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.
Mrs. Yermack has spent 23 years in education—14 of them right here at UA. She’s worn many hats, including Academic Dean, Director of Accountability and Testing, Middle School Principal, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal in both our Lower and Middle Schools. No matter the title, Mrs. Yermack leads with heart and always puts students first.
A Union County native and proud Monroe High graduate, Mrs. Yermack earned both her BS in Mathematics and Education and her Master’s in Educational Leadership from Wingate University. She and her husband Mike have two daughters—Kathryn, a rising 9th grader, and Kennedy, a rising 7th grader. UA isn’t just her workplace—it’s her family’s school home, too.
She believes in educating the whole child and knows that strong academics, strong character, and a strong connection to our community all matter. That’s what makes Union Academy special—and that’s what she’s committed to protecting and growing.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Christi Bramhall grew up in Matthews, NC and graduated with a bachelors degree from Pfeiffer University. After 17 years in the financial industry she joined UA in 2015.
Christi and her husband, Steve have two daughters who attend Union Academy.
