Union County High School students will soon experience exciting opportunities to learn and train in new and renovated facilities designed for career & technical education, athletic conditioning, and extracurricular activities.
In a special-called meeting last Friday evening, the Union County Board of Education approved to award bids and purchase orders for a major renovation project that will include:
- renovating the trade school at Union County High School
- building a multipurpose facility that will house a wrestling training area as well as a fieldhouse for multiple student groups
- adding two tennis courts on campus
- constructing a new maintenance building
The project is made possible by an $8.5 million grant allocated by the Kentucky General Assembly to Union County Public Schools for the renovation of the locally-operated vocational center. The school system received the grant in 2022 and has been working on various planning aspects of the project over the last several years. School leaders have collaborated closely with UCHS career and technical education (CTE) teachers, UCHS athletic coaches and administrators, community industry leaders, architects, engineers, and construction managers to design spaces that meet the needs of our students and community in a way that is financially feasible for the district.
Superintendent Dr. Terra Hancock noted, “After two and a half years of dedicated working sessions, board meetings, and countless hours of planning and designing, this vision has transformed into something that all of Union County can truly be proud of.” The Board’s approval Friday evening moves the project forward, allowing contractors to begin purchasing materials to start construction.
The Union County Vocational School was originally constructed in 1963. This expansion and substantial renovation will touch every aspect of the building and will be one of the most significant building projects with regard to academic programming for Union County Schools. The project will include creating classroom and lab spaces for five CTE program areas including agriculture, business, computer science, engineering, and health science. The project will also include the construction of a new storage building, greenhouse, and fenced-in outdoor work space directly behind the trade school to be used for student agriculture projects.
Dr. Hancock highlighted the significance of the plans. “Renovating our vocational school is a vital step in building upon our workforce development successes,” she shared. “This renovation will provide students with greater access to hands-on vocational experiences, opening doors to promising career paths. With nearly 90% of our high school students currently engaged in CTE programs, this expansion will be one of the most impactful academic projects in Union County Schools' history.”
Due to the design of the existing Union County vocational building, several areas of the facility are currently used for purposes other than career and technical education. Those spaces include a wrestling practice area, a weight room, and a maintenance shop. However, to maximize the grant funding, which is approved only for renovation of Local Area Vocational Education Centers, the school system must create new spaces to house those non-CTE programs.
To address part of those needs, the Board plans to construct a multipurpose building behind the high school near the current football practice field. The 29,000 square-foot facility will feature dedicated spaces for boys and girls wrestling as well as a weight room and an open high-bay fieldhouse area that can be used as additional practice and conditioning space for other teams.
The space may be utilized by a wide range of student athletic, academic, and co-curricular groups for practices and events. Currently, teams often have to juggle practice times to share use of gym space. The new fieldhouse will open new options for practice areas to better accommodate needs of students and provide an alternative site for training during inclement weather. Additionally, the facility will provide a valuable space for community events and create opportunities to generate funding for students through tournaments, camps, and clinics. Two tennis courts will also be constructed next to the fieldhouse, allowing the UCHS tennis team to practice and compete on campus for the first time.
Furthermore, to meet the needs of the maintenance department, the Board will oversee construction of a new maintenance shop to be built on property near the bus garage. The 4,000-square-foot building will be utilized as a work and storage area and also serve as an intake center for large deliveries. School leaders believe the facility will enhance the district’s ability to keep buildings in top condition, ensuring that staff, students, and the community continue to enjoy safe and well-maintained learning environments.
The entire project, including the renovations for the vocational center along with the new construction of the multipurpose building, tennis courts, and maintenance shop, is estimated to take 21 months to complete with construction conducted in multiple phases.
The project's overall cost is calculated to be roughly $19.7 million. Of that cost, $9.7 million will be paid with funds provided from the vocational grant and interest earned. The remaining amount will be paid with bonds. The district’s fiscal agent reported to the Board that the cost of the project is determined to fall well within the Board’s bonding capacity while still leaving funds for other facility needs.
Dr. Hancock expressed her gratitude to be able to move forward with the project and emphasized the lasting impact it will have. “We are thrilled to see this project become a reality for our students, staff, and the entire community!” she shared. “This project represents a bright future for Union County, and we are excited about the opportunities it will create for generations to come!”
