All-call for 4:00 pm today!
We will continue with some adjustments to our morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up procedures next week for the middle school and elementary.
The Middle School parking lot will remain open for morning drop-off from 7:30–7:50 a.m., or until the buses arrive. If the lot is empty, please feel free to use it. We are encouraging families to use the main parking lot for morning drop-off whenever possible. It is more convenient and accessible from Moundsville, particularly when exiting, as those exiting tend to hold up traffic at times. Using the main lot will help reduce backups and improve the overall traffic flow. So please use it!
You can expect an announcement from the elementary school very soon regarding an adjustment to afternoon pick-up that will create an additional pick-up area for some families. Once we finalize the details, we will communicate the plan to families.
Again, this is an experiment, and we fully expect the first few days to be a significant adjustment as everyone gets used to the new process. There may be some issues along the way, and we will work through them and make adjustments as needed. We believe, however, that once everyone gets accustomed to the new procedure, it has the potential to result in a much-improved afternoon pick-up and overall traffic flow.
We still have openings for bus drivers at the U. If you or someone you know may be interested in becoming a full-time or substitute bus driver, please get in touch with Mr. Ost at 740-773-6031 or sost@gotanks.org to discuss the requirements, qualifications, and necessary credentials.
Concepts for consideration for parents:
One thing I have learned through my own experiences and, quite honestly, through plenty of mistakes is that sometimes we learn the most about parenting after we have already been through the situation. As parents, we are all learning as we go. I certainly don't pretend to have all the answers, and I am not suggesting that I do. I simply want to share a few thoughts and concepts that may give parents something to consider that could potentially help with parenting and, ultimately, benefit our children.
One concept I have been thinking about is how we view consequences. It is common to think of consequences as punishments. When a child doesn't listen or doesn't meet expectations, we may feel like the consequence needs to be significant enough to make them listen the next time. So we pile on chores, take away television, their phone, plans they had made, or the opportunity to have friends over. Sometimes those things may be appropriate, but I think there is another way to look at consequences that may be worth considering.
What if we viewed consequences less as punishment and more as standards?
For example:
Homework needs to be completed by 8:00 p.m. If it isn't completed, the message isn't, “I'm going to punish you because you didn't do your homework.” Instead, it is simply: “We don't move on to the fun stuff until your responsibilities are taken care of.” Not because I want you to be miserable. Not because I am angry with you. But because responsibility comes before privileges.
I think there is a powerful difference in that mindset. As parents, we don't necessarily need to become angry. We don't need to remind them five times. And we certainly don't need to do the homework for them or continually rescue them from the consequences of their choices.
They knew the standard.
They made the choice.
Now they own what happens next.
That isn't punishment. That's ownership.
And ultimately, isn't that one of the things we are trying to teach our children?
We want them to become adults who understand that their choices have consequences, that responsibilities come before privileges, and that they have ownership over what happens next.
Again, I am certainly not pretending to have all the answers. Parenting is hard, and every child and every family is different. I have made plenty of mistakes myself, and many of the things I have learned came from experiences where I probably wished I had handled things differently.
But sometimes a different perspective (we have learned about the power of perspective) is worth considering. Maybe instead of constantly asking ourselves, “What punishment will make my child listen?” we can ask, “What standard do I want my child to learn to live by?”
Responsibility before privilege. Standards before exceptions. Ownership before excuses.
Those are lessons that can serve our children well long after they leave our homes and our schools.
Go Tanks!!
Go Tanks!
Unioto High School will celebrate Homecoming with the recognition of the Homecoming Court and the crowning of this year’s king and queen. Grilla Cheez will also be set up, so come hungry!
For families with young children, the Play Zone will be open throughout the game. This fun, supervised space will be staffed by the coaches and players of the Unioto Shermans Baseball Program. For everyone’s safety, children should either remain seated in the bleachers with a parent or guardian or be checked into the Play Zone.
A $2 donation per child is requested, with all proceeds benefiting the Unioto Shermans Baseball Program.
Thank you for supporting our baseball team and helping us keep football Friday nights safe, fun, and welcoming for fans of all ages!
Go Tanks!
Remember, breakfast and lunch are free for all students! Be sure to check out Nutrislice on our district website for menu details and nutritional information.
Two things to note:
1. All students will be photographed (for the yearbook as well as to maintain up-to-date student records).
2. A portion of all photo sales is given back to our school!
All-call for 4:00 pm today!
Our Vision: By inspiring greatness, all students will realize their worth and potential.
Our Mission: At Union-Scioto School District, students will learn, lead, and make a difference.
Our Motto: Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders.
Experimenting with Morning Drop-Off and Afternoon Pick-Up:
Now that school has been in session for a few weeks, we have unfortunately not seen much, if any, improvement in traffic flow with the new right-turn lane at the intersection of Pleasant Valley and Egypt Pike. Because of this, we are going to experiment with a slight adjustment to our morning drop-off procedures at the Elementary School. As Mr. Barrows announced earlier this week, beginning Monday, parents dropping off students will need to turn right when leaving the parking lot. This means both parking lot exits will be right-turn only.
Afternoon Pick-Up Adjustment:
We are also going to make an adjustment to our afternoon pick-up procedures. Beginning Monday, we will be closing the through-way gate between the soccer field parking lot and the parking area between the soccer and football fields. This means vehicles will not be able to drive through those two parking areas from one side to the other. We will also have additional parking available near the concession stand and fieldhouse area for any overflow. This is for the afternoon only.
To help parents who need to walk to their vehicle with their children, we will open an area of the fencing to be able to enter the parking area along the side of the football bleachers. This will allow parents to enter that parking area on foot and walk their children to their parked vehicle. Again, this is an experiment. We are trying to find ways to improve the overall flow of traffic and make afternoon pick-up safer and more efficient. We understand that these changes may take some getting used to, and we appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation.
We Are Going to Keep Trying!
We want to be upfront that these are experiments. They may work, they may not work, and some may even create new challenges. However, we believe it is worth trying. Sometimes we learn just as much from what doesn't work as we do from what does. And occasionally, by trying something different, we stumble upon an idea that we had not previously considered. Over the coming months, we may try a variety of different ideas and adjustments to both morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Some may be successful, while others may not. Our goal is to continue looking for ways to make the process safer, smoother, and more efficient.
We fully expect there may be some criticism, questions, and issues along the way. That's okay. We are willing to try things and make adjustments because if we don't try, we will never know what might work. All we ask is for a little patience, understanding, and cooperation as we work through these changes. We will continue to listen, evaluate what we are seeing, and make adjustments when needed. Some of these ideas are from parents.
We are going to figure it out!
Bus Driver Openings at the U:
We are also in great need of additional transportation support. If you or someone you know may be interested in becoming a full-time or substitute bus driver, please get in touch with Mr. Ost at 740-773-6031 or sost@gotanks.org to discuss the requirements, qualifications, and necessary credentials.
We greatly appreciate everyone who helps us keep our students moving each day safely.
Go Tanks!!
Heading to tonight’s game against the Southeastern Panthers? Our Play Zone will be open and available for young children!
The Play Zone provides a fun, supervised space for children and is staffed by members and advisors of the Unioto High School National Honor Society. For everyone’s safety, children should either remain seated in the bleachers with a parent/guardian or be checked into the Play Zone.
A $2 donation per child is requested, with all proceeds benefiting Unioto High School National Honor Society.
Thank you for supporting our NHS students and helping us keep game nights safe, fun, and welcoming for Sherman fans of all ages!
PaySchools makes payments quick, easy, and convenient!
We appreciate your patience and understanding during this work. As a reminder, the road is not owned or maintained by our school district, and we are very thankful for the ability to use this access throughout the school year and summer.
Please help us be respectful of the construction process and those working to improve the area. Thank you for your cooperation and patience!
Go Tanks!!
Dear Unioto Families,
I understand it is late, but I wanted to inform you that our High School recently received a report regarding a potential incident involving a student making threats. As always, we take any report of this nature very seriously and responded immediately by notifying law enforcement and contacting the student’s family.
In response to our investigation, we have addressed and removed any potential threat. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement and take all appropriate steps to ensure the safety and well-being of our school community.
This incident also serves as an important reminder to our entire school community: If you hear something, say something. Reporting concerns promptly allows us to investigate them and take appropriate action. The safety and well-being of our students and staff is a shared responsibility.
Out of an abundance of caution, additional law enforcement will be present in our schools tomorrow. We remain committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students and staff.
At this time, there is no credible threat to our school community. Should additional information become available that families need to know, we will communicate that information as promptly as possible. Thank you.
Our Vision: By inspiring greatness, all students will realize their worth and potential.
Our Mission: At Union-Scioto School District, students will learn, lead, and make a difference.
Our Motto: Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders.
Transportation Update
As I stated during a previous all-call, our Transportation Department has been actively working on solutions to improve transportation services amid the ongoing driver shortage.
Beginning Monday, August 31, 2026, we will attempt to consolidate routes for students currently assigned to buses #1, #3, #4, #21, and #27. These buses, except #27, will be taking on additional students from other routes, which will impact both pick-up and drop-off times for some families.
Over the past several days, including this Saturday, our Transportation Department has made multiple attempts to contact all families who may be impacted by these changes in an effort to minimize potential issues and conflicts. Unfortunately, some families could not be reached because we do not have a current contact number or updated contact information on file. We do anticipate that there may be some challenges during the first few days as we work through these changes. We sincerely appreciate everyone's patience, flexibility, and understanding as our transportation team works to make this transition as smooth as possible.
We also want to emphasize an important point regarding advance scheduling and notification. Due to unforeseen driver absences, we simply cannot always predict when a driver will be unavailable. When we know well in advance that a driver will be absent, we are able to plan accordingly and notify families ahead of time. However, when an absence occurs unexpectedly, there is no practical way for us to create a schedule or notify families earlier than we already do. We will continue to communicate as quickly as possible whenever we have information available, but unforeseen circumstances do limit how much advance notice we can provide.
Our Transportation Department is currently operating with extremely limited staffing. Our Transportation Supervisor and Bus Mechanic are also driving routes to help ensure our students get to and from school safely. Additionally, we currently do not have any existing substitute bus drivers available to step in when an unexpected absence occurs. This significantly limits our ability to respond when a driver is unexpectedly unavailable and is a major factor in why last-minute route changes and double routing may sometimes be necessary.
This consolidation will not completely eliminate double routing in the future, but it is expected to significantly reduce the need for it—provided we have our existing drivers available to drive. Unfortunately, we cannot predict when an unforeseen absence may occur. When those situations arise, we must make adjustments with the resources we have available at that time.
We Need Additional Drivers
If you or someone you know may be interested in becoming a full-time or substitute bus driver, please contact Mr. Ost to discuss the requirements, qualifications, and necessary credentials. We are in great need of additional transportation support, and adding even a few qualified drivers would make a significant difference in our ability to provide consistent transportation and respond to unexpected absences. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue looking for ways to improve our transportation services while working within the challenges created by the driver shortage. A huge thank-you to our Transportation Department for all of the hard work they do each day—and especially to those who are stepping in to drive routes in addition to their regular responsibilities. Your dedication to getting our students safely to and from school does not go unnoticed, and we truly appreciate all that you do!
Go Tanks!!
Our Vision: By inspiring greatness, all students will realize their worth and potential.
Our Mission: At Union-Scioto School District, students will learn, lead, and make a difference.
Our Motto: Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders.
We have had a great start to the school year, and that is in large part because of our wonderful, hardworking, and experienced staff. Their dedication, energy, and commitment to our students make such a difference. We are excited about the year ahead and looking forward to another great year at Unioto!
We really do appreciate our families’ patience and understanding as we continue to work through what has been an incredibly challenging bussing situation, much of which was completely beyond our control. Losing two drivers just a few days before the first day of school certainly creates some challenges, and we understand the inconvenience that can cause for our families. We are very concerned about it and will continue to do everything we can to minimize the disruptions. One thing I would add is that when we know an adjustment needs to be made, we communicate it almost immediately. In most cases, our families are being notified within 30 minutes of us learning that a route needs to be adjusted. Our drivers and transportation supervisor have been working together to find solutions as quickly as possible while making sure we get our students home safely. Trust me when I say our drivers and supervisor are doing their very best. They are feeling the pressure, too, and they want very badly to help our families. They are being asked to do more with less in a job that is already one of, if not the toughest jobs in a school district. Driving a school bus is incredibly challenging. You are responsible for 60–80 students at a time while dealing with traffic, weather, schedules, behavior, safety, and many other things most people never see. We are transporting over 1,000 students, and making all of that work smoothly is a lot more complicated than it may appear from the outside. There is a reason there is a shortage of school bus drivers, and it isn't just about compensation. Quite honestly, there aren't a lot of people who want to take on this job, especially considering the responsibility involved. I think this is also a good reminder for all of us, myself included, that it is easy—and almost natural—to be critical when something isn't going the way we think it should. Sometimes, though, it is better to pause, ask questions, and try to understand what may be happening behind the scenes. Being a little more curious and a little less critical can go a long way, especially when people are working hard to solve a difficult situation. I know I can always do a better job of that myself. Our drivers aren't perfect, and neither are we. We will make mistakes, and sometimes things simply won't go the way we want them to; however, I would ask our families to give our drivers and transportation supervisor a little grace right now. If you have a concern or, even better, a suggestion that might help, we absolutely want to hear it. Please call Mr. Ost directly to talk through it and see if there is something he can do. You can reach Mr. Ost at 740-773-6031. Most importantly, thank you to our transportation department, our supervisor, and especially our bus drivers. We appreciate what you do, and we know how hard you are working to take care of our students and our families. Thank you for sticking with it and doing everything you can to make the best of a challenging situation. We appreciate you!
Unioto families and fans can purchase presale tickets for all Unioto athletic events. The more presale tickets that are purchased through fan.hudl.com, the greater the discount Unioto receives. Your participation directly helps support our athletic programs. You can access at FAN.HUDL.COM
The Unioto baseball program’s fundraiser still has a few available season parking passes that can be purchased. Please contact Gene Bumgardner at 740.352.4602 or email at gbumgardner@gotanks.org. This baseball project will be fully funded by donations and sponsorships. Any support would be appreciated.
Hope to see everyone tonight as our football team welcomes the Athens Bulldogs to the U. This Saturday, our boys and girls soccer teams take on Lucasville at home starting at 10 a.m., and our volleyball team plays at Chillicothe at 6 pm.
As always, hard work works, and as one of our hard-working and dedicated custodians, Jeff Pettit reminded me just this morning…3 days til Monday!! Check out his picture on my Facebook page!
Go Tanks!!
Unioto Athletic Event Presale Tickets
Unioto families and fans have a new opportunity this year to purchase presale tickets for all Unioto athletic events.
We strongly encourage families and fans to take advantage of this option. Presale ticket purchases help reduce the cost of providing live event streaming and support the continued use of Hudl and the valuable benefits it provides to our athletic department and programs.
The more presale tickets that are purchased and utilized, the greater the discount Unioto receives. Your participation directly helps support our athletic programs while providing a convenient way to attend events.
Thank you for your continued support of Unioto Athletics!
Access at FAN.HUDL.COM
Go Tanks!!
What a thoughtful way to help us kick off a new school year! We appreciate you thinking of our staff and helping make our first day a little brighter. 💜💛
Go Tanks!
