May 2, 2022 – Monroe, NC – The Union Academy Board of Directors has approved a five (5) year contract extension for Head of School John D. Marshall. Marshall has been Head of School of Union Academy since July 2020 and has spent much of the past two years leading students and staff through an unprecedented pandemic while also acclimating to a new school culture.
“I am deeply honored the Board has given me this opportunity to serve our great school in this next chapter. Despite the immense challenges of the pandemic, UA has grown stronger and more cohesive. I am proud of our staff, especially our teachers: we are pulling together. Teacher retention and parent volunteerism is outstanding, and school field trips and community service projects are again going full force this spring,” said Mr. Marshall.
Demand for UA remains extremely strong across South Charlotte, with 2022-23 applications at a three-year high and a waiting list that exceeds 1,100. “As Union County and the surrounding areas continue to grow, UA is poised to remain a K-12 leader as a recognized national school of character with a core mission to develop the whole child,” said Board Chair Kevin Sells.
As Mr. Marshall’s second school year comes to a close, the senior class is preparing to graduate after more than two tumultuous years of learning. “I am extraordinarily proud of the Class of 2022. It features numerous outstanding seniors who have excelled in academics, athletics, and the arts.”
Union Academy has broken ground on a $4 million baseball/softball complex named in honor of former longtime star teacher Ken Stanley who passed away due to Covid. The ballfields will be completed in September. This follows the addition of a brand new track in 2021, further enhancing one of the most impressive charter school campuses (70 acres) in the state.
“The partnership between the school and the UA Foundation has built an incredible campus. We have been blessed with community support over the years from thousands of families,” stated Mr. Marshall.
Marshall is currently completing his 15th year as a school head and 32nd year in K-12 education. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UNC – Chapel Hill, Marshall also holds an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University as well as a MEd. from Teachers College at Columbia University in New York. He played on the 1982 ACC Championship baseball team and earned academic all-conference honors.
According to Marshall, “This is an extraordinary time for UA. In the years ahead, we will double down on what has made us one of the most successful charters in the country. We will raise the bar for academic achievement, character development, and program innovation. We will continue to inspire families to invest themselves as eager volunteers in school life. More than ever, we will know and love every single child, preparing them for lives of purpose and service.”
Union Academy, established in 2000, is a K-12 public charter school and the first in Union County. In 2016 and 2021, UA was recognized as a North Carolina and National School of Character (5-year award). UA was also voted the Best Charter in the Charlotte Region (2021) and a Charlotte Business Journal Healthiest Workplace (2020, 2021).
