About UA

Union Academy is a K-12 tuition-free NC public charter school. Admission is lottery based and is open to any school-aged student in North Carolina. Please see our Admissions page for more information about the lottery process.

To define what makes Union Academy an important place to so many is not an easy task. It may have been the special spirit of starting a new venture that so many experienced in the spring and summer of 2000. Or it may be the challenge of being a part of helping to make everything happen on a daily basis. Or it may be the spirit of collaboration and trust that has become ever so apparent as the school has developed.

One thing is for certain, UA is a special place because it is populated by special people. One of our UA Board members put it this way, “The spirit of Union Academy is embodied in people who are willing to do whatever needs to be done.” That spirit of collaboration and selflessness together with an extraordinary emphasis on academic challenge, community service, and the development of strong character certainly defines UA.

Want to learn more about what makes Union Academy an amazing place? Visit our We Are UA page for detailed information.

Meet the Administrative Team

Alison Simpson, Head of School

Mrs. Simpson joined Union Academy in August 2024. She holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Delaware, a master's degree in Elementary Education from Wilmington University, and a specialist's degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

With 24 years of experience in education, including eleven years in charter school leadership, Mrs. Simpson has demonstrated her dedication and expertise. She has spent the last eight years as the Head Principal at Union Preparatory Academy at Indian Trail, a school she founded in 2016.

Mrs. Simpson is married to her husband Scott, and they have two sons, Nate and Kurt.

Jack James, Chief Operating Officer

Jack James has over 20 years of experience in organization management and leadership, most recently with AT&T and DirecTV, where he focused on process design and improvement, project management and operations. In addition to his business experience, Mr. James has been an active volunteer in the UA and Charter community for the last 9 years.

Mr. James holds a B.A. in Sociology from UNC-Charlotte and an M.B.A from Wake Forest University. In addition to his volunteer work at Union Academy, he serves on the board of Community Health Services of Union County. He and his wife, Randi, have 2 children, Allie and Tyler, who both attended Union Academy.

Contact: jjames@unionacademy.org

Lizzie Morris, Lower School K-2 Principal

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Morris is the lower school principal for Union Academy. She grew up in Weddington, North Carolina and attended University of North Carolina Wilmington and Charlotte where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She began teaching in the Charlotte- Mecklenburg school district and then Union County Public Schools. After 10 years of teaching elementary school, she joined Union Academy in 2018 and taught middle school. In 2019, Lizzie earned her Master’s Degree in School Administration from Gardner-Webb University. Lizzie continues to have a passion for supporting teachers and building strong relationships with the students at Union Academy.

Email: emorris@unionacademy.org

Setrina Byrd, Intermediate School 3-5 Principal

Mrs. Byrd’s background includes 11 years as an elementary teacher and an additional 11 years as an Elementary Literacy Specialist and Curriculum Coach in Union County Schools. She began her administrative journey at Monroe Middle School, where she served as Assistant Principal for two years before joining us at Union Academy as the Middle School Assistant Principal, a position she has held for the last three years.

Email: sbyrd@unionacademy.org

Scott Broome, Middle School 6-8 Principal

With 30 years of experience in Union County Public Schools, Mr. Broome served as a classroom teacher for 10 years before becoming an administrative assistant and assistant principal. He finished his last 16 years as a principal at the elementary and middle school levels.

With a strong background in curriculum and data driven instruction, Mr. Broome is skilled in improving test scores, increasing staff morale, and mentoring teachers and new principals.

Mr. Broome met his wife, Teresa, when they were teaching in the same school. They have one daughter, Katie, and one grandson, Cooper.

Contact: sbroome@unionacademy.org

Jim Zorn, High School 9-12 Principal

Mr. Zorn joined Union Academy in the summer of 2014, following nine years of service with Union County Public School System as an assistant principal. His career began at Walnut Creek Middle School in Pennsylvania, where he taught 8th grade math for five years before moving to North Carolina in 2005.

Mr. Zorn grew up in Angola, NY and graduated from Lake Shore Central High School. He received his undergraduate degree from Mercyhurst University in Mathematics Education and earned his master’s degree in School Administration from Edinboro University.

Contact: jzorn@unionacademy.org

Sherryann Sylvestre, K-12 Dean

Sherryann Sylvestre is the K-12 Dean at Union Academy, serving for three decades in education. As a member of the school leadership team, she leads K-12 initiatives, including the Beginning Teacher Support Program, School Improvement Plan, implementation of UA’s five-year strategy plan, and other continuous improvement efforts. Sherryann joined Union Academy in 2013.

Sherryann holds a B.A. from Wheaton College in Massachusetts and an M.Ed. from Strayer University. She and her husband, Vladimir, have two sons. Jahmai is an alum of Elon University and enrolled in graduate studies at Elon. Jaden, UA ’20, is an alum of Davidson College and pursuing graduate studies at Wake Forest University.

Contact: ssylvestre@unionacademy.org

Jennifer Sutton Smith, Communications Director

Jennifer Sutton Smith graduated from Wingate University with a degree in English and Education. She began her career as a teacher and coach in Union County Public Schools.

In 2006 Jennifer joined the staff of Union Academy as an English teacher and yearbook adviser. During her tenure, she also held the position of instructional coach and was promoted to communications director in 2018. She is a former cheer coach for UA and Wingate University.

Jennifer is a proud Monroe Rotarian where she serves on the board for communications. She is also a board member for the Council on Aging.

Jennifer and her husband, Ray, have two children, Delaney and Nicholas, who both graduated from Union Academy.

Contact: jsmith@unionacademy.org