Alexander County Schools


Alexander County Schools is the public school system for all of Alexander County, North Carolina. 11 schools are located in the district.

Demographics

Alexander County is located within the Piedmont region of western North Carolina. The county's main geographic feature is the Brushy Mountains. The "Brushies," as they are called locally, rise from 300 to 1,000 feet above the surrounding countryside, and dominate the county's northern horizon. The county is served by US Highway 64, which connects Taylorsville with Lenoir and Statesville. NC Highways 90, 16, and 127 also serve the county. Interstate 40 and 77 are just 30 minutes from the majority of county residents. The Charlotte Douglas International Airport is an hour's drive from most parts of the county. The area is also served by the Hickory Regional Airport and the Statesville Airport. The Alexander Railroad Company is an active short line rail system operating between Taylorsville and Statesville and connecting with Norfolk Southern.
The county has a total of 264 square miles, of which 260 square miles is land and 3.7 square miles is water. The 2013 estimated population was 36,930, with a median household income of $40,637. The county has an estimated 17.2% of the population living below the poverty level. Seventy-nine percent of the population 25 years and older has a high school diploma or higher, with 11.7% holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Governance

The primary governing body of Alexander 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 NC State Board of Education's Seventh District.

Board of Education

The seven-member Alexander County Schools Board of Education meets on the second Tuesday of every month. The current members of the board are: Caryn Brzykcy, Scott Bowman, Sallie Hartis, Marty Pennell, David Odom, Brigette Rhyne, Harry Schrum.

Superintendent

The current superintendent of the system is Dr. Jennifer F. Hefner.

Member schools

Alexander County Schools has 11 schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to early college. Those 11 schools are separated into one early college, one high school, two middle schools and seven elementary schools.

Early College