About East Elementary
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About East Elementary
About Our School
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East Elementary serves kindergarten to fifth-grade students. We are a small, urban school in the heart of Monroe. We focus on encouraging, engaging, and creating a passion for learning and collaboration. Our school has a unique partnership with Atrium Health, which allows us to offer a health science academy that introduces students to various healthcare careers.
- Address: East Elementary School, 515 Elizabeth Avenue, Monroe, NC 28112
- Phone: 704-296-3110
- Fax: 704-296-3112
- Staff Directory
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- Office Hours: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday – Friday
- Mission: Our purpose is to empower students to become productive, lifelong learners, and successful members of society.
- Vision: We will prepare children to "SOAR" by identifying and meeting student's individual social and academic needs through a safe and productive school environment. All stakeholders will empower students to become successful, lifelong learners who are equipped for careers of the future.
- Motto: One team on one mission.
Monroe Cluster Attendance Maps
Fast Facts
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- Traditional Calendar
- Mascot: Eagles
- Colors: Navy, red, white
- Student/Teacher Ratio: East is committed to keeping class sizes small, with no more than 24 students in a class.
- Dress Code: School Colors
- 7 a.m. – School opens for early arrivals and bus students
- 7 a.m. – Breakfast begins
- 7:30 a.m. – Breakfast ends
- 7:30 a.m. – Tardy bell/instruction begins (Students who arrive after 7:30 a.m. will be coded as tardy and must report to the office, accompanied by the parent, to get a pass into class)
- 2 p.m. – Dismissal begins
Meet Our School Leaders
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Denny Ferguson (Principal)
About Mr. Ferguson
Who am I?
I am married to a teacher and am a father of two kiddos. When I am not working, I tend to be an outdoorsman taking on new outdoor projects and challenges.
Educational Philosophy
I have come to learn that our greatest limitation is the limitations we set on ourselves. Human ability is not set at birth. Instead, I believe that every student has unlimited growth potential both academically and socially. It is our great responsibility as educators to teach students how to unlock their potential daily and thrive.
Work History
Teaching
- East Union Middle School, Union County, teaching students grades 6-8, with various disabilities, but mostly students with behavioral and emotional disabilities. Also taught seventh-grade language arts.
Educational Leadership
- Assistant Principal and Curriculum Coordinator, Pageland Elementary School, Chesterfield County, SC.
- Principal, Carthage Elementary School, Moore County, NC.
- Principal, East Elementary School, Union County, NC.
- Principal, The Health Science Academy at Monroe Middle School, Union County, NC.
- Principal, New Salem Elementary School, Union County, NC.
Post High School Educational Bio Info
- Undergraduate Degree in teaching students with mild-moderate disabilities with a minor in English from UNC Charlotte.
- Additional licenses in teaching students with behavioral and emotional disabilities as well as regular education language arts grades 6-9 via UNC Charlotte and RALC.
- Graduate Degree in Educational Leadership from Winthrop University. Licensed in K-12 school administration.
Contact Mr. Ferguson
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Lizette D'Amico (Assistant Principal)
Contact Ms. D'Amico
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Sheila Levesque (Assistant Principal)
About Mrs. Levesque
Ms. Levesque is a proud native of Boston, Massachusetts, and is excited to join the East Elementary community! She brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for education to her new role. Prior to joining East, Ms. Levesque served as the Assistant Principal of the Health Sciences Academy at Monroe Middle School, where she also led the implementation of Leader in Me. Under her leadership, the school saw remarkable growth in student leadership, culture, and community engagement. She also successfully completed the Union County Public Schools Principal Pipeline, a rigorous leadership development program designed to prepare and support effective school leaders.
She earned her Master of Education from Cambridge College in Massachusetts and later obtained her Educational Leadership degree from Wingate University. Ms. Levesque began her journey with Union County Public Schools (UCPS) in 2007 as a classroom teacher, quickly transitioning into an administrative role in 2008. She served in leadership within UCPS until 2015 before becoming a principal in another district. During that time, she also served as a part-time adjunct professor at Belmont Abbey College.
Returning to UCPS feels like coming home for Ms. Levesque, and she is eager to reconnect and contribute to the community where her leadership journey began.
A firm believer in the power of collaboration, Ms. Levesque lives by the motto “Better Together.” She is committed to building strong, meaningful relationships with students, families, staff, and the entire East Elementary community.
Ms. Levesque resides in Waxhaw with her family. Her daughters are proud graduates of Union County Public Schools and have earned academic honors at Appalachian State University (cum laude) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (magna cum laude). A true New England sports enthusiast, she cheers for the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox and also enjoys supporting the Charlotte Checkers and Boston Bruins. In her free time, she loves baking, traveling, catching a good movie, and spending quality time with her family.
Contact Ms. Levesque
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Lauren Veras (Assistant Principal)
About Mrs. Veras
Mrs. Veras is excited to be joining East Elementary as assistant principal. As a Union County graduate, she has always wanted to give back to her home community. Mrs. Veras holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has served in Union County Public Schools as a teacher and MTSS Coordinator at East Elementary and assistant principal of East Union Middle. Her role as MTSS Coordinator led her to value how school-based changes create positive growth for both students and educators. Mrs. Veras earned her master's in school administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Mrs. Veras currently lives in Union County with her husband, Gustavo, and daughters, Camille and Iris. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors and spending quality time with her family.
Contact Mrs. Veras
- Email: lauren.veras@ucps.k12.nc.us
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School Performance Director
- Dr. Candice Boatright
- 704-296-3062, ext. 4073
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Professional Advisory Council Representatives
- Principal: Denny Ferguson
- Representative: Sara Anne Cannon