Newton, NC – On Friday afternoon, June 6, 2025 Newton-Conover City Schools (N-CCS) was informed by Catawba County Board of Commissioners Chairman Randy Isenhower that the County Commissioners plan to consider a resolution at their July meeting to begin the process of forcibly merging N-CCS into Catawba County Schools. Chairman Isenhower has indicated that the Board of Commissioners have the votes to pass this resolution.
In response, the Newton-Conover Board of Education will consider a resolution at its regularly scheduled business meeting on Monday, June 16 at 5:30 PM, opposing this plan from the County Commissioners. This meeting will take place at the Newton-Conover City Schools Administrative Office at 605 N. Ashe Ave in Newton. We remind all citizens of Newton and Conover that we have open business meetings and allow time for public comment at these meetings. Should you wish to participate in this public comment forum we remind you of our Policy (Policy 2310) regarding this time that are pertinent to this topic:
· Each speaker will receive three minutes to present comments.
· The public comment session will not exceed 30 minutes total except by majority vote of the board. (a motion will be considered to waive this provision of policy for this meeting)
· A sign-up sheet will be available 30 minutes before the meeting begins for any individual or group to indicate their desire to address the board.
· The board chair will first recognize speakers who live within the jurisdiction of the school system, in the order in which they signed in.
· The Board chair will then recognize speakers that do not live within the jurisdiction of the school system.
· At any time, the board may establish additional procedures to ensure that public comment sessions proceed in an efficient and orderly manner.
· Board members will not respond to individuals who address the board except to request clarification of points made by the presenter.
· The Board does not transact any official business during public comment.
· Issues involving individual personnel or student matters are confidential and, therefore, are not appropriate for the public comment session.
· Personal attacks on school employees or Board members are prohibited and disruptions by any person or persons of a public meeting will be subject to action in accordance with G.S. 143-318.17.
Newton-Conover City Schools boasts a proud history of student success for nearly a century. Just last month we proudly graduated more than 200 seniors from the Class of 2025 from Newton-Conover High School, Discover High School and Conover School.
No school in Newton-Conover district has a letter grade below a C per N.C. DPI guidelines. N-CCS is one of only fifteen districts with this distinction out of 115 total NC districts.
Discovery High School ranks as the #1 best high school in the Hickory metro area (inclusive of Catawba, Calwell, Burke and Alexander counties), 8th best in the state and 312th nationally, per U.S. News and World Reports.
Discovery High School - school grade A Niche rating.
Shuford Elementary School - school grade A Niche rating.
North Newton Elementary School - school grade B+ Niche rating.
South Newton Elementary School - school grade B Niche rating.
Conover Special Education - Developmental Day School - very special students
Newton-Conover Middle School - school grade B+ Niche rating. Ranked in the top 40% of middle schools in the state of North Carolina.
Newton- Conover High School - school grade B Niche rating.
Newton-Conover High School won this year’s Wells Fargo Cup for athletic superiority in the CVAC-2A conference.
The Newton-Conover band program is recognized as the most successful band program in Catawba County, often placing more students in the All-County band than every other high school or middle school in the county.
Tim Hayes, N-CCS Board of Education, Chairman