Union County Real Estate Talk

International Baccalaureate Program in Union County NC Schools

The International Baccalaureate Program or IB Program is a rigorous two-year course of study based on international standards.  The IB Program is available in the Union County Public Schools at Marvin Ridge High School.

Rising juniors may apply to be accepted into this program.  The next application process will accept applications between January 2 and January 25, 2012.

Marvin Ridge High School offers IB courses in six groups.  A student must take all the courses in the program unlike the Advanced Placement program where students can select courses only in their areas of interest.

Click here to learn more about the IB Program at Marvin Ridge High School.

Want to know more about Union County NC schools?  Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *International Baccalaureate Program in Union County NC Schools*

Union County NC Schools SAT Scores Top State and National Averages

2011 SAT scores for high school seniors around the country were just released.  The Union County Public Schools (UCPS) fared very well in the most recent tests with average scores above state and national averages.  The average score in UCPS was 1518 compared with an average of 1475 in North Carolina.  The Union County average was the highest of area school districts.

Individual high schools serving the towns of Weddington, Waxhaw, Marvin, Indian Trail, Wesley Chapel and Stallings scored above the Union County overall average.  The table below shows these schools along with their 2011 SAT scores.  Learn more about each high school by clicking on the name of the school.

Union County NC public schools also ranked #1 in AYP testing for the 2010-2011 school year among North Carolina’s 15 largest school districts.  Read more here:  Union County NC Schools Rank #1 in AYP Testing.

Want to know more about real estate and living in Union County NC?  Request a free Union County NC relocation package.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors. *Union County NC Schools SAT Scores Top State and National Averages*

Union County NC Schools Rank #1 in AYP Testing

The Union County NC School Board recently announced the preliminary results of the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) testing for the 2010-2011 school year.  Union County Public Schools (UCPS) ranked #1 among North Carolina’s 15 largest school districts.

AYP is the measurement component of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation.  AYP measures the yearly progress of schools against yearly targets in reading and mathematics.  The targets included both proficiency and participation goals.  Goals are set higher in three year increments.  AYP reports grade level performance for schools as a whole and for sub-groups within each school.

How did the Union County schools do this year?

Thirty-two out of 52 schools met their AYP goals this year.  61.5% of the schools achieved 100% of their target goals.  Additionally, seven schools missed meeting their AYP goals by only one goal.  The district as a whole met 64 out of 73 goals or 87.7%.

How did Union County’s AYP results compare with other large NC school districts?

The large school district closest to UCPS results only had 29.3% of its schools meeting their AYP goals.  Click here to see AYP results for individual Union County NC schools. 

Want to know more about real estate and living in Union County NC?  Click here to receive a free Union County NC relocation package.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Union County NC Schools Rank #1 in AYP Testing*

Union County NC School Supply Lists and Bus Schedules

The Union County NC public school system is a large county-wide system.  School starts this year on August 25th.  Before school starts, parents need to know what supplies their children will need and when the bus will arrive to pick them up.

If you are the parent of a student in the Union County Public Schools, where can you find the answers to these questions? 

When you are ready for back-to-school shopping, you should check out the website for your child’s school.  Each of the schools in the Union County Public Schools has its own website.  To find the site, go to the UCPS website, then click on Schools.  You’ll find a list of schools and links to individual school websites.

Each school’s website has important announcements at the top of the page.  Scroll through the announcements to find the supply lists for each grade at the school.

What about bus schedules?  Union County has a fleet of over 300 buses that cover 29,000 miles per day.  That adds up to over 5 million miles per year.  The most densely populated school clusters have staggered schedules for the middle and high schools to reduce traffic around the schools.

Parents will receive bus stop times for their children in the mail in August.  UCPS attempts to have a bus stop within 0.2 mile for elementary students and within 0.4 mile for middle and high school students.

Want to know more about real estate and living in Union County NC?  Request a free Union County NC relocation package.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Union County NC School Supply Lists and Bus Schedules*

Union County NC Schools Calendar

Most Union County NC schools operate on a traditional calendar.  The first day of school this year is August 25th. The last day of the 2011-2012 school year is June 8, 2012.

If you are a newcomer to Union County, you may be surprised that the school year starts before Labor Day.  Historically, schools in North Carolina opened in August and ended in May.  For many years, the school calendar moved earlier and earlier in the month of August until students spent most of August in school.  Several years ago, business people at the coast and in the mountains complained to the State Legislature that they were losing too much business in August because families had to get their children into school.  So…the Legislature passed a law that the school year could begin no earlier than August 25th.

You can count on school beginning on August 25th or very close to it every year.  Click here to see the Union County Public School traditional calendar.

Union County Public Schools also operate seven year-round schools.  The year-round schools are Benton Heights Elementary School of the Arts, East Elementary, Shiloh Elementary, Walter Bickett Elementary, Monroe Middle School, Wolfe School, and Walter Bickett Education Center.  The 2011-2012 school year for year-round schools started on July 25th.  Click here to see the Union County Public School year-round calendar.

Want to know more about real estate and living in Union County NC? Request a free Union County relocation package.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Union County NC Schools Calendar*

Union County NC Schools—Sun Valley District

Considering a move to Union County NC?  If so, two questions are at the top of your list.  Where will I live?  Where will my children go to school? 

Every child in Union County is served by the Union County Public Schools (UCPS).  UCPS is a large, county-wide school system.  It is organized into districts for the purposes of pupil assignment.  These districts are called clusters and they are organized around the county high schools.  Each of the nine high schools has a set of elementary schools and a middle school that feed into the high school.

Learn more about the Union County NC schools: Union County NC Relocation—Public Schools and What You Need to Know

Sun Valley Cluster

The Sun Valley cluster of schools serves areas of Indian Trail NC and Monroe NC.  Three elementary schools plus some students in two other elementaries and one middle school feed into Sun Valley High School.  These schools, with a link to details about each school, are listed below.

Union County Neighborhoods in the Sun Valley Cluster

This is a partial list of neighborhoods served by the Sun Valley schools. Click on each neighborhood to see a profile of the neighborhood and homes for sale.

School assignments are subject to change.  Check with UCPS for current pupil assignment.

Want to know more about the schools and living in Union County NC?  Click here to request a free Union County relocation package.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Union County NC Schools—Sun Valley District*

Union County NC Schools—Sun Valley Middle School 

Sun Valley Middle
1409 Wesley Chapel Road
Indian Trail NC 28079
704-296-3009

School Mascot:  Spartans
School Colors:  Maroon, Gold and White

Sun Valley Middle School in Indian Trail NC is located in the Sun Valley Schools complex with Shiloh Elementary, Sun Valley High School and Sun Valley Elementary School.  Sun Valley Middle School serves grades six, seven and eight.  Sun Valley Middle School students attend Sun Valley High School.  Feeder elementaries for the school are Indian Trail Elementary, Rocky River Elementary (partial), Sardis Elementary (partial), Porter Ridge (partial), Shiloh Elementary, and Sun Valley Elementary.

Approximately 1200 students currently attend the school.  Average class sizes range from 25 to 27 students.  In 2009-2010, Sun Valley Middle School was named a North Carolina Honor School of Distinction with High Growth.

Sun Valley Middle High School Report Card

Student performance at Sun Valley Middle can be found at NC School Report Cards.

Student Assignment

Attendance areas for Union County Public Schools are subject to change.  Check the Union County Public Schools Student Assignment Finderto verify school assignment for a particular property or neighborhood.

Learn more about the Union County NC public schools.

Union County NC Schools—Eight Things You Should Know

Union County NC Relocation—Public Schools and What You Need to Know

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Union County NC Schools—Sun Valley Middle School*

Union County NC Schools—Sun Valley Elementary School 

Sun Valley Elementary
5200 Rogers Road
Monroe NC 28110
704-290-1559

School Mascot:  Spartans
School Colors:  Red and Gold

Sun Valley Elementary in Indian Trail NC is located in the Sun Valley Schools complex with Shiloh Elementary, Sun Valley High School and Sun Valley Middle School.  Sun Valley Elementary School is a few years old, the newest school in the complex. The school operates on a traditional calendar with grades Pre-K through 5.

Approximately 630 students currently attend the school.  Average class sizes range from 18 to 23 students.  In 2009-2010, Sun Valley Elementary School was named a North Carolina Honor School of Distinction with High Growth.

Sun Valley Elementary High School Report Card

Student performance at Sun Valley Elementary can be found at NC School Report Cards.

Student Assignment

Attendance areas for Union County Public Schools are subject to change.  Check the Union County Public Schools Student Assignment Finder to verify school assignment for a particular property or neighborhood.

Learn more about the Union County NC public schools.

Union County NC Schools—Eight Things You Should Know

Union County NC Relocation—Public Schools and What You Need to Know

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Union County NC Schools—Sun Valley Elementary School*

Union County NC Schools—Indian Trail Elementary School 

Indian Trail Elementary
200 Education Road
Indian Trail NC
704-821-7614

School Mascot:  Timberwolves
School Colors:  Yellow and Red

Indian Trail Elementary in Indian Trail NC is located in the heart of the town.  With an older building at its core, Indian Trail Elementary has served Indian Trail students for many years.  The school operates on a traditional calendar with grades Pre-K through 5.

Approximately 690 students currently attend the school.  Average class sizes range from 20 to 23 students.  In 2009-2010, Indian Trail Elementary School was named a North Carolina Honor School of Excellence with High Growth.

Indian Trail Elementary High School Report Card

Student performance at Indian Trail Elementary can be found at NC School Report Cards.

Student Assignment

Attendance areas for Union County Public Schools are subject to change.  Check the Union County Public Schools Student Assignment Finder to verify school assignment for a particular property or neighborhood.

Learn more about the Union County NC public schools.

Union County NC Schools—Eight Things You Should Know

Union County NC Relocation—Public Schools and What You Need to Know

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Union County NC Schools—Indian Trail Elementary School*

Union County NC Schools—Shiloh Elementary School 

Shiloh Elementary
5210 Rogers Road
Monroe NC 28110
704-296-3035

School Mascot:  Bulldogs
School Colors:  Yellow and Blue

Shiloh Elementary in Indian Trail NC is Union County’s only year-round school.  Located on the campus of the Sun Valley schools complex, Shiloh serves grades pre-K through 5.  Shiloh Elementary opened for the 1992-93 school year and has had two additions since then.  Shiloh has a high tech media center with over 17,000 titles available to students.

Approximately 620 students currently attend the school in 26 classrooms.  Average class sizes range from 17 to 24 students.  In 2009-2010, Shiloh Elementary School was named a North Carolina Honor School of Excellence with High Growth.

Shiloh Elementary High School Report Card

Student performance at Shiloh Elementary can be found at NC School Report Cards.

Student Assignment

Attendance areas for Union County Public Schools are subject to change.  Check the Union County Public Schools Student Assignment Finder to verify school assignment for a particular property or neighborhood.

Learn more about the Union County NC public schools.

Union County NC Schools—Eight Things You Should Know

Union County NC Relocation—Public Schools and What You Need to Know

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Union County NC Schools—Shiloh Elementary School*