After Graduating Its First Senior Class, Union Day School Breaks Ground On $12.7 Million Expansion

AFTER GRADUATING ITS FIRST SENIOR CLASS, UNION DAY SCHOOL BREAKS GROUND ON $12.7 MILLION EXPANSION
New academic and athletic facility will support the Weddington charter school’s continued growth

WEDDINGTON, N.C. — Just months after celebrating the graduation of its first senior class,
Students, staff, families, board members and project partners gathered on September 2nd to
celebrate the groundbreaking of Union Day School's new $12.7 million academic and athletic
expansion designed to support the school’s continued growth and create new opportunities for students in and beyond the classroom.

Expected to open in fall 2027, the multi-purpose facility will include a regulation basketball court,
a fully equipped strength and conditioning room, and seven additional classrooms. The new
academic spaces will include a state-of-the-art science lab and dedicated music and art rooms.
The project also includes expanded student parking and additional play areas.

The expansion marks the latest milestone in Union Day School’s deliberate growth from a K-3
elementary school, which opened in 2016, to a K-12 public charter school serving about 725
students today. The school added one grade level each year as enrollment grew, an approach
intended to protect academic quality and build a strong school culture.

Union Day School is an authorized IB World School and the only charter school in North
Carolina offering both the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme for grades 6-10
and the IB Diploma Programme for grades 11-12. The full Diploma Programme launched during
the 2025-26 school year.

“The graduation of our first senior class and this expansion are significant milestones for Union
Day School,” said Jim Lovell, Board Chair. “What began as a small K-3 school has grown into a
thriving K-12 community, and this project ensures our facilities keep pace with that growth while
creating new opportunities for students in academics, athletics and the arts.”

The new facility will serve as a central gathering place for academics, athletics, and school-wide
events. It will also support the continued growth of Gryphon Athletics, which fields boys’ and
girls’ teams at the middle and high school levels that reinforce the school’s emphasis on
teamwork, discipline, and leadership.

“When our families talk about what they want for their kids, they talk about science labs, art and
music spaces, and a real place to compete in sports. This groundbreaking means we’re finally building exactly what our students and families have been asking for,” said Joely Lord, Executive Director.

The project team includes construction management partner Berkeley Consulting Group,
general contractor Myers & Chapman, and architect WGM Design. The team has worked closely
with Union Day School throughout the design and planning process.
The project follows another defining moment for the school: the graduation of its first senior
class in June 2026. Members of the inaugural class earned substantial merit scholarships,
marking the beginning of Union Day School’s next chapter of growth, according to the school’s
leadership.

 

About Union Day School
Union Day School is a tuition-free public charter school in Weddington, North Carolina, serving
approximately 725 students in grades K-12. Founded in 2016, the school is an authorized IB
World School and the only charter school in North Carolina offering both the International
Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and the IB Diploma Programme. Union Day School is
located at 3000 Tilley Morris Road in Weddington.

Media Contact
Joely Lord
Union Day School
joely.lord@uniondayschool.com
(704) 256-1494