NEWTON, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Lincoln County residents concerned about having to change school districts after new boundary lines took effect can now breathe easy.
Catawba County officials announced Monday afternoon that families who were affected by the realignment with Lincoln could keep their children in their current school assignments. And it’s not just short-term, but through their graduations.
This includes students living in the impacted neighborhoods set to enroll in kindergarten next school year. These students also have the option to enroll in Catawba County Schools beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
The new state-defined boundary between Catawba and Lincoln counties took effect Sunday. It was re-established in accordance with a survey conducted by the North Carolina Geodetic Survey, shifting 372 residences into Catawba County. The shift affects an estimated 119 students currently enrolled in Lincoln County Schools.
This decision was reached through collaborative discussions between Catawba and Lincoln counties as well as their respective county Boards of Education. Catawba County has been committed to minimizing student disruption through this transition, positioning parent choice as a key component of the path forward.
With this decision, Catawba County says all major aspects of county service transition have been resolved.
At a community meeting in Denver last week, Lincoln County residents expressed frustration over learning of the changes just a weeks before it would take place.
Catawba has a county boundary line open house scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 4, from 6-8 p.m. at Maiden High School. Affected residents are invited to drop by and talk with county representatives to learn about any services that may be affected by the new line.
