News

Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to Hickory City Board of Education for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025. The report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

Hickory City Schools Community,

Late yesterday, we were notified that the Catawba County Board of Commissioners officially submitted the proposed school district merger plan to the North Carolina State Board of Education.

While this marks another step in the process, it is important to remember that this is not the final step. The proposal must now be reviewed by the State Board of Education before any further action can occur.

The North Carolina School Superintendents' Association (NCSSA) has announced the selection of Dr. Jennifer Griffin, Superintendent of Hickory Schools, as the recipient of the Dr. Brad Sneeden Leadership Award. The award is presented in honor and recognition of a superintendent who has demonstrated a strong commitment to lifelong learning, unwavering integrity in leadership, and transformation of vision into action.

Hickory City Schools is proud to announce that Curtis Morrison, a Digital Media teacher at Hickory Career & Arts Magnet High School, has been named a nominee for the NCCAT 2027 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Career & Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year Award.

This nomination places Morrison among an outstanding group of educators from across North Carolina, each recognized for their innovation, passion, and impact on student success.

Hickory City Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jessica Anthony as the new principal of Viewmont Elementary School.

Dr. Anthony brings a wealth of educational experience to Hickory City Schools, having served as a high school Spanish teacher, assistant principal, and elementary school principal throughout her career. Most recently, she served as principal of Davenport A+ Elementary School, where she and her team increased student proficiency and growth across all academic areas while reestablishing the school's long-standing arts-integrated program. Through a focus on shared leadership, teacher empowerment, and student success, she helped cultivate a school culture where students could thrive both academically and creatively.

Hickory City Schools is pleased to announce several leadership transitions for the upcoming school year, reinforcing the district’s commitment to student achievement, family engagement, and strong school communities.

The Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) is thrilled to announce that Hickory City Schools Board of Education, (North Carolina), has been awarded the prestigious Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting (COE). This honor recognizes school districts that uphold the highest standards of financial reporting and transparency.

Hickory City Schools celebrated its “Of the Year” award recipients and consecutive years-of-service honorees on Tuesday, May 5, at 5 PM at Warehouse 18 in Hickory.

Everyone has their eyes on Raleigh as state lawmakers returned last week.  

• No final state budget yet. Districts are left planning for next year without clear funding numbers.
• Teacher raises remain unsettled. Multiple proposals include pay increases, but lawmakers have not agreed on the size or structure of raises, so educators are still waiting.
• Veteran Teacher Pay stagnates in the Governor’s proposal.  The proposal increases base pay for teachers to $53,000, but teachers with 25 or more years of experience top out at $58,000.  Very few industries would expect to attract and, importantly, retain excellent employees with a structure of this nature.  Our veteran teachers deserve to be compensated fairly.
• School funding priorities are being debated. Discussions continue around how much to invest in public schools, teacher compensation, and other competing priorities such as vouchers, Medicaid, and tax policy.

Hickory City Schools Staff, Families, and Community,

We are disappointed in the decision by the Catawba County Board of Commissioners to move forward with the proposed merger of the three school systems. While this outcome is not what we had hoped for, we want to be clear: our work is not finished.

Hickory City Schools is proud to offer summer meals at no cost for children ages 18 and under. Our Summer Nutrition Program is designed to ensure all children in our community continue to have access to healthy, nutritious meals while school is out.

Families can choose from two convenient options based on their summer schedules.

Hickory City Schools proudly celebrates its Elementary Battle of the Books (EBOB) Team from Oakwood Elementary School for being named the Region 7 Elementary Battle of the Books Champions on Friday, March 27, at Challenger High School.

The Hickory City Schools team competed against top elementary teams from six surrounding districts, including Alexander County, Ashe County, Caldwell County, Catawba County, Watauga County, and Yancey County. Demonstrating exceptional reading comprehension, teamwork, and perseverance, the team advanced through seven competitive rounds to earn the regional title.

Below is the Superintendent’s Report from the Monday, March 23, 2026 Board of Education meeting, presented by Dr. Jennifer Griffin.

As events continue to unfold around the potential merger of school systems across Catawba County, I want to provide an important update this evening. Last Friday, the County Commissioners released a merger plan for the three school systems in Catawba County.

Hickory City Schools is proud to announce that Hickory High School student Mallory Rhoney has been selected to attend the 2026 North Carolina Governor’s School, one of the state’s most prestigious academic honors.

Hickory City Schools Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Griffin has announced the appointment of Greg Keys as the district’s new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The Hickory City Board of Education confirmed the appointment at its meeting on March 9, 2026. Keys will officially begin his role on May 11, 2026.

Northview Middle School claimed first place at the Catawba Book Bash Middle School Battle of the Books competition held Tuesday, March 10, at the Newton-Conover City Schools Central Office in Newton, NC, finishing 1st among eight middle school teams after 10 rounds of competition.

Oakwood Elementary claimed first place at the Hickory City Schools Elementary Battle of the Books competition held March 9 at Grandview Middle School.

Hickory City Schools extends its sincere appreciation to the Rotary Club of Hickory for honoring eight outstanding students from Hickory High School and Hickory Career & Arts Magnet High School (HCAM) as Students of Distinction.

Below is the Superintendent’s Report from the Monday, February 23, 2026 Board of Education meeting, presented by Dr. Jennifer Griffin.

This week, February 23–27, we join districts across the nation in celebrating Public Schools Week. It is an opportunity to recognize the incredible impact of public education and to celebrate the students, educators, staff, families, and community members who make Hickory City Schools such a special place. Public schools are the heart of our community, and we are proud of the opportunities we provide for every child we serve.

Below is the Superintendent’s Report from the Monday, February 9, 2026 Board of Education meeting, presented by Dr. Jennifer Griffin.

The past two weeks have reminded us how quickly plans can change. Multiple snow and ice events required careful monitoring of road conditions and thoughtful decision-making to ensure the safety of our students and staff. I am deeply grateful to our transportation, maintenance, communications, and school leadership teams who worked diligently—often in the early morning hours—to guide our district safely through these weather events.