District Bulletin

We are excited to resurrect the tradition of the #NUpride awards. These awards are presented to staff or community members who exemplify our mission and vision statement. They Prepare, Challenge, and Empower our schools and district. They are champions for kids and commit their time energy and effort in our community. Please click on the link below if you would like to nominate someone for February's #NUPride Award. Details are in the Google Form.

• Strategic Planning Team (Middle of April through May to reevaluate our strategic plan with a goal to produce a final product for the June Board Work Session)
• NU Business Advisory Team (Likely will meet at the end of April)

MAY

• Safety Team (Middle of May to determine safety goals for next school year)

• We value all students and their well being. If there are issues that are occurring at school where you suspect potential harassment/bullying or concern for a students welfare there is a system to process this. Please report this to our Public Works system.
• The online reporting system and the 1-866-listen2me phone system are for staff, students and parents to report concerns which may affect the peace of mind of students or jeopardize the safety of people or school facilities. Concerns may include, but are not limited to, bullying, abuse, bomb threats, cyber crimes, discrimination, drugs, health concerns, suspicious behavior, vandalism, fighting, & weapons. Helpline information helps us maintain school environments that are safe and conducive for learning.
  
• The ability to report Bullying and Harassment can be found on our website at the top right corner indicated by the blue hand (see graphic above).
• Once a student, parent, or staff member reports an issue it goes directly to the principal of the building for investigation.
• Administration will coordinate the appropriate investigation and communicate findings and outcomes to those involved.
• Administration will document the investigation and outcome in Public School Works.

Dear Wildcat Families,

As we end the 3rd and gear up for the 4th quarter of the school year, we are filled with optimism and excitement for the opportunities ahead. Our students and staff continue to work hard, and we are proud of the progress being made each day. Staff and students are diligently preparing for year-end celebrations, concerts, competitions, and graduation! With spring just around the corner, we look forward to a season of growth, learning, and new achievements.

Spring Break is also on the horizon, offering a well-deserved time for rest and renewal. We encourage our students to finish the quarter strong and take time to recharge over the break so they can return refreshed and ready for the final stretch of the school year.

Thank you for your continued support in making North Union Local Schools a place where students thrive. We appreciate our incredible families and look forward to a fantastic fourth quarter together!

Go Wildcats!

Justin Ufferman

Superintendent for North Union Local Schools

• Thank you to our calendar and NUES Principal Interview teams. The calendar team was able to produce 2 calendars for our North Union Education Association (NUEA) have been able to assess and vote on their choice to present to the Board. Our NUES Principal Interview teams were composed of staff, student, community, and parent team members. They all did a phenomenal job representing our goals, culture, and desire to hire the best for this position.
• Deputy Dyer has earned a promotion with the Union County Sheriff's Department. While we are excited for his opportunity we are also sad to see him leave! He will be transitioning our new SRO, Cole Brown, in the upcoming months.
• Shout out to our substitute staff! they have been great supporting our staff and students especially during all of the sickness that has been going around. Interested in being a sub for our district? Apply >>HERE<< How to get your license >>HERE<<
• Open enrollment is now open. Please remember that if you are a current open enrolled family you must reenroll. Information and deadlines can be found on our website or >>HERE<<

• We are currently advertising for hiring the positions of NUES Music, School Psychologist, and Speech Language Pathologist.
• Welcome former Wildcat graduate Colleen Faber! Colleen will be joining us next year as one of our speech language pathologists! She will be a very important addition to our team and family! More about Colleen below.
• We are excited to announce John Riley as our next NUES Principal. Thank you to the interview teams and their commitment to the process. More about John below!
• We are thrilled to welcome Cole Brown back to the Wildcat family as NULSD’s next SRO! While we are sad to see Shawn Dyer go—he is moving on to a well-deserved promotion with the Union County Sheriff’s Department—we are confident in a smooth transition. With Cole’s prior experience with Richwood PD and familiarity with our district, he is well-prepared to step into this role seamlessly. Welcome back, Cole!
• We are always looking for substitute teachers, drivers, custodians, and kitchen staff. If you know somebody that you think would be a good fit for our district please encourage them to apply at our website!

• Outside sound system at the field will be fixed this week.
• The fence has been constructed at NUES and looks and functions great!
• The operations department is currently assessing and preparing for summer projects.

• If you have not had the opportunity to download our app please do!
• In an effort to better streamline our district calendar, building calendar coordinators at each building will be copying events from their individual building calendars that involve community to the district calendar. For example at NUMS the building calendar might read parent teacher conference, once copied over to the district events it will show up as MS: parent teacher conferences. This should help with clarity in our calendars.

• A math curriculum committee has been formed to begin evaluating a pk-12 state approved curriculum.

• The North Union Preschool Program will transition to a four half-day per week program for the 2025-2026 school year. Students will attend Tuesday through Friday during a morning or afternoon session. Addtional details will be released soon.

We are excited to welcome John Riley to our Wildcat Family! John will be joining our elementary as the next Principal! He is very excited to get started as a Wildcat! See below for John's bio.

John Riley is a dedicated educational leader with over 20 years of experience in K-12 education, including six years as a Principal. His expertise includes strategic program development, instructional leadership, and fostering inclusive, student-centered learning environments.

John’s leadership journey has spanned roles as Principal at Hilliard Horizon and London Elementary Schools, as well as an instructional leader at the McVey Innovative Learning Center. He has successfully implemented 21st-century learning initiatives, developed mentorship programs, and championed professional development for educators. He is also a former adjunct professor, having taught Introduction to Education at Columbus State Community College.

John is committed to lifelong learning and advancing innovative educational practices. His leadership philosophy emphasizes trust, empowerment, and creating engaging learning experiences that drive student success.

John is thrilled to be joining the North Union team, drawn to its commitment to student success, strong community ties, and focus on innovative education. He looks forward to collaborating with educators, families, and students to build a student-centered learning environment where every child has the opportunity to thrive. His passion for equity, engagement, and leadership aligns with North Union’s mission, and he is eager to contribute to its continued growth and success.

Beyond his professional achievements, John has been married to his ultimate partner in crime, Amber, for nearly 25 years. Together, they have built a strong, dynamic family with five children—Griffin, Ava, Scarlett, Grayson, and Crew. They take pride in supporting Ava’s journey into social work, Griffin’s lacrosse career as he just committed to Baldwin Wallace University, and Scarlett’s artistic endeavors. With a passion for harmonizing faith, family, career, and leadership, John remains dedicated to creating environments where students, educators, families, and communities thrive.

Welcome John to our Wildcat Family!

We are excited to welcome home, Cole Brown! Cole will be transitioning in as our next School Resource Officer. While we will miss Deputy Dyer as he departs on his promotion, we are excited that Cole will be returning to our district! Below you will find Cole's bio!

Hello! My name is Deputy Cole Brown. I am honored to serve as the new School

Resource Officer for North Union Schools. I am committed to fostering a safe and positive environment for students, staff, and families. As a School Resource Officer, my

role goes beyond enforcing laws – I am here to build relationships, provide guidance, and ensure that everyone within the school community feels secure. I began my law enforcement career in 2020 with the Richwood Police Department before joining the Union County Sheriff’s Office in early 2023. I’ve been proud to serve this community and am excited to bring my skills and experience to North Union Schools. Outside of my work, I am grateful to share my life with my wife, Zoe. We enjoy spending time with our two dogs, Leo and Toby. You can also find me engaging in outdoor

activities like hunting and fishing. I look forward to getting to know everyone at North Union Schools and contributing to a safe and positive school experience for all.

Welcome Cole, BACK, to our Wildcat Family!

We are excited to welcome home, Colleen Faber! Colleen is a former wildcat graduate and is very excited to rejoin the wildcat family as one of our speech language pathologists. Below you will find Colleen's bio!

Hello! My name is Colleen (Curts) Faber. I am a 2010 North Union graduate. I am a Speech/Language Pathologist, having earned my Master’s degree from Ohio University. I have always had a passion to work with children in the educational field. I am a wife and a mother to three boys- a 3.5 year old and identical twin 8 month old. I am an avid reader, and love a good thriller book. I am a former volleyball coach for the district and hope to one day return to the sport. I am excited to be returning home as a Wildcat. Go Cats!

Welcome home Colleen!

Want to become a volunteer for North Union Local Schools? We encourage our community to get involved with volunteer opportunities with our students, in our buildings. We also believe it is important to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community members. This is why we require all volunteers to be BCI checked. There is a processing fee involved with these checks at the expense of the volunteer. BCI checks to volunteer in our district are conducted at our Board office in Essex. Steps to volunteer:

1. Meet with the building administration to determine functions you wish to volunteer with.

2. Schedule for your BCI check below.

3. Become Board Approved.

4. Once these steps are complete you are ready to go!

DISCLAIMER: All flagged BCI and/or FBI reports are reviewed by the superintendent. Volunteer approval for any parent, regardless of the time of the offense, is determined at the discretion of the superintendent, the Board of Education, and applicable laws. Additionally, the superintendent and board reserve the right to revoke or deny volunteer status as deemed necessary. Please note that all BCI and FBI fees are non-refundable.

Should you have any questions please reach out to the appropriate building administration. We look forward in working with you!

Website: North Union Local School District
Location: North Union Local School District, 12920 OH-739, Richwood, OH 43344
Phone: (740) 943-2509
X: @NU_Supt