Welcome to Union Academy
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Welcome to Union Academy!
It is an honor and privilege to serve as Union Academy’s fifth head of school since our inception in 2000. While UA has grown into one of the largest and most successful charter schools in North Carolina, we remain grounded in our founder’s mission as an innovative school of character.
UA develops the whole child, academically, emotionally, socially, physically and artistically. Challenge, Character and Community are the three founding pillars that guide our work and ongoing service to young people. More than 240 teachers, coaches and staff are dedicated and eager to help our students learn to lead lives of purpose and service.
I encourage you to spend time exploring our dynamic new website! It is full of information about our great school. On behalf of my fellow UA educators, I am excited about the 2022-23 school year and hope to see you on campus.
Go Cardinals!
John D. Marshall
Head of School
What Defines a Great School
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Having worked in education for more than thirty years, I often hear parents proclaim that their child attends a great school, while others lament that their school falls short. My first thought is, “How do you know?” I often ask the parent if their school has a stated mission statement and core values. Do they believe the school is living up to its mission and values? How do we know? What are the metrics? There is an timeless adage - What gets measured, gets done.
Currently, North Carolina evaluates its schools on one thing: standardized test scores. Each year the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) gives every school in the state a letter grade (A - F) based on student test performance. These tests are designed to assess the following: 1) whether a student performs at grade level in reading and mathematics; and 2) whether an individual student is demonstrating academic “growth” over time (usually defined in years).
Is the current approach the best way to evaluate school quality?
Many leaders across our state believe the current system for evaluating public schools is broken. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Catherine Truitt believes the model is flawed because it overemphasizes student test scores, while not accounting for other important ways schools prepare students for success. Superintendent Truitt envisions the model including a host of measures - not solely test scores.
What might be other measures to assess school quality? In an age of rising violence, what about an annual safety audit of a school? What about a metric to measure student or parent community service or volunteerism, or attendance? Schools could even review parent or student survey results, with questions focusing on if the school is fulfilling its mission. What about including a writing component? All in all, there are a host of factors parents could agree on that define a great school. Creating metrics to assess these factors is the important work of DPI.
At Union Academy, we are a nationally-recognized school of character. We believe character development and community service are as important as academic performance. Our mission is to develop the whole child. We prepare students for college and life by teaching a curriculum that both prepares them for standardized tests as well as what it means to become a responsible adult. Developing soft skills in students is fundamental to our mission at UA. And we seek to measure all of that.
Are standardized tests vital in N.C. public education? Without a doubt, especially to help our underserved Black and Hispanic students have a better chance for success in college and life. However, a school - which is a community of students, parents and educators - is much more than the sum of its students’ test scores.
The state of North Carolina should expand its thinking as to what constitutes a great school.
John D. Marshall has served as head of school at Union Academy Charter School in Monroe since 2020. He was recently invited by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt to represent charter schools on a state-wide advisory group for testing and accountability. This group is part of a new DPI initiative called Operation Polaris.
Mr. Marshall: The Future of UA
Meet the Administrative Team
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John Marshall, Head of School
Mr. Marshall began his career as a high school history teacher and baseball and football coach. For more than a dozen years, he served as head of school at three schools, and he served in senior administrative roles at several other schools. Mr. Marshall brings with him a wealth of experience and leadership qualities he has developed from his more than thirty years in K-12 education. He has worked in a variety of teaching, coaching, and administrative roles.
Mr. Marshall earned a B.A. in History from UNC-Chapel Hill, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was a member of the 1982 ACC Championship baseball team. Marshall also holds an M.B.A. from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a Master’s in Education Administration from Teachers College at Columbia University in New York City.
Mr. Marshall joined Union Academy as Head of School in July 2020. In April 2022, the UA Board extended his contract through 2027.
Contact: jmarshall@unionacademy.org
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Shannen Bretz, Lower School Principal
Shannen Bretz is the K-4 principal for Union Academy. He grew up in Napoleon, Ohio and attended University of Dayton where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. Upon graduating he began teaching middle school math and coaching football, basketball, baseball and track in Greensboro, NC. He earned his Master’s Degree in Administration at the University of Phoenix. He continued his career at Sardis Elementary as a fifth grade teacher until coming to UA.
Contact: sbretz@unionacademy.org
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Scott Broome, Middle School 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
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Jim Zorn, High School 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
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Sherryann Sylvestre, Dean of Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction
Sherryann Sylvestre is the Dean of Curriculum, Assessment, and Inclusion (K-12). In this role, she utilizes 18 years of her professional background working with schools and school districts across the country. Specifically, Sherryann manages K-12 initiatives, including efforts with beginning teachers, and leads UA’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. She joined Union Academy in 2013, serving as a high school counselor.
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. Jaden attends Davidson College and is a graduate of Union Academy.
Contact: ssylvestre@unionacademy.org
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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.
Jennifer and her husband, Ray, have two children, Delaney and Nicholas, who both graduated from Union Academy.
Contact: jsmith@unionacademy.org
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Christi Bramhall, Executive Assistant
Christi Bramhall grew up in Matthews, NC and graduated with a bachelors degree from Phiffer 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.
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