Robert B. Grove Elementary opened in 1975. Grove began his long career at Union in 1945 as a science teacher and basketball coach. He became Union High School's principal in 1946 and served as superintendent from 1960-1975. Grove Elementary underwent an extensive remodeling in 2010 and 2011, which included the additions of an expanded gym and a new office. A re-dedication of the school was held in November 2011.

Accreditation and staff

Grove Elementary is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and AdvancED. Its accreditation process, involving parents, teachers and administrators at each site, is considered a model for other school districts.

Grove is also classified as a school-wide Title I school. 

Our staff is very highly qualified with one National Board Certified Staff member.  We have staff members with a master’s degree in English Language Learning. Many others also have advanced degrees.

Principal Staff

 Kim Berns grew up in southeast Kansas and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas.  After moving to Oklahoma, she earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Langston University and later a master’s degree in educational leadership from Oklahoma State University. 

Berns began her teaching career at Roy Clark Elementary in 1993 teaching fourth grade. She began as assistant principal of Grove Elementary in 2005, returned to Roy Clark Elementary for 2007-2008 and then back to Grove Elementary for 2008-2009. In 2009, she was named principal of Grove.

Berns and her husband Dave have two children, David and Grace.  They also have two dogs named Rocky and Smokey.  She enjoys reading, camping, traveling and spending time with her family.

Ashley Hamilton was named assistant principal intern for Grove Elementary in the summer of 2021. She was named assistant principal in 2022.

Hamilton has been with Union Public Schools since 2013 when she was hired as a teacher for Briarglen Elementary. Since then, Hamilton has taught at Ellen Ochoa and later Darnaby Elementary Schools. In these roles, she has been active as a club sponsor in various capacities, after-school programs, book clubs and coordinator of activities from reading events to lead teacher.

A Union High School graduate, Hamilton received her bachelor’s degree in education from Oklahoma State University in 2012, and her master’s degree in school administration from Northeastern State University in Broken Arrow in 2019.