Union County Student Academy closes permanently | Ucweekly

MONROE – Apprentice Academy leaders sent an email to staff and parents on Aug. 31 explaining their decision to permanently close the school.

Principal Barry Ross and board chairman John Jedra encouraged parents to register their children in the school districts where they live. They offered to fax student records to their new schools.

The Student Academy gave three reasons for the closure:

• Student enrollment fell to an all-time low of 160 students.

• Poor academic performance.

• The certificate of occupancy for the building on Old Charlotte Highway was not in compliance with code.

“The uncertainty and potential financial burden of obtaining a new certificate has further exacerbated our already difficult situation and further confirmed the need to consider closing,” according to an email to parents from Ross and Jedra. “Given these factors, it has become apparent that continuing to operate Apprentice Academy would not be in the best interests of our students, staff, or the community we serve.”

The board decided to permanently close the school at an extraordinary meeting on August 31.

The school’s Facebook post explained that its statute only allows for hybrid classes, combining in-person and online learning, and mentioned a long waiting period for applying for a certificate of right to occupy the premises or paying a statute fee.

The City of Monroe has released a statement regarding a fire inspector’s visit to the school on August 29th.

“The fire department did not close the school and even offered to help expedite the closure process in order to keep the school open,” the city said in a statement.

The city explained that Apprentice Academy left the Old Charlotte Highway building and returned earlier this year without obtaining a new occupancy permit.

“Whenever a business or organization leaves a property, its CO is no longer valid for that property,” according to the city. “The organization must obtain a new CO upon returning to the property, even if it is the same business or organization at the same property.”

The Apprentice Academy has been serving families in Union County since 2019.