On Monday night, the North Union Board of Education witnessed the presentation of the September NUPride Award given to Lisa McKinley.
McKinley has been in education teaching for 38 years. She is an intervention specialist at North Union Middle School. One of her greatest desires is to see that students get all the help they can in learning to read. She has tutored during the summer and is a mentor to another intervention specialist in the district.
She was instrumental in bringing back a dedicated reading program where students needing extra instruction in reading can get that extra help during a study hall period a few days a week, depending on how much help they need.
North Union Middle School Principal Matt Burggraf nominated McKinley and presented her with the first NUPride Award of the 2018-2019 school year.
During the July school board meeting, a resident inquired about the high school’s sound system. During the 2018 graduation ceremony, it was very difficult for many people to hear the speeches made. The board promised the resident they would look into the sound system.
During the beginning of the school year, Superintendent Rich Baird sought the help of Jared Evans, the schools technology director, to find out if there were problems. Evans stated that there are 10 speakers situated in the high school gymnasium, and High School Principal Janel Chapman also reported that sound during several different events would bounce all over the gym. They tested the volume and came to the conclusion that when the gym is full of people, the sound is absorbed and the volume needs to be turned up. More testing will take place to ensure that the system is working to its full potential for future events.
In other business, the board:
-Held the second reading of various recommendations by the board Policy Committee.
-Approved a list of certified substitute personnel to be called on an as-needed basis for the school year.
-Accepted the resignation of Kim Bowen, bus driver.
-Approved employment of Angela Spain-Crumb and Christine Zaragoza on a one-year limited contract as bus drivers for the district.
-Approved employment of Brooke Phipps as an elementary kindergarten teacher.
-Approved a motion to employ Jami Temple as an elementary school aide, effective Sept. 28.