Tulsa World: Revamp planned at Union

MAKE US YOUR HOMEPAGE | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 | WIRELESS

Home > News > Article

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Revamp planned at Union
The district aims to set up a college academy, a ninth-grade center and another grade school.

By CLIFTON ADCOCK World Staff Writer
Published: 11/20/2009 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 11/20/2009 4:00 AM

The structure of Union Public Schools may look quite different in three to five years, with several big changes possible in the meantime.

More than 60 people attended a meeting Tuesday night at which Union officials announced the district's plans, which include adding a wing to the high school for a collegiate academy for seniors; moving 10th-graders into the high school; making the intermediate high school a ninth-grade-only center by 2012; and building the district's 14th elementary school by 2014.

"That plan is going to have major changes for our students," Superintendent Cathy Burden said.

"Our plans for the future are predicated on the fact that Union continues to grow as a school district."

The planned Union Collegiate Academy would be a three-story addition on the high school's north side, Burden said.

It would house some college-level courses that students can take for both high school and college credit as well as offices where college information officers could assist students with enrollment.

The academy is based on a pilot program conducted this year by 130 juniors and seniors, she said.

"This will be a unique foundation that will be particularly developed for our seniors," Burden said.

"The bottom line is we expect every student from Union High School to graduate with at least six hours of college credit."

Partial funding for the new addition will be included in a $22.5 million bond issue proposal to go before voters Feb. 9.

If it is passed, a second bond issue to complete the construction likely will be put before voters in 2011, Burden said.

School officials said that the addition of about 1,000 sophomores to the high school after the Collegiate Academy is built likely would make Union one of the largest high schools in the state.

The current Union Intermediate High School would then be only for students in the ninth grade, which Burden called a critical time for students that is often a hinge to their future academic success.

Administrators hope the school would build on the success of the district's sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade centers.

"We think the intermediate high school experience needs to change so we have that same focus (as the other individual grade centers) in the ninth-grade center," Burden said.

The popularity of early childhood education across the state — and especially Union's all-day early childhood classes — coupled with 2.4 percent student growth in the district this year has pushed at least two elementary schools, Rosa Parks and Grove, to their limits, Burden said.

The district has had to limit enrollment at those schools and redraw the boundaries of the areas they serve.

The district likely will have to redraw its elementary school districts, trying to balance the number of students at each school, every year until at least 2014, when a new elementary school can be built, Burden said.

"If we build our 14th elementary school, we think it will be our last," she said.

Burden and other school officials fielded questions Thursday night from parents ranging from how lunch time would work at the high school to whether students in advanced placement courses would benefit from the Collegiate Academy.

Linda Johnson, the mother of three Union Public Schools students, said she liked the idea of a new elementary school and a ninth-grade center but was concerned about the number of students who would be in the three-grade high school.

There's a lot of details that need to be worked out," she said.

"I don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water, but I'm concerned about the student numbers in 10th, 11th and 12th grades."

Clifton Adcock 581-8462
clifton.adcock@tulsaworld.com By CLIFTON ADCOCK World Staff Writer

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Reader Comments

Show: Most Recent Comment First

Add your comment

12 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Union schools propose revamping grade configurations, adding facilities," which was published on 11/19/2009.

	Report Comment Thunder196, Tulsa (11/20/2009 1:07:40 AM) I don't know that much about Union schools, but from what I'm reading here, this seems like some good planning.
	Report Comment 1lastcast, (11/20/2009 10:28:42 AM) The one thing this does not address is that the sophomore class is larger than the junior class. At present the High School does not have room for the students we currently have. There are over 30 students in classrooms that are meant to hold mid-20's at best. A collegiate academy will not serve as many students as will be coming in the school. I guarantee you that the surrounding colleges and tech schools will not be taking on as big as a burden as we have been told. I am in favor of more classrooms and teachers, but lets not waste money on making "pretty" additions that serve very few students. Students needs first.
	Report Comment Mar, Tulsa (11/20/2009 10:50:43 AM) Goodness, the property taxes in Union district must be sky high now. We looked at homes in the district back in the 1980's and they were high back then, but with the continuous building that Union does, those property taxes have had to go way up by now.
	Report Comment fld11, (11/20/2009 11:43:53 AM) They can save a little money by not building a new football trophy case since they're going to lose again this year. Got lucky last year.
	Report Comment Tulsafanatic, (11/20/2009 1:10:52 PM) I would worry that "college" classes taught by high school teachers will be watered down so the student gets college credit for a high school class. Students already go a mile down the road to TCC South and take classes during the school day - why not continue that and save taxpayers money?
	Report Comment wk, (11/20/2009 2:51:05 PM) I think we need to upgrade the athletic facilities before we start wasting money on all of these boondoggle ideas. LOL
	Report Comment nucleardad, Tulsa (11/20/2009 4:44:38 PM) Isn't it time to build a new high school or two instead of just cramming more kids into the same school. Why would anyone want a GIANT high school? Oh, I know why....so you can have more students to choose from for your FOOTBALL TEAM!!
	Report Comment uniondad, (11/20/2009 7:01:30 PM) I like the direction Union is going. Property taxes are high but the people that live in area vote for it. Its a small price to pay for the education of our children.
	Report Comment WoodyWayne, (11/21/2009 9:07:44 AM) I think these are excellent ideas with children's best interest at the heart. It is clear Union has Administrators who are creative and open to looking at the big picture. I bet they even live in the Union School District boundaries and they want their children to attend their schools. Your school board has made some wise decisions, and other local districts could benefit if they would follow your lead.
	Report Comment SkinsMom, (11/21/2009 12:39:12 PM) You would be surprised at how many of the college classes are taught by the same high school teachers. Every class my son has taken is taught by a Union school teacher. He is a senior and he has two Dr.'s as teachers at UHS (Physics and Physiology). He also has his freshman biology teacher at TCC, his Junior English teacher at TCC, and his anthropology class is taught by the Science Department head at UHS. Nothing watered down. Every teacher gets paid by the same state funds regardless of where you teach. Private Colleges excluded. =]
	Report Comment SkinsMom, (11/21/2009 12:43:59 PM) In case anyone checks... The Physiology teacher has his law degree from OU and is a practicing lawyer on the side. I feel lucky that my children are getting a great education. On a lighter note, I checked and the college classes will be taught by TCC and Tech staff on site for some classes. The others will be at the respective campuses.
	Report Comment Elusive, Owasso (11/22/2009 2:09:51 AM) It sounds like Union is outgrowing it's schools and needs the update.

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.