Freshman Academy Profile
Mission
The mission of the Union Freshman Academy is to empower students to embrace the challenges that come with the foundational first year of high school by providing an experience that intentionally transitions students from middle school to high school.
Vision
We envision each student in an inclusive environment that promotes student engagement while providing a safe atmosphere that enables students to strive for credit sufficiency in a setting that is functional as well as inspirational in the pursuit of 100% Graduation, College and/or Career Ready.
UFA Core Values
- Empowerment
- Engagement
- Inclusion
- Inspire
The Union Way
The Union Way is exemplified at the Union High School Freshman Academy by a dynamic staff that consistently makes significant contributions to the lives of our students. We work every day to ensure that our students will have a string academic foundation so they may take full advantage of all Union has to offer. Our goal is that every ninth grader in our building will earn their degree from Union High School. We have a public and private commitment to making 100 percent of our students college and career ready
We are taking powerful steps to eliminate anonymity and isolation and create a culture where collaboration is highly valued and student achievement is the primary focus for all stakeholders. Teachers meet together every Friday morning to continually refine instructional methods, review student work, and evaluate learning. This built in collaboration time allows teachers to be innovative and to constantly enhance our pyramid of intervention for students.
Accreditation
The Union High School Freshman Academy is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
U-Time
Students at the Union High School Freshman Academy have an incredible learning opportunity every Wednesday called U-Time. This time is built into our schedule as a provision for students to receive instruction in areas such as Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) aspects, learning how to calculate GPA, goal setting, time management, and working towards developing an Individual Career Academic Plan (ICAP), a process that helps students engage in academic and career development activities and a product that is created and maintained for students’ academic, career and personal advancement.
Research clearly shows that students involved in co-curricular activities have a much greater chance of attaining high test scores and graduating on time. So, in addition to a relevant, rigorous academic curriculum, Union’s ninth graders are exposed to fine arts and athletic programs that are consistently recognized as the best in the state. Students have the opportunity to participate in performing arts such as band, orchestra, and drama, as well as visual arts such as drawing and ceramics. Union’s twenty-three athletic programs are in contention for state titles on a yearly basis and ninth graders are able to participate on competitive teams at the varsity, junior varsity, and ninth grade levels. There is also a comprehensive intramural sports program.
The Next Generation
It is vital that Union students begin their high school careers on a positive, successful note. We know that our freshmen have incredible potential and will go on to unparalleled academic, athletic, and artistic success. It is our imperative to never be satisfied. It is our job to produce scholars and citizens that will lead the next generation. It is our job to create champions with character. It is our job to show our students the Union Way.
Freshmen show Union spirit!
The Freshman Academy prepares students for life after high school.
Diane Thomas
Union Freshman Academy Teacher of the Year
History and Features
The Union High School Freshman Academy building was built in 1989, and was designated the Union Junior High at the time of opening, then housing the district's eighth and ninth grades. With a change in Union's secondary school education delivery configuration in 1993, the building was renamed Union Intermediate High School, and served ninth and 10th grade students. The Intermediate instructed 2,300 students daily at the time, and added eight new classrooms in 2007. Union reconfigured classes in 2011, and the building became a 9th Grade Center in the fall of 2012 after sophomores moved to the High School campus. It was renamed the Union High School Freshman Academy in 2019.
The Union High School Freshman Academy is a beautiful building and campus which is in constant demand as a site to host special activities for the Union community. Huge craft shows and large athletic tournaments are the norm throughout the year.
The school site features a modern baseball/softball complex, two gymnasiums, a drama theater, a renovated media center, special driver’s education classrooms and other amenities.
Principals
Principal
Briane Grass
Briane Grass was named principal of the Union High School Freshman Academy in the spring of 2024. She had served as a class principal at the High School since 2021.
Grass previously served an assistant principal at the High School since 2013. She also served as counselor at Union Intermediate High School for five years.
Grass graduated from Cascia Hall Preparatory School and earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Oklahoma State University.
Grass has taught Advanced Placement Psychology, US History, Oklahoma History, and Geography in Owasso and Tulsa schools. She earned a master’s degree in counseling in 2007, and continued post graduate classes to earn her administrative certification.
Assistant Principal
Tamarah Danzy
Tamarah Danzy was named assistant principal at the Union High School Freshman Academy in the spring of 2024.
Danzy previously served as a science teacher at the Union 8th Grade Center, where she received a National Milken Educator award. She also coached cheerleading for 14 years at Union, where she coached the 2021 Game Day National Champion team.
Danzy graduated from McAlester High School. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma and earned her master’s degree in leadership and supervision from the University of Phoenix.
In her spare time, Danzy loves spending time with her family and three children, Braylen, Lailah and Trinity.
Assistant Principal
Greg Kelly
Greg Kelly was named assistant principal at the Freshman Academy in 2023.
He previously served as an assistant principal at the 9th Grade Center and earlier at the Union 6th/7th Grade Center since 2017.
Kelly has been with Union since 2007 as a teacher and is proud to say he is a graduate of Union himself. During his previous years with Union, he taught both on level- and pre- Advanced Placement classes in American history, American government, and Oklahoma history and coached volleyball. Additionally, he has taught in Texas and Tulsa Public Schools. Kelly received his bachelor’s degree from Abilene Christian University in west Texas and his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Arkansas State University.
In his spare time, Kelly enjoys spending time with his wife, Lisa, and his children, Wade and Allyson, playing golf, watching movies and reading.
UFA At A Glance
