A huge thank you to The Pour House at Machinery Hall for providing lunch for our U Team during our opening meeting! We are incredibly grateful for your hospitality! 💜💛
All-call for 8:30 pm today!
Our Vision: By inspiring greatness, all students will realize their worth and potential.
Our Mission: At Union-Scioto School District, students will learn, lead, and make a difference.
Our Motto: Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders.
Transportation Update
As I stated during a previous all-call, our Transportation Department has been actively working on solutions to improve transportation services amid the ongoing driver shortage.
Beginning Monday, August 31, 2026, we will attempt to consolidate routes for students currently assigned to buses #1, #3, #4, #21, and #27. These buses, except #27, will be taking on additional students from other routes, which will impact both pick-up and drop-off times for some families.
Over the past several days, including this Saturday, our Transportation Department has made multiple attempts to contact all families who may be impacted by these changes in an effort to minimize potential issues and conflicts. Unfortunately, some families could not be reached because we do not have a current contact number or updated contact information on file. We do anticipate that there may be some challenges during the first few days as we work through these changes. We sincerely appreciate everyone's patience, flexibility, and understanding as our transportation team works to make this transition as smooth as possible.
We also want to emphasize an important point regarding advance scheduling and notification. Due to unforeseen driver absences, we simply cannot always predict when a driver will be unavailable. When we know well in advance that a driver will be absent, we are able to plan accordingly and notify families ahead of time. However, when an absence occurs unexpectedly, there is no practical way for us to create a schedule or notify families earlier than we already do. We will continue to communicate as quickly as possible whenever we have information available, but unforeseen circumstances do limit how much advance notice we can provide.
Our Transportation Department is currently operating with extremely limited staffing. Our Transportation Supervisor and Bus Mechanic are also driving routes to help ensure our students get to and from school safely. Additionally, we currently do not have any existing substitute bus drivers available to step in when an unexpected absence occurs. This significantly limits our ability to respond when a driver is unexpectedly unavailable and is a major factor in why last-minute route changes and double routing may sometimes be necessary.
This consolidation will not completely eliminate double routing in the future, but it is expected to significantly reduce the need for it—provided we have our existing drivers available to drive. Unfortunately, we cannot predict when an unforeseen absence may occur. When those situations arise, we must make adjustments with the resources we have available at that time.
We Need Additional Drivers
If you or someone you know may be interested in becoming a full-time or substitute bus driver, please contact Mr. Ost to discuss the requirements, qualifications, and necessary credentials. We are in great need of additional transportation support, and adding even a few qualified drivers would make a significant difference in our ability to provide consistent transportation and respond to unexpected absences. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue looking for ways to improve our transportation services while working within the challenges created by the driver shortage. A huge thank-you to our Transportation Department for all of the hard work they do each day—and especially to those who are stepping in to drive routes in addition to their regular responsibilities. Your dedication to getting our students safely to and from school does not go unnoticed, and we truly appreciate all that you do!
Go Tanks!!
Our Vision: By inspiring greatness, all students will realize their worth and potential.
Our Mission: At Union-Scioto School District, students will learn, lead, and make a difference.
Our Motto: Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders.
Transportation Update
As I stated during a previous all-call, our Transportation Department has been actively working on solutions to improve transportation services amid the ongoing driver shortage.
Beginning Monday, August 31, 2026, we will attempt to consolidate routes for students currently assigned to buses #1, #3, #4, #21, and #27. These buses, except #27, will be taking on additional students from other routes, which will impact both pick-up and drop-off times for some families.
Over the past several days, including this Saturday, our Transportation Department has made multiple attempts to contact all families who may be impacted by these changes in an effort to minimize potential issues and conflicts. Unfortunately, some families could not be reached because we do not have a current contact number or updated contact information on file. We do anticipate that there may be some challenges during the first few days as we work through these changes. We sincerely appreciate everyone's patience, flexibility, and understanding as our transportation team works to make this transition as smooth as possible.
We also want to emphasize an important point regarding advance scheduling and notification. Due to unforeseen driver absences, we simply cannot always predict when a driver will be unavailable. When we know well in advance that a driver will be absent, we are able to plan accordingly and notify families ahead of time. However, when an absence occurs unexpectedly, there is no practical way for us to create a schedule or notify families earlier than we already do. We will continue to communicate as quickly as possible whenever we have information available, but unforeseen circumstances do limit how much advance notice we can provide.
Our Transportation Department is currently operating with extremely limited staffing. Our Transportation Supervisor and Bus Mechanic are also driving routes to help ensure our students get to and from school safely. Additionally, we currently do not have any existing substitute bus drivers available to step in when an unexpected absence occurs. This significantly limits our ability to respond when a driver is unexpectedly unavailable and is a major factor in why last-minute route changes and double routing may sometimes be necessary.
This consolidation will not completely eliminate double routing in the future, but it is expected to significantly reduce the need for it—provided we have our existing drivers available to drive. Unfortunately, we cannot predict when an unforeseen absence may occur. When those situations arise, we must make adjustments with the resources we have available at that time.
We Need Additional Drivers
If you or someone you know may be interested in becoming a full-time or substitute bus driver, please contact Mr. Ost to discuss the requirements, qualifications, and necessary credentials. We are in great need of additional transportation support, and adding even a few qualified drivers would make a significant difference in our ability to provide consistent transportation and respond to unexpected absences. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue looking for ways to improve our transportation services while working within the challenges created by the driver shortage. A huge thank-you to our Transportation Department for all of the hard work they do each day—and especially to those who are stepping in to drive routes in addition to their regular responsibilities. Your dedication to getting our students safely to and from school does not go unnoticed, and we truly appreciate all that you do!
Go Tanks!!
All-call for 4:00 pm today!
Our Vision: By inspiring greatness, all students will realize their worth and potential.
Our Mission: At Union-Scioto School District, students will learn, lead, and make a difference.
Our Motto: Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders.
We have had a great start to the school year, and that is in large part because of our wonderful, hardworking, and experienced staff. Their dedication, energy, and commitment to our students make such a difference. We are excited about the year ahead and looking forward to another great year at Unioto!
We really do appreciate our families’ patience and understanding as we continue to work through what has been an incredibly challenging bussing situation, much of which was completely beyond our control. Losing two drivers just a few days before the first day of school certainly creates some challenges, and we understand the inconvenience that can cause for our families. We are very concerned about it and will continue to do everything we can to minimize the disruptions. One thing I would add is that when we know an adjustment needs to be made, we communicate it almost immediately. In most cases, our families are being notified within 30 minutes of us learning that a route needs to be adjusted. Our drivers and transportation supervisor have been working together to find solutions as quickly as possible while making sure we get our students home safely. Trust me when I say our drivers and supervisor are doing their very best. They are feeling the pressure, too, and they want very badly to help our families. They are being asked to do more with less in a job that is already one of, if not the toughest jobs in a school district. Driving a school bus is incredibly challenging. You are responsible for 60–80 students at a time while dealing with traffic, weather, schedules, behavior, safety, and many other things most people never see. We are transporting over 1,000 students, and making all of that work smoothly is a lot more complicated than it may appear from the outside. There is a reason there is a shortage of school bus drivers, and it isn't just about compensation. Quite honestly, there aren't a lot of people who want to take on this job, especially considering the responsibility involved. I think this is also a good reminder for all of us, myself included, that it is easy—and almost natural—to be critical when something isn't going the way we think it should. Sometimes, though, it is better to pause, ask questions, and try to understand what may be happening behind the scenes. Being a little more curious and a little less critical can go a long way, especially when people are working hard to solve a difficult situation. I know I can always do a better job of that myself. Our drivers aren't perfect, and neither are we. We will make mistakes, and sometimes things simply won't go the way we want them to; however, I would ask our families to give our drivers and transportation supervisor a little grace right now. If you have a concern or, even better, a suggestion that might help, we absolutely want to hear it. Please call Mr. Ost directly to talk through it and see if there is something he can do. You can reach Mr. Ost at 740-773-6031. Most importantly, thank you to our transportation department, our supervisor, and especially our bus drivers. We appreciate what you do, and we know how hard you are working to take care of our students and our families. Thank you for sticking with it and doing everything you can to make the best of a challenging situation. We appreciate you!
Unioto families and fans can purchase presale tickets for all Unioto athletic events. The more presale tickets that are purchased through fan.hudl.com, the greater the discount Unioto receives. Your participation directly helps support our athletic programs. You can access at FAN.HUDL.COM
The Unioto baseball program’s fundraiser still has a few available season parking passes that can be purchased. Please contact Gene Bumgardner at 740.352.4602 or email at gbumgardner@gotanks.org. This baseball project will be fully funded by donations and sponsorships. Any support would be appreciated.
Hope to see everyone tonight as our football team welcomes the Athens Bulldogs to the U. This Saturday, our boys and girls soccer teams take on Lucasville at home starting at 10 a.m., and our volleyball team plays at Chillicothe at 6 pm.
As always, hard work works, and as one of our hard-working and dedicated custodians, Jeff Pettit reminded me just this morning…3 days til Monday!! Check out his picture on my Facebook page!
Go Tanks!!
Our Vision: By inspiring greatness, all students will realize their worth and potential.
Our Mission: At Union-Scioto School District, students will learn, lead, and make a difference.
Our Motto: Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders.
We have had a great start to the school year, and that is in large part because of our wonderful, hardworking, and experienced staff. Their dedication, energy, and commitment to our students make such a difference. We are excited about the year ahead and looking forward to another great year at Unioto!
We really do appreciate our families’ patience and understanding as we continue to work through what has been an incredibly challenging bussing situation, much of which was completely beyond our control. Losing two drivers just a few days before the first day of school certainly creates some challenges, and we understand the inconvenience that can cause for our families. We are very concerned about it and will continue to do everything we can to minimize the disruptions. One thing I would add is that when we know an adjustment needs to be made, we communicate it almost immediately. In most cases, our families are being notified within 30 minutes of us learning that a route needs to be adjusted. Our drivers and transportation supervisor have been working together to find solutions as quickly as possible while making sure we get our students home safely. Trust me when I say our drivers and supervisor are doing their very best. They are feeling the pressure, too, and they want very badly to help our families. They are being asked to do more with less in a job that is already one of, if not the toughest jobs in a school district. Driving a school bus is incredibly challenging. You are responsible for 60–80 students at a time while dealing with traffic, weather, schedules, behavior, safety, and many other things most people never see. We are transporting over 1,000 students, and making all of that work smoothly is a lot more complicated than it may appear from the outside. There is a reason there is a shortage of school bus drivers, and it isn't just about compensation. Quite honestly, there aren't a lot of people who want to take on this job, especially considering the responsibility involved. I think this is also a good reminder for all of us, myself included, that it is easy—and almost natural—to be critical when something isn't going the way we think it should. Sometimes, though, it is better to pause, ask questions, and try to understand what may be happening behind the scenes. Being a little more curious and a little less critical can go a long way, especially when people are working hard to solve a difficult situation. I know I can always do a better job of that myself. Our drivers aren't perfect, and neither are we. We will make mistakes, and sometimes things simply won't go the way we want them to; however, I would ask our families to give our drivers and transportation supervisor a little grace right now. If you have a concern or, even better, a suggestion that might help, we absolutely want to hear it. Please call Mr. Ost directly to talk through it and see if there is something he can do. You can reach Mr. Ost at 740-773-6031. Most importantly, thank you to our transportation department, our supervisor, and especially our bus drivers. We appreciate what you do, and we know how hard you are working to take care of our students and our families. Thank you for sticking with it and doing everything you can to make the best of a challenging situation. We appreciate you!
Unioto families and fans can purchase presale tickets for all Unioto athletic events. The more presale tickets that are purchased through fan.hudl.com, the greater the discount Unioto receives. Your participation directly helps support our athletic programs. You can access at FAN.HUDL.COM
The Unioto baseball program’s fundraiser still has a few available season parking passes that can be purchased. Please contact Gene Bumgardner at 740.352.4602 or email at gbumgardner@gotanks.org. This baseball project will be fully funded by donations and sponsorships. Any support would be appreciated.
Hope to see everyone tonight as our football team welcomes the Athens Bulldogs to the U. This Saturday, our boys and girls soccer teams take on Lucasville at home starting at 10 a.m., and our volleyball team plays at Chillicothe at 6 pm.
As always, hard work works, and as one of our hard-working and dedicated custodians, Jeff Pettit reminded me just this morning…3 days til Monday!! Check out his picture on my Facebook page!
Go Tanks!!
The Play Zone will be open for tomorrow’s varsity home football game against the Athens Bulldogs!
This fun, supervised space for young children will be managed by members and advisors of the Unioto High School National Honor Society. For everyone’s safety, children must either remain seated in the bleachers with a parent or guardian or be checked into the Play Zone.
A $2 donation per child is requested, with all proceeds supporting Unioto High School National Honor Society. We appreciate your support of our NHS students and your help making game night safe and fun for Sherman fans of all ages! 💜💛
Unioto Athletic Event Presale Tickets
Unioto families and fans have a new opportunity this year to purchase presale tickets for all Unioto athletic events.
We strongly encourage families and fans to take advantage of this option. Presale ticket purchases help reduce the cost of providing live event streaming and support the continued use of Hudl and the valuable benefits it provides to our athletic department and programs.
The more presale tickets that are purchased and utilized, the greater the discount Unioto receives. Your participation directly helps support our athletic programs while providing a convenient way to attend events.
Thank you for your continued support of Unioto Athletics!
Access at FAN.HUDL.COM
Go Tanks!!
A BIG thank you to Brookside Church for providing coffee for all of our staff on opening day!
What a thoughtful way to help us kick off a new school year! We appreciate you thinking of our staff and helping make our first day a little brighter. 💜💛
Go Tanks!
What a thoughtful way to help us kick off a new school year! We appreciate you thinking of our staff and helping make our first day a little brighter. 💜💛
Go Tanks!
September breakfast and lunch menus are now available! Breakfast and lunch are free daily for all students. Go Tanks!
REMINDER: The Play Zone is back for Unioto varsity home football games, starting tomorrow as the Shermans take on the Jackson Ironmen!
This fun, supervised space for young children will be managed by the coaches and players of the Unioto Shermans Baseball Team. For everyone’s safety, children must either remain seated in the bleachers with a parent or guardian or be checked into the Play Zone.
A $2 donation per child is requested, with all proceeds supporting the Unioto Shermans Baseball Team. Thank you for helping us create a safe and enjoyable game-day experience for our youngest Sherman fans while supporting our student-athletes!
Go Tanks!
This fun, supervised space for young children will be managed by the coaches and players of the Unioto Shermans Baseball Team. For everyone’s safety, children must either remain seated in the bleachers with a parent or guardian or be checked into the Play Zone.
A $2 donation per child is requested, with all proceeds supporting the Unioto Shermans Baseball Team. Thank you for helping us create a safe and enjoyable game-day experience for our youngest Sherman fans while supporting our student-athletes!
Go Tanks!
Our apologies for the inconvenience and last-minute notice. One of our bus drivers has resigned, requiring us to make some immediate adjustments to our transportation schedule. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to address this unexpected staffing change.
Greetings! Tomorrow Thur. 8/20/26 Bus #27's students will be arriving approx. 40 minutes late in the morning.
Shawn
Tomorrow Thur. 8/20/26 Bus #27's students will be picked up approx. 40 minutes late in the morning. Bus #27 services 1021, 1011, 679, and 154 Clinton Rd., Witter Dr., Frontier, Sarah Ct., Cross Creek Apts., Copperfield, and Patrician Dr. Thank you!
Greetings! Tomorrow Thur. 8/20/26 Bus #27's students will be arriving approx. 40 minutes late in the morning.
Shawn
Tomorrow Thur. 8/20/26 Bus #27's students will be picked up approx. 40 minutes late in the morning. Bus #27 services 1021, 1011, 679, and 154 Clinton Rd., Witter Dr., Frontier, Sarah Ct., Cross Creek Apts., Copperfield, and Patrician Dr. Thank you!
WELCOME BACK, U FAMILIES!
Well… it’s that time of year again! The 2026–27 school year is officially here! And what better way to welcome everyone back to the U than with… HOMEWORK!
That’s right, parents and guardians, you have your first assignment of the school year! And I have to say, I can’t think of a better way to kick off a year of learning and growing together!
I know I can say with complete confidence that there isn’t a single student or parent/guardian in our amazing, supportive community who believes learning stops when the school day ends. Learning is a lifelong journey, and becoming the very best version of ourselves means being willing to learn, grow, reflect, and sometimes even look at things from a different perspective.
So, here is tonight’s assignment:
Step 1: Watch the approximately 5-minute storytime video I created for you with your children.
Step 2: Talk together about the Power of Perspective and how the way we look at something can change the way we understand, experience, and respond to it.
Step 3: Enjoy the opportunity to learn something together as a family!
I’d love for you to complete your homework this evening, but I completely understand that life gets busy! As long as you watch the video and have your family discussion sometime this week, you’ll receive full credit. No late homework penalties!
And yes… there may be a short quiz coming soon.
And YES… it will be for a grade!
Want a little extra credit?
Share a thought, takeaway, or something your family learned from the video in the comments on my Facebook post on our district Facebook page. I’d love to hear your perspectives!
I hope that this little assignment will be more than just “homework.” I hope it sparks a meaningful conversation between you and your children and reminds all of us that perspective has power and sometimes, simply looking at something a little differently can make all the difference.
I am SO excited for this new school year! I can’t wait to see our students back in the building tomorrow, ready for another year filled with learning, growing, laughing, challenges, successes, and memories!
Here’s to an incredible 2026–27 school year!
Now… everybody get your homework done!
GO TANKS!
Well… it’s that time of year again! The 2026–27 school year is officially here! And what better way to welcome everyone back to the U than with… HOMEWORK!
That’s right, parents and guardians, you have your first assignment of the school year! And I have to say, I can’t think of a better way to kick off a year of learning and growing together!
I know I can say with complete confidence that there isn’t a single student or parent/guardian in our amazing, supportive community who believes learning stops when the school day ends. Learning is a lifelong journey, and becoming the very best version of ourselves means being willing to learn, grow, reflect, and sometimes even look at things from a different perspective.
So, here is tonight’s assignment:
Step 1: Watch the approximately 5-minute storytime video I created for you with your children.
Step 2: Talk together about the Power of Perspective and how the way we look at something can change the way we understand, experience, and respond to it.
Step 3: Enjoy the opportunity to learn something together as a family!
I’d love for you to complete your homework this evening, but I completely understand that life gets busy! As long as you watch the video and have your family discussion sometime this week, you’ll receive full credit. No late homework penalties!
And yes… there may be a short quiz coming soon.
And YES… it will be for a grade!
Want a little extra credit?
Share a thought, takeaway, or something your family learned from the video in the comments on my Facebook post on our district Facebook page. I’d love to hear your perspectives!
I hope that this little assignment will be more than just “homework.” I hope it sparks a meaningful conversation between you and your children and reminds all of us that perspective has power and sometimes, simply looking at something a little differently can make all the difference.
I am SO excited for this new school year! I can’t wait to see our students back in the building tomorrow, ready for another year filled with learning, growing, laughing, challenges, successes, and memories!
Here’s to an incredible 2026–27 school year!
Now… everybody get your homework done!
GO TANKS!
We will have athletic passes available for purchase at both the Middle School and High School Open Houses. Stop by while you’re there and get yours for the 2026–2027 school year!
PLEASE NOTE: ATHLETIC PASSES MUST BE PAID FOR WITH CASH OR CHECK ONLY.
We will NOT be able to accept credit/debit cards or other forms of electronic payment.
GO TANKS!
PLEASE NOTE: ATHLETIC PASSES MUST BE PAID FOR WITH CASH OR CHECK ONLY.
We will NOT be able to accept credit/debit cards or other forms of electronic payment.
GO TANKS!
All-call for 4:00 pm today!
Our Vision: By inspiring greatness, all students will realize their worth and potential.
Our Mission: At Union-Scioto School District, students will learn, lead, and make a difference.
Our Motto: Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders.
An announcement from Unioto Baseball:
The unioto baseball program is attempting to upgrade the playing facility, with the goal of doing so in phases. There is no question Duane “Dudaddy” Potter has dedicated over 20 years of his life, sweat, and blood to making the Unioto Field one of the best in Southern Ohio. We believe with our community’s support we can take it to the next level for the next generation of student-athletes and coaches.
We have a two-step process:
1st phase: Turf the mound, plate, base paths, and walk-up.
2nd Phase: We will turf the entire infield
Included in this post is the mock-up of the current, 1st phase, and 2nd Phase.
For our beginning fundraiser, we are selling varsity football season parking passes in the parking lot between the home side of our football bleachers and the soccer field. Passes for the season can be purchased for $50, and there are only 90 spots available, so get your pass as soon as possible. This will not interfere with any of our handicap parking spots, and ALL OTHER PARKING SPOTS ON OUR CAMPUS ARE FREE.
This baseball project will be fully funded by donations and sponsorships. Any support would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your past and future support!
Please contact Gene Bumgardner at 740.352.4602 or email at gbumgardner@gotanks.org
Go Tanks!!
Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! Go Tanks!
The Play Zone is back for Unioto varsity home football games, beginning next Thursday evening, August 20, when the Unioto Shermans take on the Jackson Ironmen!
This fun, supervised space for young children will be managed by the coaches and players of the Unioto Shermans Baseball Team. For everyone’s safety, children must either remain seated in the bleachers with a parent or guardian or be checked into the Play Zone.
A $2 donation per child is requested, with all proceeds supporting the Unioto Shermans Baseball Team. Thank you for helping us create a safe and enjoyable game-day experience for our youngest Sherman fans while supporting our student-athletes!
Go Tanks!
Reminder: Please complete your student's Final Forms for 2026-27! You can access them by visiting https://unioto-oh.finalforms.com. Thank you & Go Tanks! 💜💛
We are excited to announce that breakfast and lunch will be provided to all students at no charge during the 2026-27 school year. Additional lunches and à la carte items may be purchased if the student has money on his/her lunch account. Parents may pay by check or cash to the café or Payschools Central is available on our district website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Tracey Forcum, Food Service Supervisor, at 740-773-4105 ext. 4149 or by email at tforcum@gotanks.org. Enjoy what's left of summer & Go Tanks!
The start of school is right around the corner! We are looking forward to welcoming students back into the building!
UHS Students do not have a specific supply list due to the wide range of course options that students may take. When school resumes, individual teachers will identify the supplies needed for their specific course on the first day of school.
Go Tanks!!
UHS Students do not have a specific supply list due to the wide range of course options that students may take. When school resumes, individual teachers will identify the supplies needed for their specific course on the first day of school.
Go Tanks!!
Fall latchkey acceptance letters were mailed out yesterday. We still have openings for the 26/27 school year. Please get those submitted by August 14th to ensure your child is able to participate as of the first day of school. Any applications received after August 14th will be processed, but your child will not be able to start latchkey until you receive a phone call notifying you of the start date.
Also, if you requested open enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year, the confirmation form has been added to your child's FinalForms. Please sign off on the confirmation form by August 3, 2026, and complete all forms for your student in preparation for the new school year.
Parents of in-district students, please make sure you have updated your student's FinalForms for the 2026-2027 school year as well. Building secretaries will be back in the buildings starting on August 3rd if you have any questions. Prior to their return, you can reach the district office at 740-773-4102 for any assistance.
Also, if you requested open enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year, the confirmation form has been added to your child's FinalForms. Please sign off on the confirmation form by August 3, 2026, and complete all forms for your student in preparation for the new school year.
Parents of in-district students, please make sure you have updated your student's FinalForms for the 2026-2027 school year as well. Building secretaries will be back in the buildings starting on August 3rd if you have any questions. Prior to their return, you can reach the district office at 740-773-4102 for any assistance.
August is just around the corner! Go Tanks!
Greetings, Sherman Nation! Hope everyone is having an enjoyable summer break!
If you haven't yet, take a moment to check out the elementary & middle school supply lists, district calendar, & Open House information for 2026-27!
UHS Students do not have a specific supply list due to the wide range of course options that students may take. When school resumes, individual teachers will identify the supplies needed for their specific course on the first day of school.
Go Tanks!
If you haven't yet, take a moment to check out the elementary & middle school supply lists, district calendar, & Open House information for 2026-27!
UHS Students do not have a specific supply list due to the wide range of course options that students may take. When school resumes, individual teachers will identify the supplies needed for their specific course on the first day of school.
Go Tanks!
