Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Logo Title

8th Grade Profile

"Our Mission is to Graduate 100 Percent of Our Students, College & Career Ready."

Together We Make a Difference

Union Redhawks Logo

Welcome to Union 8th Grade Center!

The Union 8th Grade Center is designed to help students make the transition between middle school and high school from both an academic and social perspective.  Union offers a unique design as only the eighth grade class resides in our facility.

Our state-of-the-art media center acts as the origin for literacy and learning as students embark upon their high school journey.

The Union 8th Grade Center faculty is committed to providing a safe and secure environment focused on learning which encourages academic excellence for all students. We recognize the importance of the eighth grade in developing responsible individuals and realize that the success of each student is dependent upon a cooperative effort of the student, parents, teachers and administrators.

Accreditation

The 8th Grade Center is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Its accreditation process, involving parents, teachers and administrators at each site, is considered a model for other school districts. 

History

The 8th Grade Center was dedicated in 1980 and underwent a major renovation which was completed in 2006. The improvements include the new media center, security features, an expanded cafeteria, additional classrooms and offices and improved parking.

In 2015, an additional renovation was completed that included Fine Arts classrooms, a second gymnasium and an updated soccer facility.

4 girls laugh at lunch table as teacher looks on at Union 8th Grade Center

Eighth graders share the laughter with a teacher during lunch.

Principal Michelle Cundy helps lead school spirit at assemblies.

 

Principal Michelle Cundy helps lead school spirit at assemblies.

Hand holding cell phone with words 8th Grade Cell Phone Expectations

Cell Phone Expectations

Parents, who need to contact their student during the school day, may call the main office and a message will be delivered. The main office phone number is 918-357-4325.

How Cell Phones Affect Students

  • Brain Drain: Studies show that just having your phone out on your desk causes a decline of focus in class.
  • Better Grades: Test scores significantly improve when phones are off in the classroom.
  • More Attentive: Avoiding social media at school helps in paying attention to the people who are with teens.
  • Not Easy But Worth it: Concentration, grades and respect go up when phone are away.

Off And Away, All Day

Cell phones must be off and away, all day, from the first belle to the last bell of the school day. Students will be reminded daily to "power off" their phones and put them away.

Failure to meet these expectations may result in disciplinary action.

Studies show that the endless stream of notifications and constant phone phone use is detrimental to learning and student wellness. In an effort to provide a safe school environment for all cellphone usage is not allowed during the day. awayfortheday.org

2023 Teacher of the Year Kim Beattie with student

2023 Teacher of the Year Kim Beattie with one of her students.

Kristin Holland has been named the 2023-2024 Union 8th Grade Teacher of the Year! She is pictured her with Assistant Principa

Kristin Holland has been named the 2023-2024 Union 8th Grade Teacher of the Year! She is pictured her with Assistant Principal Michael Harmon, Principal Michelle Cundy and Assistant Principal Meghan Bender.

Principals

Principal

Michelle Cundy

Michelle Cundy

Michelle Cundy is a 1984 graduate of Westville High School. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in business education from Northeastern State University and received her master's degree in education administration from the University of Oklahoma in 2008.

Cundy taught business and computers a total of 20 years including eight years at the Union 8th Grade Center. While teaching Cundy received certification as a Microsoft Office Expert and a Microsoft Certified Professional. She served as 10th Grade Assistant Principal at the Union Intermediate High School for three years, before joining the administrative team at Union High School as assistant principal in 2011. She was named principal of the 8th Grade Center in 2015.

Assistant Principal

Meghan Bender

Meghan Bender

Meghan Bender was named assistant principal at the 8th Grade Center in 2023.

She previously served as director of Student Life at the High School.

Meghan Bender is a 2002 graduate of Union High School She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education with an emphasis in biology from Oklahoma State University and received her master's degree in educational leadership from Southern Nazarene University in 2017.

Bender taught science a total of nine years including three at Union.  She has previously served as an administrator at the high school as an assistant principal serving the class of 2018, one year of serving as the assistant principal at the 7th Grade Center, and Director of Student Life at the High School from 2018-2019 school year and the 2021-2022 school year.  

Assistant Principal

Michael Harmon

Michael Harmon

Michael Harmon was named assistant principal at the 8th Grade Center in 2023.

 

8th Grade In Photos

Band instructors act silly during a warm-up performance
Union spirit team poses with a coach
8th grade tuba players
8th grade choir members sing
view of the 8th Grade Center building
8th Grade dodgeball game scene; teachers vs. students
3 girls laugh during pep assembly
exterior shot of the front of the 8th Grade Center
Union 8th Grade holds his ticket of accepted for early college high school program
scene from an 8th grade dodgeball game
Union spirit members jump and twirl in the air
8th grade color guard members throw rifles into the air
2 8th grade boys lay on gym floor and throw the U hand gesture
8th grade spirit team performance
8th grade cello player
view of the 8th Grade Center entrance