News

W. M. Jenkins celebrated the opening of its new playground on October 6 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring students, district leaders, and special guests.

Principal Jamey Carter welcomed attendees and thanked the people who made the project possible. The Catawba County Board of Commissioners provided funding, and Hickory City Schools Director of Operations & Maintenance Tony Cox initiated the project and advocated for the new playground.

Hickory City Schools Community,

Yesterday, the Hickory City Schools Board of Education submitted its formal brief to the North Carolina State Board of Education in opposition to the proposed merger of Hickory City Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, and Catawba County Schools.

Throughout this process, we have remained committed to transparency and to ensuring that decisions affecting our schools are grounded in facts and, most importantly, in what is best for students. Our brief outlines several significant concerns that we believe the State Board should carefully consider before making its decision.

Branching Out Through Literacy

At Hickory City Schools, we know that strong readers become confident learners. Literacy is the foundation that enables our students to access every subject, discover new interests, and prepare for the opportunities ahead.

This month, I am proud to recognize the Patrick Beaver Learning Resource Center as our October Branching Out: Community Partner Spotlight and celebrate a partnership that brings additional people, expertise, and resources into our schools to support our students and educators.

Below is the Superintendent’s Report from the Monday, September 28, 2026 Board of Education meeting, presented by Dr. Jennifer Griffin.

Across North Carolina, school districts are experiencing declines in Average Daily Membership (ADM), and Hickory City Schools is experiencing this trend as well. We have seen a decrease of approximately 100 students in our district. While this is part of a broader statewide trend, we recognize that declining enrollment has real implications for staffing, resources, and future budget planning.

Long before families arrived to pick up their weekly summer meal boxes, Hickory City Schools School Nutrition employees were already hard at work, preparing, packing, loading, and transporting thousands of meals to make sure children across the community had access to nutritious food while school was out.

By the end of the summer, that work added up to an impressive number: 99,597 meals served to children across the Hickory community.

Hickory City Schools and Newton-Conover City Schools Communities,

Today, the North Carolina State Board of Education took an important step in establishing how it will review the proposed merger of Hickory City Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, and Catawba County Schools.

Hickory City Schools’ students continue to demonstrate strong academic achievement in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Hickory City Schools’ students completed 398 AP exams, with nearly 75% earning a score of 3 or higher during the 2025–2026 school year.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) has released accountability results for the 2025-2026 school year, and Hickory City Schools is celebrating continued academic progress across the district while maintaining a strong focus on improving outcomes for every student.

Branching Out Through Connection

At Hickory City Schools, we know that educating children is truly a community effort. Our schools are stronger when we have partners who believe in our students, support our families, and help us extend learning and opportunity beyond the classroom.

That is why I am excited to begin our Branching Out: Community Partner Spotlight with a very special partner to Hickory City Schools — Centro Latino.

Hickory City Schools Community,

As we begin a new school year, there is so much to be excited about across Hickory City Schools. Our classrooms are once again filled with students learning, growing, building relationships, and discovering new opportunities. This is a special time of year and a reminder of why the decisions we make about public education matter so deeply.

At the same time, the proposed merger of Hickory City Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, and Catawba County Schools remains under review by the North Carolina State Board of Education. The merger is not final, and our community's voice continues to matter.

Below is the Superintendent’s Report from the Monday, August 24, 2026 Board of Education meeting, presented by Dr. Jennifer Griffin.

The first day of school is always an exciting one—and today was no exception for our nearly 3600 students. 

I had the opportunity to begin the day at Hickory High School for the Senior Sunrise. There is something especially meaningful about watching our seniors gather with their mamas and daddies to celebrate the last first day of school. For those students, this year will fly by. And I loved that they began their final first day on the football field—the very same turf where, in just a few short months, they will gather again for graduation.

Hickory City Schools Community,

I want to share an update following today's meeting of the North Carolina State Board of Education regarding the proposed merger of Hickory City Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, and Catawba County Schools.

During the Board Chair's report, Chairman Eric Davis shared that the State Board received the original merger proposal from the Catawba County Board of Commissioners on June 25, followed by an updated proposal on July 7. He stated that the Board will carefully review the proposal and all accompanying materials using the criteria established by North Carolina law.

Chairman Davis also shared that the State Board plans to discuss the process and timeline for its review, as well as the appropriate next steps, during its September 2–3, 2026 meeting.

Hickory City Schools Community,

I want to take a moment to provide an update on the proposed merger of Hickory City Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, and Catawba County Schools.

The North Carolina State Board of Education is scheduled to meet later this week. Although the proposed merger is not currently listed for discussion, the Board is expected to provide additional information about how it plans to review the proposal submitted by the Catawba County Board of Commissioners. We will continue to monitor the process closely and will share updates with you as we learn more.

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.