Dr. Kenneth Moore Named Executive Director of Secondary Curriculum;
Kevin Brannon named Principal of UHS Freshman Academy
Dr. Kenneth Moore was named executive director of Secondary Curriculum. He will assume the role after John Federline, who was promoted last year to assistant superintendent.
Moore previously served as principal of the Freshman Academy since 2018. He also had served as assistant principal at the 9th Grade and 6th/7th Grade Center, after coming to Union in 2015. Moore arrived at Union from Coweta High School, where he taught Marketing and Web Design. He was active in a wide variety of coaching and leadership positions, as well as spearheading the charge for districtwide technology upgrades and a revamped secondary business curriculum. Prior to beginning a career in education, Moore was in the private sector for several years, with a focus in business management. He earned his master's degree in educational leadership from Southern Nazarene University in 2015, and also holds a degree in Economics from the University of Oklahoma. He received his doctorate from Southern Nazarene University.
Kevin (Beau) Brannon will replace Moore as principal at the Union High School Freshman Academy.
Brannon previously served the school as assistant principal, a position he has held since 2018. He is a 2008 graduate of Muldrow High School, where he was an All-State selection at wide receiver before spending a year at the University of Tulsa. He finished his bachelor’s degree in middle childhood education at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith in 2012, a master’s degree in educational leadership at Arkansas State University in 2016, and the superintendent program in 2020. Brannon spent his first year at Alma Public Schools in Alma, Ark., in 2012 before spending three years at Keys High School in Keys, Okla. At Union, he worked with football players while teaching geometry at the High School.
Board Approves New Bathroom Policy in Accordance with State Law
The Board of Education adopted a new school policy designating the use of multioccupancy restrooms at all school sites by a person’s gender according to their birth certificate, in accordance with state law and the recent passage of SB615.
The policy states that restrooms designated for males be utilized only by students’ whose birth certificate states they were born male and vice versa for female. “Sex,” for the purpose of this policy is defined as the physical condition of being male or female based on genetics and physiology, as identified on the individual’s original birth certificate.
“Multiple occupancy restroom or changing area” is defined as an area in a public school or public charter school building designed or designated to be used by more than one individual at a time, where individuals may be in various stages of undress in the presence of other individuals. The term may include but is not limited to a school restroom, locker room, changing room, or shower room.
If an individual does not wish to comply with using the appropriate restroom or changing room based on sex as defined herein, the district shall provide a reasonable accommodation by providing access to a gender neutral, single-occupancy restroom or changing room.
Superintendent Dr. Kirt Hartzler said, “We will treat every Union student with dignity and respect. At the same time, we have a law that we need to abide by. That said, I trust all of our administrators to handle all of these situations with respect.”
Board Approves Moving Forward on Replacing HVAC at Peters Elementary
Board members approved an agreement with Henderson Engineers for the replacement of the HVAC system at Peters Elementary in the amount of $206,200.
The design of this project will replace the 1980 two-pipe chiller/boiler system with a new VRF heat recovery system augmented with rooftop dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units for treated outdoor air supply, said Fred Isaacs, director of Construction Services. Other systems to be upgraded during construction will be the lighting system, the fire alarm system, and the data/network cabling system, similar to what is being competed at Jarman Elementary.
In other action, the Board:
Approved the newly revised Safe Return and Continuity of Services Plan (the “Covid Plan”) for the 2022-23 school year. Changes to the plan include easing some of the restrictions to building visitors and the cohorting of students during meal service has been discontinued. Face masks are not mandatory (except for a five-day requirement for those returning to school after a positive Covid test); otherwise, masks will remain an option for those who want to wear them.
Approved increasing the cost of adult meals in accordance with federal law. Breakfast meals will increase from $2 a meal to $2.30, and lunch will increase from $4.15 to $4.85.
Approved an agreement with Corwin, a Sage Publishing Company, for professional development workshops and job-embedded in-person coaching support with the Teacher Clarity process at five elementary sites (Andersen, Cedar Ridge, Clark, Jarman, and Peters) and three secondary sites (Union 6th/7th Grade Center, UHS Freshman Academy, and Union High School). The cost will be $182,276, with funding coming from Title II monies.
Approved the expenditure of up to $1.03 million to purchase textbooks, supplemental curriculum, and software for the 2022-2023 school year. This amount represents $93,351 of carryover from the 2021-2022 school year and $936,956.24 from the 2022-2023 school year, allocated from state funds to Union Public Schools.
Renewed an agreement with Imagine Learning for software subscriptions for all elementary schools and the 6th/7th Grade Center for $194,337.
Approved an agreement with Oklahoma State University College of Education and the Human Sciences School Psychology Program that allows Union to serve as a practicum site for graduate research associates and graduate research assistants. The graduate students will work in partnership with selected school psychologists. The program will occur at selected school sites throughout the district.
Lindsay Smith, director of Special Services, explained there is a nationwide shortage of qualified school psychologists. Through this partnership, Union Public Schools is providing an opportunity for graduate students to gain the knowledge and experience to serve in the capacity of a school psychologist. Oklahoma State University is providing an opportunity for its graduate students to broaden their understanding of the importance of quality school psychologists in a large urban/ suburban school district.
Approved the purchase of Math Learning Center curriculum for students K-5 for a total of $116,805.
Approved an agreement with Tulsa Community College to continue its partnership with Union for the EDGE - Earn a Degree, Graduate Early program, an early college high school program. To date, Union has had six cohorts of students: the class of 2021 had 28 students; 2022 (31 students); 2023 (35 students); 2024 (44 students); 2025 (46 students); and 2026 (62 students). Starting their sophomore year, students follow a standard sequence of college-level coursework. Most classes are held at the High School, but a few summer classes, lab classes, and elective classes may be held on a TCC campus or virtually when needed. Students will receive dual credit for all TCC courses taken and passed.
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Dr. Kenneth Moore was named executive director of Secondary Curriculum. He will assume the role after John Federline, who was promoted last year to assistant superintendent.
Kevin (Beau) Brannon will replace Moore as principal at the Union High School Freshman Academy.
“Multiple occupancy restroom or changing area” is defined as an area in a public school or public charter school building designed or designated to be used by more than one individual at a time, where individuals may be in various stages of undress in the presence of other individuals. The term may include but is not limited to a school restroom, locker room, changing room, or shower room.
The design of this project will replace the 1980 two-pipe chiller/boiler system with a new VRF heat recovery system augmented with rooftop dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units for treated outdoor air supply, said Fred Isaacs, director of Construction Services. Other systems to be upgraded during construction will be the lighting system, the fire alarm system, and the data/network cabling system, similar to what is being competed at Jarman Elementary.
