County schools to focus on promoting ideal core values

Union County Superintendent of Schools Russell Taylor said classes will be back to normal as much as possible when students return next week.

One new feature that will affect students is the result of meetings with stakeholders.

Taylor said they have developed a set of core values that focus on culture and processes.

“If you are looking at a portrait of a graduate, this is what we want,” he said.

The five core values include promoting growth, cultivating relationships, practicing integrity, fostering well-being and demonstrating service.

“School is not just academics,” he said.

Russell Taylor

The core values are broken down to include traits such as compassion, teamwork, faith, empathy, courage, honesty, equity, perseverance, adaptability, humility and selflessness.

As a companion to that, Taylor said each teacher is being trained in a program called, “Capturing Kids’ Hearts.”

“It’s about how we’re going to treat each other,” he said. “We will develop social contracts with students.”

“This is one of the things we’re really excited about,” he continued. “And we are also developing a vision statement.”

All this will be on the school website and Taylor said what they are doing will also be promoted through the hashtag #UNCOmmon.

Taylor said they are fortunate in having technology for each student, but a reliance on that technology for the past year and a half may make the transition of back to learning in the classroom more difficult.

“There was a lot of learning loss,” he said. “We are excited to address that loss.”

Taylor said students and staff will see some physical changes when they return.

He was able to use some of the ESSER COVID relief funds for capital projects such as upgrading restrooms, replacing a lot of windows (some of which were immovable and date back to the early 1960s) and taking up old carpet to be replaced with tile. That will improve air quality and the windows will aid circulation.

He is using district funds to install air conditioning in 16 school buses – four for each school.

But he remains most excited about the long-term effects of the core value program.

“Core values will determine everything we want to achieve,” he said. “They will allow us to give graduates the skills we want them to have.”

Features of the back-to-school plan

Officials are still updating their back-to-school plan but many of the features still deal with the issue of COVID-19.

Schools are returning to in-person classes as they were prior to the pandemic. That means virtual learning will not be available, although an online option will be there for approved families.

Each student in the district will have a 1:1 ratio of device use for in-person learning and in the event virtual learning may needed due to a catastrophic illness or injury.

The staff will continue interventions for those who have experienced learning loss due to the lack of in-person classes this past year.

Masks will not be required but will be recommended for unvaccinated individuals. The superintendent can choose to update mask guidance in response to changing conditions or possible directives from state government, education or health officials.

School assemblies, field trips, campus visitors and other normal activities will return to pre-2020 procedures.

Students will resume eating in the cafeterias in some cases although alternative eating areas may still be utilized to create appropriate spacing.

Due to a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture, all students will be eligible for free breakfast and lunch.

Bus transportation will continue with students spaced as close to three feet apart as possible as well.

Every school will have a full-time, on-site nurse and daily health screening steps that families can take prior to sending a student to school will be provided at the beginning of school.

Communication regarding school safety measures will be provided via the district website, district social media, and through messaging services. Reports of daily virus statistics will be placed on the district website

Students are encouraged to bring their own water bottles from home and filling stations will be utilized in lieu of drinking fountains. Restroom flush valves and sinks will be transitioned to hands-free operation.

The district will train staff in social and emotional health needs through professional development in August and healthy behaviors to prevent virus spread will be promoted through the district website, social media and posters in hallways and in classrooms.

Wifi will be made available in locations throughout the community for access to connectivity and connectivity will be available at school campuses from 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. each day.