Union-Scioto Local School District

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. A reminder to our high school seniors and parents of our seniors all school fees need to be paid to participate in graduation. Yes, graduation will be here before you know it! Please make arrangements to ensure all fees are paid. Contact the high school office with any questions. This week was National School Counselors Week to recognize and demonstrate appreciation for all they do for students, families, and staff. As Superintendent of Union-Scioto Schools, by virtue of the authority vested by the Board of Education, do hereby order and proclaim an additional week of recognition and appreciation for all of our school counselors at Unioto! Our school counselors get two weeks!! Thank you, school counselors!! We are proud of our middle school students who qualified for the regionals from the District 1 Tournament for the Central Region in the Power of the Pen. Fifteen schools participated with 59 students writing in 7th grade and 65 students in the 8th grade. Qualifiers are Emmett Kinnison-Superior, Emily Stanforth-Superior, Jaiden Hollis-Honors, Elizabeth Blevins-Honors, Will Gaines-Honors, and Quinn Pennington-Honors! Great Job to our Power of the Pen teams, qualifiers, and Coach Angela Terry! Power of the Pen. Writing is a very very complicated process. Power of the pen. Students, there is real “power” with a pen. It can be power of the best kind. Power to inform, power to influence, to negotiate, to inspire, to articulate a vision or strategy, to garner support, to educate yourself and others, to be convincing, to be a worthy adversary to contend with, to help others, to improve, and to lead. You can become a real superpower and a real force for good if you develop the capacity to express yourself through writing. Learning to articulate your ideas in writing, and to marshall your thoughts and arguments can be incredibly advantageous for you and all those around you. There is very little, if anything, more powerful than the ability to articulate your words and to be able to write and think. It can elevate you to where you become unstoppable. Formidable. Strong. Effective. Competent. There is nothing geeky or nerdy about it. I am telling you opportunities will virtually be at every corner for you. This world is so desperate for thoughtful, articulate, knowledgeable people. Educate yourself and spend way more time reading, writing, and thinking, instead of video games, scrolling on your phone, watching reality shows, even kicking a ball, shooting 3’s, hitting home runs, basically, anything else. The capacity to communicate will transcend across any experiences you will encounter. Any job, any issue, any relationship, any responsibility, any circumstance. You will always win. You will remove many, if not all, of your constraints and limitations. Think of some of the most influential and admirable people throughout history and their ability to communicate, think, write, and speak. The great ones all had mastered these skills. It can be the key to you becoming and being more than you could ever imagine. It would be foolish to not at least make some effort to invest some time in learning to write and think more productively. You will not regret any second you spend on improving in this area. Power of your mind! Power of your tongue! Power of your pen! So, again, congratulations to our students participating in the Power of the Pen! Your future self will thank you for it!! Be grateful, get over being a sugar cookie, hard work works, and 3 days til Monday! Go Tanks!!

Last week, Unioto was honored to donate to the Honor Flight of Columbus. This organization flies military veterans to Washington DC for a day of touring our capitol and viewing the monuments dedicated to the men and women who have served in the military. Some of the veterans on each flight rely on a wheelchair for mobility during the trip. The chairs get a lot of wear and tear being loaded and unloaded multiple times a day both on the plane and the bus. Unioto donated two new wheelchairs to help support this organization. In 2020, our school system made a cash donation to help fund the trips. Thank you to all of our community members who support our fundraisers for our military projects. We appreciate all of you. Thank you, Veterans!!!! Go Tanks!!

Thank you to our sponsors for the finishing touches to our football scoreboard!!! The cost of all of our new scoreboards in the district is covered by the sponsors on the various boards! THANK YOU THANK YOU for supporting our student-athletes and programs!! A thanks to our maintenance staff for installing the final section!! Go Tanks!!

Today, Wed. 2/7/24 Bus # 23 students will be arriving home approx. 25 minutes late. Bus # 23 services Overlook Apts., Westland Estates, Overbrook Apts., and 2088 Anderson Station Rd. Thank You.

Tomorrow morning, Wed. 2/7/24 Bus # 23 students will be picked up approx. 35 minutes late. Bus # 23 services Overlook Apts., Westland Estates, Overbrook Apts., and 2088 Anderson Station Rd. Thank You.

Congrats to our all-call winners!! HS Katelynn Ferguson (not pictured) Kyra Stulley Jayden Hodge Preston Weaver Summer Salley MS Eric Reed Kinzli Batson $25 gift/gas card!! It pays to listen!! A special thanks to Blake Lloyd of North Fork Animal Clinic for sponsoring the prizes!! Go Tanks!!

Today, Tues. 2/6/24 Bus # 23 students will be arriving home approx. 25 minutes late. Bus # 23 services Overlook Apts., Westland Estates, Overbrook Apts., and 2088 Anderson Station Rd. Thank You.

Today, Tues. 2/6/24 Bus # 23 students will be picked up approx. 35 minutes late. Bus # 23 services Overlook Apts., Westland Estates, Overbrook Apts., and 2088 Anderson Station Rd. Thank You.

All-call for 4:00 pm today! Last night was The Best of Ross County Art Competition at the Pump House. Very proud of our students and Ms. VanVoorhis! Great Job! Honorable Mentions: Rayann Lynch, Eliza Howell, Mahek Patel, Natalie DePugh, Elizabeth Slack, and Ella Smith. 2nd Place: McKenzie Long, and 1st Place: Hallie Uhrig. Congratulations to all of our students who participated! If you would like to see the show, it will be on display at the Pump House until the end of February. The Unioto Chapter of the National Art Honor Society will be competing in the Ohio Youth Governor Art Competition on Saturday, March 2@10am, for regional competition, and any student who wins will compete at the State Level on Saturday, March 9@10am. State winners will be displayed at the James A. Rhodes State Office Tower on April 21-May 16. Tonight is Military Night at our basketball game. All veterans and active military men and women will be honored at the end of the JV game. Dinner will be provided in the auditeria beginning at 5pm. Next Friday, February 9, there will be no school for students due to staff professional development. Students…get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward! Yes, I said sugar cookie. This is the opening phrase of Ch 4 of the #1 New York Times Bestseller “Make Your Bed” authored by retired US Navy Admiral William H. McRaven who spent 37 years as a Navy SEAL and commanded at every level. Our administrative team participates in a book study almost every year and this year we are reading this book. Yes, principals, supervisors, and superintendents have homework too! If you think when you get out of school you won’t have to deal with homework anymore you are sadly mistaken! We believe it is important to continually learn and improve as individuals, educators, and leaders. I am very thankful we have an administrative team that values growth and learning like they do. Get over being a sugar cookie! When I first read this beginning phrase I thought…sugar cookies? I love sugar cookies! Especially the sugar cookies our cafeteria ladies make. Some of the best for sure! The chapter describes what being a sugar cookie is as it relates to Navy SEAL training in the following excerpt. “In all of SEAL training, there was nothing more uncomfortable than being a sugar cookie. There were a lot of things more painful and more exhausting, but being a sugar cookie tested your patience and your determination. Not because you spent the rest of the day with sand down your neck, under your arms, and between your legs, but because the act of becoming a sugar cookie was completely indiscriminate. There was no rhyme or reason. You became a sugar cookie at the whim of the instructor. A Navy SEAL would have to swim in the cold water, then lay face down in the sand and roll from side to side until your entire body is covered in sand. Every crevice in your body and spend the rest of the day as a sugar cookie.” Covered completely with sand! You could have had the best training day of your life and have the best than any other Navy SEAL and still be randomly forced to become a sugar cookie. Do your absolute best and still have to suffer pain and unfair punishment? That isn’t fair and is the worst kind of not being fair. You do everything right, above board, with absolute integrity, by the book, your very best and you are punished?? Well…life isn’t fair and the sooner you learn that the better off you will be! Many times you will be at the mercy of random acts, unfair circumstances, how you are treated, and what you have to endure that others don’t. But you are never at the mercy of how you respond. How you accept, deal, and adjust. This is always yours to choose. We are all defined by how we deal with life’s unfairness. The timing of reading this chapter could not have been more perfect as I reflect on several situations some of our students, student-athletes, staff members, and some families have had to endure recently, and over the past few months. Endure. Many have unbelievably difficult and unfair circumstances. My mom always said there is someone out there who has it way worse than you. I didn’t like hearing that…at all. Why? It wouldn’t allow me to complain and focus on all the wrong and unfairness. It influenced me to be thankful for my situation and to be thoughtful of others. “Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out.” Another excerpt from the book: “Sometimes no matter how hard you try, no matter how good you are, you still end up as a sugar cookie. Don’t complain. Don’t blame it on your misfortune. Stand tall, look to the future, and drive on!” You gotta love being a sugar cookie! 3 days til Monday and you gotta love being a sugar cookie!! Students replying with “Sugar cookie” in the subject line of your email reply by 4pm on Tuesday, Feb 6 will be entered into a drawing for a chance at some nice prizes. Go Tanks!!

Today, Friday 2/2/24 Bus # 's 5 students will be approx. 25 minutes late arriving home. Bus # 5 services Adena Rd., Orange St., Appleton, Lake, Piatt, Allen, Yaples, Melrose, Avalon, and Baldwin Ct. Thank You.

This morning, Friday Feb. 2, 2024 Bus # 21's students will be picked up approx. 65 minutes late. This afternoon, Friday Feb. 2, 2024 Bus # 21's students will be approx. 50 minutes late arriving home. Bus # 21 services Co. Rd. 550, Maple Grove, Mt. Carmel Rd., Sulphur Lick, Blazer Rd., and Steiner Rd. Thank You.

Unioto Preschool Registration for 2024-2025 will be on Thursday, March 21 from 5:00pm to 6:00pm. Registration packets are available to be picked up in the elementary office and are also available online at http://tinyurl.com/UESpreschool24 Completed packets will not be accepted until registration on March 21st and will be processed in the order in which they are received. If you have any questions, please call the office at (740) 773-4103.

The Middle School Softball program will be holding signups, followed by a short parent meeting this Sunday February 4th at the high school softball field at 1 pm. This includes any 6th, 7th or 8th grader who is interested in spring softball. Go Tanks!

There will be no school for students on Friday, February 9, 2024. Staff will be participating in Professional Development.

Breakfast and lunch menus for February are now available!

This afternoon, Monday 1-22-24 bus #22 students will be approximately 45 minutes late arriving home. Bus #22 services Egypt Pike, McDonald Rd., Bowdle Rd., Preserve Way and Forest Edge. Thank You.

This morning, Monday 1-22-24 bus #22 students will be approx 50 minutes late being picked up. Bus #22 services Egypt Pike, McDonald Rd., Bowdle Rd., Preserve Way and Forrest Edge. Thank You.

Good Morning!! I have been driving the roads this morning and I am amazed at how hard the road crews for our townships have been working to get the roads cleared so we can have school today! Doing their very very best to ensure the roads are safe for travel for all of us! Students you may not realize the time and effort it takes for others doing all they can to make sure you have the most opportunities possible to learn and become the best student and person you can be. So, be thankful for our Union and Scioto township crews, the County crews, our maintenance staff, and all the others who have been up and at it since 2 am!! Be thankful!! With that being said, unfortunately, the snow just keeps coming and is just too much too fast, even for all of our incredibly hard working road crews. I am so sorry to disappoint you on a Friday morning, but we will need to cancel school today! Do your best to enjoy the day and do not allow this bad news to ruin your weekend! How you respond to circumstances in your life, good or bad will determine who you are and who you can become! I know our students can bounce back from this setback and will make the best of this situation. Monday will be here soon enough. Stay positive!! No school today, Friday, January 19, 2024! Athletic events will be decided at a later time today. 3 days til Monday!! Go Tanks!!

Unioto will be on a 2-hour delay tomorrow, Wednesday, January 17, 2024. Thanks!

We are still in need of a coach for our 7th grade/B team for baseball this spring. Tryouts will be on Feb 22nd and 23rd from 4 pm till 530 each day at Ross County Park on Egypt Pike. Rosters will be posted at school on Feb 26th for individuals who make the 8th grade and 7th grade teams. If we don't get enough 7th graders or a coach for the 7th grade, tryouts will be for just one team. Made up of 7th and 8th graders. We currently have open gyms every Friday from 6-8 pm at the old high school. If you are interested in coaching please contact JD Smith at jdsmith.sbo@gmail.com or attend an open gym on a Friday to let us know. Go Tanks!