bond vote on February 13th that included a new 13th elementary school.

Secondary Schools

Union has four secondary schools, plus an alternative school:

• Union 6th/7th Grade Center is located on 61st street. The first phase of the school, the Union Seventh Grade Center, was completed in 1993. The Sixth Grade Center was finished the following year. The school serves both sixth and seventh graders. Both grades are divided into "teams" (sixth Grade teams are named after colors, and seventh grade teams are named after colleges) to make them feel more at home and less intimidated by the large size of the school. Each team consists of a core group of teachers and 140 students. There are seven teams in each grade. In the six grade side of the school the colors or "pods" are red pod, blue pod, green pod, yellow pod, silver pod, gold pod, and purple pod.
• Union Eighth Grade Center is designed to ease the transition between middle school and high school. Is currently under construction for a better size and nicer look. They have already added a new media center, and new entrance with hallway, and improved the English hallway which will be the math hall.
• The Union Intermediate High School, built in 1989, houses both ninth and 10th graders. It was originally designated as Union Junior High, which would house the eighth and ninth graders. In 1993, the district's secondary configuration changed, and the building was renamed to its current name. One of its features is the Ropes Course, which is recognized as one of the most well-equipped courses in the state.
• Union High School, built in 1972, is known for its athletics. Its football team, the Union Redskins, is regarded as one of the best in the nation

Student Activities

• Sports
• Clubs
• Spirit Groups
• Escape
• Band
• Theater
• Choral Groups
• ROTC (however may be removed)

Headlines and Controversies

• Melinda Doolittle, who graduated from Union in 1995, was a contestant on American Idol. She was voted off the show on May 16, 2007.

• In February 2007, a Union bus driver was arrested for possession of child pornography

• In February 2006, a 28-year-old female science teacher at Union Intermediate was accused of having sex with a 15-year-old male student at her Broken Arrow, Oklahoma home, using marijuana and alcohol to entice him. The Broken Arrow Police Department investigated the matter and determined there was not sufficient evidence to pursue the matter. The accused teacher resigned before facing the Union School Board for a termination hearing.

• The University of Miami sued the district because its logo, because the school's broken U, looked almost exactly like the Miami Hurricane's logo, which is also a broken U (the only notable difference was the color scheme). Union Schools must pay the University of Miami $1,000 dollars a year for its use of the broken U logo.

• Throughout Union's recent history, several interest groups have protested the district's use of the word "Redskin," and its mascot, a Native American. The board ultimately voted not to make any changes

Extra Curricular Activity

Union's football program, along with that of its in-state rival, Jenks High School, has been regarded as among the best in Oklahoma and in the nation. Union won the 2004 and 2005 state titles in Oklahoma's largest division, 6A.

Union's band, The Renegade Regiment, has won 12 state championships and been a finalist to Bands of America 7 times.

Union's Renegade Regiment's Colorguard has not only won multiple state and regional championships, they have been named National Champions from the Bands of America championship several years, including 1986 and 1990. The 1990 show was "Spartacus" and the guard played the role of Spartacus' wife. [1] [2]

The guard also competes in the WGI, Winterguard International, which is just the guard in an indoor gym atmposphere and dominated the late 80's as the Grand Champion, year after year. They placed first at the WGI National Championship in 1985, 1987, 1988, and placed 2nd in 1986. The guard's first winterguard show was in 1982, so this young guard came on the scene and made a historical impact on the sport. One of the most famous Union Winterguard shows, if not the best known show in the sport was the 1987 "Mannequin" show, which was near flawless at the WGI Championships. [3]

External links

• Union Public Schools website