Union Public School District trustees approved two new principals for the 2019-20 school year Thursday at a special called meeting at the District Central Office.
Beginning July 1, Principal Lee Killen, who served as principal at Union Middle School last year, will take over Brett Rigby’s as principal of Union High School. UPSD announced Rigby’s resignation earlier this month.
The board also approved Dr. Steven Holifield to serve as Union Middle School Principal for the upcoming year. Holifield, who has served as assistant principal at Southeast Lauderdale Elementary for nine years, was one of seven applicants for the position.
Superintendent Tyler Hansford said he was impressed by Holifield’s research into UPSD during the interview process.
“We shared with Dr. Holifield our strengths and weaknesses, and what probably impressed me the most was that he already knew about them because he had been proactive enough to look them up,” he said. “I really appreciated that.”
Both Killen and Holifield will assume their new roles on July 1.
In other business, Hansford told the board District Bookkeeper Abby Winstead had found some unspent funds from the 2018-19 school year during her budget preparation process. With those funds, he said the district hopes to get a head start on some technology purchases needed for next year.
“Ms. Winstead found about $30,000, $32,000 in some unused funds,” he said. “So, we’re going to make some technology purchases.”
Hansford said the plan was to purchase 145 Chromebooks, which students use to complete assignments and do homework. The 145 computers would give the district a 1-to-1 ratio of Chromebooks to students in grades 5-12, he said, meaning the district would have enough for each student to have their own.
