By Mike Hutchens, Union City Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City Elementary School has a plan in place that is the best of both worlds.
Combining student safety with family involvement, UCES welcomes parents and grandparents to celebrate birthdays and have lunch with their children/grandchildren while also providing a safe environment for all kids during three parties celebrated every year by each of the four grades at the school.
Parents and grandparents can actually have lunch with their students any day in the school courtyard – after getting permission from the school to do so. They can even provide lunch for their child from outside venues on those occasions, if they wish.
They may also provide cupcakes for their child’s entire class on their birthday.
All parents are still invited to school programs and assemblies involving their children, too.
Adults are not allowed, however, to attend the three aforementioned parties (Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day). They may bring snacks for those events, but are not permitted to stay for the parties.
That policy is to provide protection for all students and guard against a high volume of visitors at the school on those special occasions.
“It’s a safety issue,” Director of Schools Wes Kennedy said. “That’s first and foremost with us. We just can’t have several hundred extra people in the building – for the sake of all involved.
“That being said, we want our parents to be able to be with their kids and there are opportunities for them to do so.”
UCES Principal Rene Flood reiterated that parents and grandparents are welcome in her building, at the appropriate time.
“We are a family-friendly school and encourage parents to be involved in school functions,” she said. “We welcome parents to come and eat lunch at any time in our courtyard. And they may bring cupcakes for their child’s birthday, or treats for the party – it’s just not a good idea for them to stay.”
There are other opportunities for parental involvement, according to Flood.
“Parents volunteer to be a morning greeter,” she said. “Our greeters are here in the morning to help with delivering forgotten items to classrooms such as lunch money, backpacks, etc.
“And our PTO is also very active in our school. PTO parents volunteer to help with functions throughout the school.”
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