Latest news with #UCPS
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Union County Public School's Houlihan named Regional Superintendent of the Year
MONROE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The leader of Union County Public Schools was named the Regional Superintendent of the Year. North Carolina's Southwest Education Alliance (Region 6), which covers much of the Charlotte metro, selected Dr. Andrew G. Houlihan for the 2026 honors. He also was named Regional Superintendent of the Year in 2025 and 2022. Houlihan will now represent the 11-district southwest region in the state-level competition and compete for the A. Craig Phillips State Superintendent of the Year award. The award was voted on by superintendents from the represented districts. Indian Trail censures Town Council member again for 'weasel' Facebook page 'All of my colleagues are exceptional leaders, and I want to thank them for trusting me to represent our region as superintendent of the year,' Houlihan said in a statement. 'It is an honor to work with the best teachers, administrators and support staff in the state. I also want to thank our Board of Education for their ongoing support of our students and employees.' In his ninth year as superintendent of UCPS, the district says Houlihan has led efforts to increase academic achievement, expand educational opportunities for students, strengthen business and community partnerships and enhance student support services across the district. 'Dr. Houlihan is an outstanding superintendent and is very deserving of this recognition,' said Union County Board of Education Chairman Rev. Jimmy H. Bention. 'His vision for our school district has helped us to become stronger academically. Dr. Houlihan is an innovative and bold leader, and I am happy that he is being commended for his hard work, leadership and commitment to education.' Houlihan has worked in education for more than 26 years and served as UCPS superintendent since 2016. In 2024, UCPS ranked No. 2 in the state on overall proficiency at 69.5 percent. The North Carolina overall proficiency rate is 54.2 percent. And at 93.3%, UCPS has the highest graduation rate among the 12 largest districts in North Carolina. The district received the 2024 Employer of Choice Award from the Union County Chamber. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Parents call out school board member for anti-LGBTQ+ posts
Parents, teachers, and community members in Kentucky confronted a school board member who posted anti-LGBTQ+ comments to his private Facebook profile, causing him to flee the public meeting held on Monday, local NBC affiliate WFIE reports. Keep up with the latest in + news and politics. Donald Yarber has been a member of the Union Country Public Schools board in Morganfield since 2021. Earlier this month, he made anti-LGBTQ+ statements in since-deleted posts to Facebook. 'Keep letting those q***rs influence the minds of your children,' Yarber wrote in a now-deleted post, adding, 'They won't have any sickness except AIDS, mental instability, suicidal thoughts, jobs, wealth, self-respect or righteousness.' Yarber, a mystery writer who studied journalism and creative writing in college, responded to his critics in another post to Facebook, saying his 'job is NOT to please people' and that his job does not require him to 'bend over and kiss any behinds because they do NOT like me or my beliefs.' He added that people can block or unfriend him if they don't like his personal beliefs. Yarber faced a hostile audience at Monday night's school board meeting. 'I've dealt with bullies all my life, so Mr. Yarber, when you made those comments on Facebook, they roll right off me because I have developed a very tough skin,' Mark Lamb, an out dance teacher, told Yarber, adding, 'When I was a kid, I suffered messages like you said when you cavalierly mentioned suicide, and they made me not want to be alive,' he says. 'I believe that all of us need to do better. Even the bullies, even you, Mr. Yarber.' Following Lamb's comments, Yarber rose from his chair and left the meeting, followed by angry parents calling him out. The school board later released a formal statement to the media about Yarber and his Facebook posts. 'Union County Public Schools (UCPS) remains deeply committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and respect for all,' the statement said. 'The views expressed on personal social media accounts by staff or board members are not representative of the official values or positions of our school district or Board of Education. Since board members are elected officials and not school district employees, UCPS does not have the legal authority to regulate their actions or suspend their terms.' Yarber responded to his critics with another post to Facebook Tuesday: 'Once again the gay community has been allowed to say, 'It's OK to be Gay.' And I have not been allowed to say, 'No it's not.'' On his school board profile, Yarber says he 'desires to raise the level of education in Kentucky by reducing the number of state and federal tests and concentrating on teaching instead of testing' and that he is committed to 'limiting the Commonwealth's control of curriculum in Union County Schools, returning the education of schools to the parents and teachers.' Yarber was reelected to the school board representing District 2 in Union County last November with over 55 percent of the vote. The Advocate reached out to Mr. Yarber for comment on short notice and will update the story to include his response.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
School officials expand new program for aspiring Union County teachers
Interested in a career as a teacher? Union County Public Schools (UCPS) is trying to make it easier for people to become one. ALSO READ: Carolina Strong: School custodian makes impact with kindness The program called Next stop: TeachUCPS pays the tuition for people pursing a teaching license at several local colleges and universities. Right now, seven pathways are available for high school students, current teachers, and former UCPS graduates. This year, it's expanding to offer more opportunities for teachers looking to move into new roles in middle and high school. Channel 9 spoke with a teacher currently in the program who says it changed his life. 'This is my favorite job. I've had tons of jobs and this is my favorite job. I just love seeing the kids each day. I love the little successes and I mourn the little losses,' Chris Bova said. Today at 5 p.m., Channel 9′s Gina Esposito explains how Bova transitioned from a bus driver to a teacher – and how others can apply for the opportunity. WATCH BELOW: Petition demands changes at Charlotte Catholic High School
