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.
During the chairman's report, Tiffany Lucas, general counsel, presented a recommended timeline and process for reviewing the Catawba County Board of Commissioners' merger proposal. The State Board unanimously approved the recommended process and timeline.
We want to share what this means and what happens next.
October 5, 2026
Hickory City Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, and Catawba County Schools will each have the opportunity to submit briefs and supporting materials to the State Board for consideration.
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October 26, 2026
The Catawba County Board of Commissioners will have three additional weeks to submit a reply brief to the State Board.
November 4–5, 2026
The proposed merger will come before the State Board as a discussion item. This will allow board members time to review the materials submitted by the parties in advance and use that information to help inform their discussion.
December 2–3, 2026
The State Board will hold a hearing on the proposed merger. Each party will be given time to present, followed by questions from State Board members. Following the hearing, the State Board will deliberate, seek legal counsel as needed, and ultimately vote on whether to approve the proposed merger plan.
The proposed merger has not been approved by the North Carolina State Board of Education.
The October 5 submission provides our districts with an important opportunity to ensure the State Board hears directly from the school systems and has the information necessary to understand how this proposal could affect our students, staff, families, schools, and communities. We will approach that responsibility thoughtfully and thoroughly.
Throughout this process, we have remained committed to transparency and to keeping our communities informed. Most importantly, our focus has always been, and will continue to be, our students. We will continue advocating for the educational opportunities, resources, relationships, and programs that support their success.
There are important steps ahead, and we will continue to share information as this process moves forward.
Thank you for your continued support of our students, educators, schools, and communities.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jennifer Griffin
Superintendent
Hickory City Schools
Dr. Emily Shaw
Superintendent
Newton-Conover City Schools
