By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City Schools will dismiss classes for more than three weeks in compliance with Gov. Bill Lee’s urging that all districts in Tennessee close due to health concerns centered around COVID-19.
The last day of school for Union City students until April 13 will be Thursday of this week. A professional development day (no students) was already scheduled for Friday, though requirements are in the process of being completed before then. UC Schools will then remain closed from March 23 until April 3 due to the coronavirus.
The system’s already-scheduled Spring Break will still be observed April 6-10.
“Hopefully, things will have calmed down considerably – both locally and globally — by then,” Union City Director of Schools Wes Kennedy said upon announcing the decision. “Our interests are our students and our teachers and their families. We pray that this break allows people to quarantine themselves and the medical profession to find answers.
“It’s truly been something that very few of us have witnessed before. We’ve worked diligently to come up with the best solution for all.”
Teachers will spend the remainder of the current week preparing students with and for assignments to be completed at home during the period of no school. Faculty and staff will report to their respective schools from 8 a.m. until noon each day to answer questions from students online and work on future planning and vertical alignment.
During the schools’ two-week state-mandated shutdown period (March 23-April 3), every child under age 18 (UC Schools students included) will still be provided a lunch and afternoon snack daily. Meals will be distributed every day on each bus route, with those routes leaving the school at 10:30 a.m.
There will also be three central area bus stops – Union City High School, Save-A-Lot and Kiwanis Park – that will provide meals to any student.
Athletic competitions and all off-campus activities involving Union City Schools students during the two-week state-mandated closing will be postponed. Practice will, however, be allowed during that time.
The lone spring sports event still on this week’s schedule is a Tornado home baseball game Thursday vs. Ripley.