Human Resources
The Human Resources Department is dedicated to recruiting and retaining highly effective staff who are passionate about the success of all students. In addition, we are dedicated to supporting the mission and goals of Hickory City Schools and providing service and support to all stakeholders.
Our district employs approximately 650 people, including teachers, support staff, administrators and classified staff who provide services to more than 4,000 students.
Our goal is to provide excellent, accurate, timely and courteous service to all of our employees, and we strive to foster a positive, caring work environment where the diversity of everyone is respected.
The Board of Education of the Hickory City Schools unit is an equal opportunity employer, and it is the policy of the board to provide equal employment opportunities for all employees and prospective employees without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, military affiliation, genetic information, sex, age, or disability.
- Benefits/Incentives
- Future Teachers
- Licensure
- New Hire Forms
- Requirements for Teacher Assistants
- Resources & Forms
- School Nutrition Substitute
- Substitute Teacher
Benefits/Incentives
Benefits Overall Summary Information
Full time employees have the option to enroll in state health insurance. Additional details can be found at www.shpnc.org.
Each of Hickory City Schools qualify for Title I teacher loan forgiveness. For more details, please visit: https://www.dpi.nc.gov/educators/teachers-corner/educator-compensation/teacher-loan-forgiveness.
ORBIT (Retirement System) Account Information
Hickory Foundation YMCA Corporate Membership
State Employees Credit Union
Benefits include free notary service, Fat Cat accounts for children up to age 12, Zard accounts for ages 13-19, theme park discounts and personal line insurance programs
Lenoir-Rhyne University Tuition Discount
University of Phoenix Tuition Discount
For 10% Tuition Reduction contact Amanda Fineberg
email: amanda.fineberg@phoenix.edu
WeSave Program
Discounts vary and are determined by physical location in their state-wide searchable database
Future Teachers
Are you interested in becoming a teacher? Our friends at the nonprofit TeachNC.org have lots of free tools and resources to help you get started:
- 1-on-1 advising calls to answer all your questions and choose an educator preparation program (EPP) that’s right for you
- how-to guides to demystify eligibility, testing, and financial aid
- an EPP Explorer so you can compare programs and interactive application checklists to keep you on track to apply
- fee reimbursements to help cover application and enrollment expenses
- a $1000 scholarship to help make your dream of becoming a teacher more economical
Hickory City Schools and TeachNC are committed to helping you achieve your dream of becoming a teacher! Sign up for a free TeachNC account today to get started!
Licensure
Licensed employees are required to hold a valid North Carolina Professional Educator's license. Those that hold a continuing/Standard Professional II Professional Educator's license are responsible for licensure renewal every five years. Licensure renewal requires educators participate in professional development opportunities to earn "credits" or Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Follow this link for general licensure information: North Carolina Licensure Information
NCDPI Online Licensure System
All licensed educators are required to create an account on the NCDPI Online Licensure System. This system allows you to renew your license, add a teaching area, submit a name change and update contact information, among other services. For instructions on creating an account, click here.
Licensure Renewal
It is the responsibility of each licensed employee to maintain his/her license in a current status to be eligible for employment. A continuing teaching license is valid for a period of five years from the effective date of issuance by the Licensure Section of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Continuing license holders must renew their licenses each five-year period. Each local education agency must certify that license renewal requirements have been met in order for its employees' licenses to be renewed. The HR Department will facilitate all decisions related to licensure renewal for HPS employees.
Renewal applications will be opened automatically by DPI in mid-April to early May for licenses expiring on June 30 each year. An email will be sent to the educator when the renewal application is opened in the system. There is no need to open other application types. Simply wait for the email notification from DPI stating the renewal application has been opened, and then proceed to login at vo.licensure.ncpublicschools.gov to complete the process and pay the fee online.
The renewal process ensures that North Carolina Continuing Professional License (CPL) educators engage in on-going updates of their professional knowledge and technical competence. The CPL must be renewed every five years on or after April 15th of the year that a license expires.
Renewal Requirements for Standard Professional II License Holders expiring June 30, 2019 or later
Click here for settings and instructions to check current renewal credit amounts from an HPS computer via Internet Explorer.
Continuing Education (Check your CEUs in Internet Explorer from a HPS computer)
(Microsoft Edge/Firefox will work as well-Google Chrome will not work to check CEUs)
Click here for instructions to complete licensure renewal through the NCDPI Online Licensure System.
Click here for more information regarding professional development opportunities in NCEES.
New Hire Forms
Welcome to Hickory City Schools and congratulations on your new position with us! Please print and complete the following forms, and bring them with you to your scheduled appointment with Personnel.
FORMS:
- Background Authorization Form (download for fillable form)
- Direct Deposit (Click here for recent changes to installment pay)
Click here for more information on SECU's Summer Cash Account - I-9 Form
- 2025 W-4
- NC-4 EZ
- Health Exam Certificate (due within 30 days of employment)
- Certification Statement HCS Board Policies
- Employee Information Form
- NC New Hire Reporting Form
- Retirement Reemployment Form ESRR
Please bring your driver's license and social security card with you as well as a blank/voided check to set up your mandatory direct deposit. Please note: you will not be able to begin working until we have a copy of your social security card
Please review the following documents, and print for your records.
- Time Keeper Employee Portal Instructions
- Summary of Benefits for Prospective Employees
- Hickory City Schools Calendar
Please complete the following online form, including emergency contact information.
If you have any questions or problems opening these documents, please contact Christie Alley in Personnel at alleych@hickoryschools.net or by phone at 828-322-2855 extension 219.
Requirements for Teacher Assistants
(1) All Title I paraprofessionals/ teacher assistants must have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent.
(2) Additionally, paraprofessionals/ teacher assistants hired after January 8, 2002, and working in a program supported with Title I, Part A funds must have:
- Completed two years of study at an institution of higher education; (equivalent of 48 semester hours) or
- Obtained an associate’s (or higher) degree; or
- Completed 96 documented contact hours AND passing scores in reading, writing and applied mathematics on the ACT WorkKeys Occupational Profile Assessment for Teacher Assistants. (Passing scores are level 4 on Reading for Information/Workplace Documents, level 4 on Applied Mathematics, and level 3 Business Writing.) WorkKeys assessments can be taken at local community colleges.
Note: According to local guidelines, all Teacher Assistants in all schools must meet highly qualified standards as listed above unless extenuating exceptions are allowed at non-Title I schools.
Resources & Forms
NC State Salary Schedules
2024 - 2025 Personnel Directory Form
Health Exam Certificate
Background Authorization Form (select print icon to download and complete electronic fillable form)
Application for Non-staff Athletic Coaches (select print icon to download and complete electronic fillable form)
Resignation Form (If you are immediately being re-employed with a state system, your leave balances should be transferred to your new state employer. If not, then annual leave will be paid out while sick leave will be held "on-account" for five years pending re-employment within the state system.)
School Nutrition Substitute
New Substitutes
Thank you for your interest in becoming a school nutrition substitute with Hickory City Schools! Follow the steps below to apply:
- Complete an online application.
- Print, complete, and return the forms under New Substitutes Forms along with a copy of your driver's license and social security card, and send them to the attention of Human Resources at Hickory City Schools, 432 4th Ave SW, Hickory, NC 28602.
New Substitutes Forms
- Online Generic Substitute Application (do not print/will be
accessed online) - Substitute Home School Designation
- Direct Deposit Form
- Recent Changes to Installment Pay
- Sub Reference Form (2 are required)
- I-9 Memo to Substitutes
- I-9 Form
- W-4
- NC-4 EZ (Both tax forms must be completed)
- Background Authorization Form (download for fillable form)
- NC New Hire Reporting Form
- Health Exam Certificate
- Certification Statement HCS Board Policies
- Retirement Reemployment Form ESRR
Please print the following for reference material only.
Please note: Substitutes are employed on an as needed basis only and, by definition, are disqualified for unemployment benefits under NCGS 96-15.01 [(d) Substitute School Personnel. – An individual that performs service in a school as a substitute is not unemployed for days or weeks when the individual is not called to work unless the individual was employed as a full-time substitute during the period of time for which the individual is requesting benefits. For purposes of this subsection, a full-time substitute is an employee that works for more than 30 hours a week for the school on a continual basis for a period of six months or more.] A substitute teacher has no guaranteed nor implied assignment to work regular or permanent hours nor is a substitute teacher eligible for unemployment benefits during the summer months between school terms.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Christy Gwyn at gwynch@hickoryschools.net or (828) 322-2855 x 228.
Thank you for being so interested in being a substitute with Hickory City Schools!
Substitute Teacher
New Substitutes
Thank you for your interest in becoming a substitute teacher with Hickory City Schools! Follow the steps below to apply:
- Please read Substitute Regulations & Requirements; this includes information about substitute pay and necessary forms.
- Complete an online application.
- Print, complete, and return the forms under New Substitutes Forms along with a copy of your driver's license and social security card, and send them to the attention of Human Resources at Hickory City Schools, 432 4th Ave SW, Hickory, NC 28602.
- If you do not hold a valid NC teaching license, you must complete the Effective Teacher Training through App-Garden University.
New Substitutes Forms
- Online Generic Substitute Application (do not print/will be
accessed online) - Effective Teacher Training
- Substitute Home School Designation
- Direct Deposit Form
- Recent Changes to Installment Pay
- Sub Reference Form (2 are required)
- I-9 Memo to Substitutes
- I-9 Form
- W-4
- NC-4 EZ (Both tax forms must be completed)
- Background Authorization Form (download for fillable form)
- NC New Hire Reporting Form
- Health Exam Certificate
- Certification Statement HCS Board Policies
- Retirement Reemployment Form ESRR
Please print the following for reference material only.
Current Substitute Teachers
Beginning September 28, 2015, Hickory City Schools began using Absence Management (formerly known as Aesop) as our automated substitute management system. Below you will find information on Absence Management (formerly Aesop), including training videos, a Quick Start Guide, and other helpful resources. You should have received an email or letter with your username and password.
Once you receive final board approval for substitute teaching, you will receive an email from the Absence Management (formerly known as Aesop) system with your login information and another email with an invitation link to create your Frontline ID account for signing in via a computer.
You will also receive a separate email with instructions regarding the newly required Substitute Compliance Training modules within Vector/SafeSchools Training. (You must notify the substitute coordinator that your training is complete only if the current school year has already begun. At that time, please email Christie Alley at alleych@hickoryschools.net to verify that your compliance training has been completed.)
Once all training and approval is complete and verified, you will be able to begin substitute teaching for Hickory City Schools.
Please note: Substitute teachers are employed on an as needed basis only and, by definition, are disqualified for unemployment benefits under NCGS 96-15.01 [(d) Substitute School Personnel. – An individual that performs service in a school as a substitute is not unemployed for days or weeks when the individual is not called to work unless the individual was employed as a full-time substitute during the period of time for which the individual is requesting benefits. For purposes of this subsection, a full-time substitute is an employee that works for more than 30 hours a week for the school on a continual basis for a period of six months or more.] A substitute teacher has no guaranteed nor implied assignment to work regular or permanent hours nor is a substitute teacher eligible for unemployment benefits during the summer months between school terms.
Current Substitutes Resources
- Basic Training: How to Use Absence Management (formerly Aesop)
- How Absence Management (formerly Aesop) Works
- Sample Phone Call
- Advanced Training
- Quick Start Guide for Absence Management (formerly Aesop) (pdf)
- FAQ
- Getting Started
- 2023-2024 Substitute Handbook
- **NEW Time Keeper Employee Portal Instructions
- **NEW Time Keeper Employee Portal Access
- Substitute Teacher Payroll Calendar
- Absence Management (formerly Aesop) Log-in
- New User Account Setup for Frontline ID Account
- Vector/Safe Schools Annual Compliance Training Log-in
Effective Teacher Training
We are very excited to offer new training for potential substitute teachers in the Hickory City Schools system. If you do not hold a valid NC Teaching License, Effective Teacher Training is mandatory in order to be an approved substitute beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. If you have completed Effective Teacher Training through another school system, we will accept a certificate of completion.
The VIRTUAL training is offered by the App-Garden University. This virtual training gives you the ability to train anytime and anywhere you have access to internet, providing great tips and ideas for being a successful substitute teacher.
Once you complete this training course you will be given a certificate of completion which may be printed and kept for your records. In addition, the district office will need a copy of this certificate of completion along with your application packet and forms.
The training is $29.00 for the complete course. You will have access to complete the training and review the course as many times as you feel necessary for one year from the time of enrollment. You will go to the following link to purchase the Effective Teacher Training course.
https://appgarden1.app-garden.
The current user guide, which will give you step by step instructions along with screen shots to assist you with purchasing the course, is also available within the above link.
Once the purchase has been made, you will have access to start the training.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Christie Alley alleych@hickoryschools.net (828) 322-2855 x 219 or Stephanie Nelson nelsonst@hickoryschools.net (828) 322-2855 x 233.
Thank you for being so interested in substitute teaching with Hickory City Schools!