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Union celebrates opening of UCA wing

_{Originally posted September 24, 2012}

Union Schools - Oklahoma

Superintendent Dr. Cathy Burden speaking during the dedication

Superintendent Dr. Cathy Burden, Board President Heather McAdams and Tulsa Community College President Dr. Thomas K. McKeon spoke during a formal dedication of the new Union Collegiate Academy wing at Union High School, 6636 S. Mingo Road, Sunday, September 23.

Former State Superintendent Sandy Garrett was a special guest speaker, followed by Union Deputy Superintendent Dr. Kirt Hartzler.

The new Union Collegiate Academy, which serves 3,200 students in grades 10 through 12, resembles a college campus rather than a high school, with its tiered lecture rooms and comfortable study areas spread throughout the building.

Union voters approved two consecutive bond issues to fund the impressive $29-million facility. It is a 125,000-square-foot building with three stories, 37 classrooms, a student union, the Catherine E. Burden College and Career Center, a large meeting room that seats up to 300 people, a cyber café, and a tiered lecture room that accommodates as many as 240 students---120 on each side when the retractable wall is in use.

“It is a space like no other high school I know of,” Superintendent Dr. Cathy Burden said, “ and it is based on the unique idea that the high school experience can become a smooth transition to high education and the work of work by providing an environment that helps all students match their learning strengths to different styles and rigors of instructional options, become responsible managers of their own time and learning and optimize their potential through engagement with quality facility.”

Burden told the crowd, “In this new facility, Union students can take high school classes in traditional format or virtually with online curriculum and teacher consultation, earn college credit through Advanced Placement, concurrent Tulsa Community College courses and Tulsa Tech programs, and receive credit for hands-on apprenticeships in service learning roles that help them prepare for jobs and careers.”

Message by Board President Heather McAdams

Union Schools - Oklahoma Welcome to the UCA. We are so glad you could come out today and see our beautiful new building. If you have not yet taken a tour, I hope you have the time after this presentation. We are all so very proud of this building and excited by the new opportunities it will provide for our students.

From state-of-the-art science equipment, to expanded concurrent classes, to expanded virtual learning opportunities, we now have the ability to push the boundaries of a traditional high school experience and provide a giant step into concepts and ideas not normally taught until the college level. We intend for this new building to help ease the transition for students from high school into college. From how it was designed to how we have created class schedules, this building has been structured to mirror many college experiences.

Students have more freedom and flexibility in their schedules, just as they will on a college campus. There are multiple cafes, markets, and eateries in the building to provide students many choices in the type of food they want to eat, and they are welcome to take their food to many different areas in the building instead of being “stuck in a cafeteria.”

We have the outdoor “U” area in front of the building where students have the choice to spend time outside while still being connected to Wi-Fi and able to work on school work or connect with friends on down time. Perhaps the most important transition tool is our expanded Catherine E. Burden College and Career Center. In this center, students have an inviting place to learn about college and career opportunities and scholarships as well as the staff right there to guide them through the process and answer any questions.

This building is a physical representation of our stated goals to provide a quality education for students from age three into college, and to have all students graduate college- or career-ready. As the construction on this building has wound down, the expansion of our three-year-old building is just beginning. We at Union are committed to educating every child who walks through our doors and providing them with the best opportunities we can. A child can now come to Union at age three and receive an education that takes them into their sophomore year at college, all while staying on a Union campus. The potential in front of us is incredible, and we are so very excited to be on the forefront of this blended high school and college experience, saving our students both time with concurrent classes and money through significantly reduced tuition costs thanks to our partnership with TCC.

Please, tour the building, ask questions, and watch with us as we open up a world of possibilities to a new generation of students.

Thanks for your time and support.

Images from the dedication and open house below.

Union Schools - Oklahoma