By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Summertime has been anything but “downtime” in and around Union City Schools.
Work on various projects on all three campuses is either nearing completion or finished – the collected efforts of outside contractors, around 30 school employees, and youth labor.
Highlighting the work list during the last two months is the completion of a new fifth-grade addition at UC Middle School and the total refurbishing of the track at War Memorial Stadium.
The $1.8 million expansion at UCMS is a wing that will include eight classrooms, bathrooms and storage. It will be completed by Aug. 1 when teachers report for the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.
Searcy Construction Company was the project manager.
The full replacement of Dave Shatz Track at UCHS came at the cost of $270,000. The impressive new surface that was put down by Union City Paving and widely-respected resurfacing leader Beynon Sports Company of Texas is a six-lane track.
The last similar work was done around a decade ago.
Other noteworthy projects have been a new roof for Marty Sisco Gymnasium at Union City High School, the construction of a new sixth-grade football locker room at UC Middle School, and the addition of two new offices at UCMS. Extension of the elementary school playground has also been on the agenda.
General maintenance and upkeep at all three UC Schools buildings has also been performed, including mass painting projects on each campus and extensive cleaning and floor waxing of all classrooms and halls. Pressure washing of entrance areas has been performed too.
UC Director of Schools Wes Kennedy estimates that using in-house workers on many projects has saved the system over $200,000.
“We’re blessed that we have people who are both capable and willing to work,” Kennedy said. “They’ve been tireless in what we’ve asked and needed them to do. It gives them ownership, too, and a sense of pride when they see the finished product.
“Using teachers, coaches and students for a lot of the work is a way we can save money and get more improvements made to our buildings and facilities. We wouldn’t be able to do a lot of the things we’re able to do if we had to contract out many of the jobs our people do.”
The first day of classes for students for the 2022-23 school year is slated for Aug. 8.