About Mr. Gatewood

Mr. Jared Gatewood was appointed principal of East Union Middle School in July 2023. Mr. Gatewood was born and raised in Hamlet, North Carolina, and was a graduate of Richmond Senior High School in 2008. He attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he received his BA in Political Science and minored in History. He then moved to Charlotte in 2015 to pursue a teaching career, beginning as a Social Studies teacher at Harding University High School with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. In 2018, he accepted a position with Union County Public Schools as a Social Studies teacher at Forest Hills. Mr. Gatewood was also credited with teaching the first African American Studies course in Union County Public Schools history, beginning in 2018. 

In 2019, Mr. Gatewood graduated with his M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Wingate University and completed his administrative internship at Forest Hills. He also served as interim Assistant Principal during the 2019-2020 school year. He accepted an Assistant Principal position at Forest Hills High School in July 2020. Mr. Gatewood lives in Indian Land, South Carolina with his wife, Kimberly, who is an Associate Manager of Finance at the Association of International Certified Public Accountants, and his daughter, Halle. Mr. Gatewood is passionate about every student reaching their highest potential, and empowering them to be the best version of themselves each day. His motto, as it relates to educating students, is to “love them first, and teach them second.”

Contact Mr. Gatewood

• Email: jared.gatewood@ucps.k12.nc.us

About Mrs. McDowell

Christina McDowell is happy to be the seventh-grade assistant principal. She served in the military from 2001- 2013, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership. She went on to get a Master’s in Education and, as a military wife, has taught all over the country, teaching subjects such as; Health Science, Chemistry, and Math. She taught 8th-grade math at East Union Middle school for four years, which led her to pursue a Master’s Degree in Leadership at High Point University.

Mrs. McDowell currently lives in Union County with her husband, Thomas, who currently serves Forest Hills students, and her two sons, Thomas and Tamaury.

In her spare time, she loves to craft and watch Union County sports. She is excited and proud to be an East Union Eagle.

Contact Mrs. McDowell

• Phone: 704-290-1540
• Email: christina.mcdowell@ucps.k12.nc.us

About Mr. Topper

Mr. Greg Topper is the sixth-grade Assistant Principal at East Union Middle School. Before coming to UCPS, Mr. Topper was an Assistant Principal at Lamar High School in the Houston Independent School District. In his role, he coached and mentored teachers as well as working with all stakeholders in implementing “The Learning through Inquiry Educational Model.” He was a part of an International Baccalaureate school with the goal of preparing students to be global learners with a 21st-century skill set.

Mr. Topper also served as an Assistant Principal at Eastern Guilford Middle School in Gibsonville, North Carolina, and has been both a teacher and a coach at the high school level.  He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University, and his leadership endorsement from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Mr. Topper lives in Monroe with his wife Jennifer, who also works for UCPS, his son Alec, and his mother Christa. He also has a son, Jerry, who earned his Bachelor’s degree at Greensboro College and lives in Orlando, where he works for Nike.  Mr. Topper’s two daughters are both currently in college; Stephanie attends the International Fashion Academy in Paris, France, and Samantha attends Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia.

Contact Mr. Topper

• Phone: 704-290-1540
• Email: gregory.topper@ucps.k12.nc.us

About Mrs. Veras

Mrs. Veras is excited to be joining the East Union Eagles as the 6th grade 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 since 2008. 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 daughter, Camille. 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