Catawba County Schools

Catawba County Schools
Catawba County Schools
Location
	Catawba County, North Carolina United States
District information
Type	Public
Motto	Engage. Inspire. Empower.
Grades	PK–12
Superintendent	Dr. Matthew Stover
Accreditation	AdvancED
Schools	28
Budget	$ 173,714,000
NCES District ID	3700690
Students and staff
Students	17,370
Teachers	1,085.05 (on FTE basis)
Staff	974.10 (on FTE basis)
Student–teacher ratio	16.01:1
Other information
Website	www.catawbaschools.net

Catawba County Schools is the largest school district in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. Its 28 schools serve 17,370 students as of the 2010–11 school year.

Student demographics

For the 2010–11 school year, Catawba County Schools had a total population of 17,370 students and 1,085.05 teachers on a (FTE) basis. This produced a student-teacher ratio of 16.01:1.^[1] That same year, out of the student total, the gender ratio was 51% male to 49% female. The demographic group makeup was: Black, 6%; White, 72%; Hispanic, 12%; Asian/Pacific Islander, 7%; and American Indian, 0% (two or more races: 4%).^[2] For the same school year, 48.41% of the students received free and reduced-cost lunches.^[3]

Governance and funding

The primary governing body of Catawba County Schools follows a council–manager government format with a seven-member Board of Education appointing a Superintendent to run the day-to-day operations of the system. The school system currently resides in the North Carolina State Board of Education's Seventh District.^[4]

Board of education

The seven-member Board of Education generally meets on the last Monday of each month with other meetings called as needed. The current members of the board are: Sherry Butler (Chair), Marilyn McRee (Vice-Chair), Ronn Abernathy, David Brittain, Glenn Fulbright, Cathy Starnes, and Charlie Wyant.^[5]

Superintendent

The current Superintendent of Catawba County Schools is Dr. Matthew Stover as of November 1, 2016. Dr. Stover has a career in public education spanning more than 15 years in North Carolina. He most recently served as the Associate Superintendent of the Lincoln County Schools. In that role since 2013, Dr. Stover has worked as a key member of the school system's administrative team in several areas, including safety and security, athletics, maintenance, capital and bond projects, facilities, contracts, and technology. Dr. Stover also served as the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for Lincoln County Schools from 2011-2013, where he led all aspects of human resources leadership and management for the school system. He was an assistant principal (2003-2007) and principal (2007-2011) for Lincoln County Schools and began his career in public education as a high school teacher and coach in Cleveland County.^[6]

Dr. Matthew Stover earned his bachelor's degree in social studies education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He also attended Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C., where he obtained a master's degree in school administration in 2003, and a doctorate in educational leadership in 2009.

The previous superintendent of Catawba County Schools is Dr. Dan Brigman. He began in July, 2012, and was previously the superintendent at Macon County Schools.^[7]

Member schools

Catawba County Schools has 28 schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. Those 28 schools are separated into eight high schools, five middle schools, 16 elementary schools, and one pre-school.^[8]

High schools

Bandys High School (Catawba)
Bunker Hill High School (Claremont)
Catawba Rosenwald Education Center – alternative school, grades 6–12 (Catawba)
Challenger Early College High School (Hickory)
Fred T. Foard High School (Newton)
Maiden High School (Maiden)
St. Stephens High School (Hickory)

Middle schools

H. M. Arndt Middle School (Hickory)
Jacobs Fork Middle School (Newton)
Mill Creek Middle School (Claremont)
Maiden Middle School (Maiden)
River Bend Middle School (Claremont)

Elementary schools

Balls Creek Elementary School (Newton)
Banoak Elementary School (southern Catawba County, near Vale, Lincoln County)
Blackburn Elementary School (Newton)
C. H. Tuttle Elementary School (Maiden)
Catawba Elementary School (Catawba)
Claremont Elementary School (Claremont)
Clyde Campbell Elementary School (Hickory)
Lyle Creek Elementary School (Conover)
Maiden Elementary School (Maiden)
Mountain View Elementary School (Hickory)
Oxford Elementary School (Claremont)
Sherrills Ford Elementary School (Sherrills Ford)
Snow Creek Elementary School (Hickory)
St. Stephens Elementary School (Conover)
Startown Elementary School (Newton)
Webb A. Murray Elementary School (Hickory)

Preschool

Sweetwater Early Childhood Education Center (Hickory)

Athletics

According to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, for the 2012–2013 school year:^[9]

Bandys, Bunker Hill, and Maiden high schools are 2A schools in the Catawba Valley Conference.
Fred T. Foard and St. Stephens high schools are 3A schools in the Northwestern Conference.
Challenger is a 1A Independent school.
Catawba Rosenwald Education Center does not have athletic teams.

References

^ ^a ^b "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Catawba County Schools". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
^ "Percentage of Students in Each Demographic Group". North Carolina’s School Report Cards. NC Department of Public Instruction. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
^ "2010–2011". Free & Reduced Meals Application Data. NC Department of Public Instruction. Archived from the original (XLS) on April 23, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
^ "Education Districts". NC State Board of Education. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
^ "BOE Members". Catawba County Schools. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
^ "Catawba County Schools announces new superintendent". Charlotte Business Journal. May 8, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
^ "Catawba County Schools hires Dan Brigman as superintendent". Hickory Daily Record. September 14, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
^ "Catawba County Schools Locations". Catawba County Schools. Archived from the original on August 19, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
^ "NCHSAA CONFERENCES 2012–13". NCHSAA website. NCHSAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2012.