For Parents
Education for Success
Union Schools provide a strong, district-wide curriculum that is standards-based. The District’s literacy goal is to have every child reading on grade level by grade three. This goal is supported by a carefully designed program that incorporates extensive training, coaching, observations, and collaborative team efforts. The District participates fully in California’s class size reduction program in grades K-3.
The language arts program offers a literature-centered curriculum focused on reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The well-rounded mathematics program helps students acquire necessary concepts and skills at all levels. The District is also committed to enriching the students’ educational experience through the arts. The Art Vistas and Clay programs at the elementary schools, choral and How I instrumental music programs at all sites, full-time music instructors at each middle school, and drama productions at many sites, enrich the instructional program.
Union School District’s mission is to enrich the community through learning.
Special Services and Programs
Union School District offers a comprehensive K-8 instructional program, with a broad range of special services and categorical programs designed to meet the needs of all students. Services and programs include:
- Gifted and Talented Education
- Resource Specialist Program
- Safe Schools and Drug Education
- Tobacco Education
- Adaptive Physical Education
- Primary Intervention Programs
- Speech and Language
- Psychological Assessment and Counseling
- Guidance Counseling
- Computer Literacy
- English Language Development
Technology
Technology development has been a high priority for many years. Funding has been dedicated to new equipment and teacher training. Every teacher in kindergarten through eighth grade has been provided with a multimedia workstation. Computer labs at each school enable students to create multimedia and video projects, and there is Internet access at all school sites. The 2008-2011 District TechnologyPlan (pdf) can be downloaded here.
Striving for Excellence
All of Union’s eight schools have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools. Noddin Elementary School has received national recognition as a Blue Ribbon School. Students in Union District consistently meet or exceed state and local standards on standardized tests and locally developed assessments. Typically, over 70 percent of our students meet or exceed the state’s standard for grade level performance on the STAR test. In addition, more than 75 percent of the students meet established grade level outcomes in reading on locally developed literacy assessments.
Community Support
Active Home and School Clubs and School Site Councils at each site support strong community connections. Educational Partnerships with local businesses further enrich the programs and experiences for students, while offering opportunities for rewarding involvement for business and community members. In 1999 the community passed a $92 million bond election for school modernization with an 80 percent vote.
Preschool Siblings on Campus
All schools in Union School District greatly value parent volunteers. It is important, however, to adhere to school safety and instructional guidelines if non-school-age siblings need to be with parents at school. To ensure that infants, toddlers, or preschoolers are safe at all times while on campus and that instruction is not interrupted for students, please follow these guidelines:
- Get preapproval from the classroom teacher for siblings to be with parents in the classroom.
- The office and workroom areas are for adults only.
- The playground and playground equipment are for school-aged children only during the instructional day.
- Non-school-aged children should not be on the playground during recess.
- Field trip supervision requires the adult chaperone’s undivided attention. Younger siblings are not permitted to accompany an adult chaperone volunteer on field trips.