It is with joy and gratitude that I welcome our East Union Elementary Eagles and families back to school for a fabulous 2024-2025 school year!  I have lived in Union County and served the East Union district for the past 40 years as a teacher and principal, and I cannot imagine a better place to live, work, and raise children. 

As I reflect upon my career here, it seems that the number “4” appears whenever a significant change occurs. I was hired right out of college in 1984; my first teaching assignment was in the Arispe building.  The elementary buildings closed and we became centrally located in Afton in 1994. In 2004, I transitioned from teaching to administration, when I accepted the elementary principal position.  And now, in the year 2024, we find ourselves in another type of transition to that of a four day week.  

Change can be exciting, but there is the “fear of the unknown” factor. Our elementary teachers and support staff members have been working very hard over the summer to prepare for this transition, and I think that the excitement is outweighing the fear.  We have gone through many changes over the past four decades here at East Union, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the goodness, the caring, the kindness, the sincerity, the welcoming nature of our staff and community members. East Union is a special place, and if there is any doubt, here is an example of one of our incoming fourth grader’s thoughts on the subject, from a writing assignment titled "What Being an Eagle Means to Me:"

“I am an Eagle, and that means I am a lot of things. Being an Eagle is part of me, and I wouldn’t be anything else. When you’re an Eagle, you treat people like you want to be treated. Being an Eagle means being respectful and responsible. In our class, we have fun learning, and as Eagles, we are kind and we respect everyone.  I feel good about being an Eagle because it’s my life!”

I couldn’t have said it better. Welcome Back, Everyone!