Welcome to Union Avenue Middle School, Home of the Eagles!

Welcome back to another exciting school year! My name is Mrs. Shakeena Hill-Simpson, and I am honored to continue serving as the proud Principal of Union Avenue Middle School. To our returning scholars and families, thank you for your continued trust and partnership as we build upon the successes of last year. To our new sixth-grade scholars and families, welcome to the Eagle family! We are thrilled that you have joined our school community and look forward to supporting you as you begin this exciting new chapter of middle school.

As I begin another year serving as your principal, it is truly a privilege to lead this extraordinary school community alongside our dedicated staff, supportive families, and more than 600 remarkable scholars. Together, we will continue fostering a school where every scholar is valued, challenged, supported, and empowered to reach their highest potential.

This year, we proudly continue our schoolwide theme: “Rise Together with Respect, Resilience, and Results—Every Student. Every Staff. Every Day.”

Last year, we discovered what it means to “Rise Together”. This year, we are building on that foundation because rising isn’t something we do once; it’s a choice we make every single day. Every respectful decision, every challenge we overcome with resilience, and every goal we achieve strengthens our school community. Whether you are entering Union Avenue for the very first time or beginning your final year as an eighth grader, know this: You belong here. You matter here. Together, we will continue to rise.

Our commitment remains steadfast. We will continue working to close achievement gaps, elevate academic excellence, and prepare every scholar for success in high school, college, careers, and life. We believe that every child deserves access to high-quality instruction, meaningful relationships, and opportunities to discover and develop their unique strengths.

At Union Avenue Middle School, we are dedicated to providing a safe, inclusive, and nurturing learning environment where every scholar feels respected, valued, and empowered. We celebrate diversity while encouraging curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Our goal is not only to prepare scholars academically but also to develop confident, compassionate leaders who will make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.

Our comprehensive academic program continues to challenge and inspire scholars through our 9-period instructional schedule, which includes rigorous coursework in Mathematics, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies, along with a variety of enriching electives. Scholars have opportunities to explore Spanish, French, Dance, Theatre, Visual Arts, Instrumental and Vocal Music, and Physical Education—courses designed to foster creativity, build confidence, and cultivate lifelong interests.

Inside our classrooms, learning is engaging, personalized, and purposeful. Through differentiated instruction, small-group learning, cross-curricular connections, and ongoing progress monitoring, our educators are committed to meeting the individual needs of every scholar while challenging them to reach their highest potential.

Character development continues to be an essential part of the Union Avenue experience. Through our Positive Behavior Support in Schools (PBSIS) framework, we intentionally teach and celebrate respect, responsibility, resilience, and integrity. Scholars are recognized throughout the year for academic achievement, exemplary character, leadership, perfect attendance, Honor Roll, National Junior Honor Society, and many other accomplishments that reflect our Eagle pride.

Learning at Union Avenue extends far beyond the classroom. Throughout the year, scholars will participate in enriching field trips, experiential learning opportunities, assemblies, school-wide celebrations, pep rallies, service projects, and community-building activities that connect learning to the real world while creating lasting memories.

To our scholars: We are excited to welcome you back and cannot wait to see all that you will accomplish this year. Continue to dream big, work hard, support one another, and embrace every opportunity to grow. Your success inspires everything we do, and we are honored to be part of your journey.

To our families: Thank you for being our partners in education. Your encouragement, involvement, and collaboration make an incredible difference in the success of our scholars. We look forward to strengthening our partnership through open communication, shared goals, and a collective commitment to excellence.

As we begin the 2026–2027 school year, I am filled with optimism for all that lies ahead. Together, we will continue building a school community where every scholar is known, challenged, supported, celebrated, and inspired to soar.

Thank you for being an essential part of the Union Avenue Middle School family.

Here’s to another outstanding year of learning, leadership, and Eagle pride!

We are building our community, one student at a time- Winning looks like Irvington!!
Sincerely,

Mrs. Shakeena Hill-Simpson
Principal