By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–The campuses of Union City Schools have been busy places this summer.
Some of those activities will continue on through the beginning of the school year and beyond.
With teacher in-service set to begin Thursday, registration next Tuesday and the first day of classes for the 2019-20 school year on the calendar for Aug. 8, those arriving at the three UC schools will notice multiple improvements and upgrades.
Summer workers have spruced up the interior of all buildings on the respective campuses with fresh paint, general remodeling and repairs and technology upgrades, among other improvements.
Director of Schools Wes Kennedy — along with many faculty members and student workers — have provided much of the manpower for the cosmetic upgrades.
For the second straight summer, the top UC Schools administrator estimated that the internal help has saved the system “more than $250,000.”
“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. It also allows us to add technology and other teaching aids,” Kennedy claimed. “We wouldn’t be able to do the things we’re able to do if we had to contract out a lot of the jobs our people do.
“They’ve again 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.”
Work on three major projects will continue over the next several days and months at UC Schools.
- Completion of a new roof at UC Middle School will hopefully happen sometime next week. Cost of that work was estimated at $780,000 by Kennedy, who complimented the City of Union City for funding that project.
- Installation of new LED lighting in all buildings on each campus is set to begin Aug. 19. Workers will toil seven days a week – at night – with the entire system changed out to the more cost-efficient lighting over a span of three weeks. Cost of that project is $345,000.
- The biggest and costliest project is new central heating and cooling systems for the high school, middle school and Civic Auditorium. Included will be new boilers and chillers for each building. Work is already ongoing on the $5M plan that will be completed sometime in 2020.
Among work done at the high school this summer is fresh paint in the commons area, several classrooms, all bathrooms, the teacher’s lounge and the science lab.
Many repairs and updates have been made, including remodeling of the ISS interior and the construction of a new classroom downstairs.
The main office at UC Middle School has been remodeled, with office space added. All halls, bathrooms, the library and cafeteria, along with some classrooms, have been painted. New carpet has been installed in the library, and upgraded technology in the computer classroom with three new interactive panels has been completed.
There has also been creative landscaping around campus.
Big doings at Union City Elementary School have included an extended playground area with several pieces of new equipment and fencing.
Visible upgrades have included extensive cleaning, including pressure washing and fresh paint for much of the inside of the building.
More technology has been added to the school that now has interactive panels in every classroom.