Northview Middle School - HCS

09/23/2026

This year is already one for the books! 📘

The big moments. The everyday moments. The smiles, friendships, creativity, school spirit, and all those little things that make a year at Northview our year.

We’re capturing it all—and when the year is over, the yearbook is where those memories get to stay.

Yearbooks are $35 through December 31. The price increases to $40 on January 1. Eighth-grade families can also order remembrance ads through December 31.

Don’t just live the story. Keep it. 💙

www.jostens.com

09/18/2026

🎨 National Arts in Education Week | Educator Spotlight

Meet Michelle Fairchild, Visual Arts Teacher at Northview Middle School - HCS! Michelle has been part of the HCS family for 16 years.

We asked Michelle a few questions about art, creativity, and what inspires her:

✨ What’s something your students would be surprised to learn about you?

I am a working artist, and I have a large social media following. My art hangs in homes and businesses throughout the U.S. and abroad. I have even had celebrities buy my art!

🖼️ What is one arts experience you think every student should have?

Going to NYC or another major city to view masterworks in person.

❤️ What made you fall in love with your art form?

The stillness of the world around me that only comes from creating art.

👏 Help us thank Michelle for 16 years of inspiring creativity in HCS students!

09/16/2026

🎺 National Arts in Education Week | Educator Spotlight

Meet Chris Leeper, Band Teacher at Northview Middle School - HCS! Chris is starting his 2nd official year with HCS and has worked with HCS band programs for 8 years.

We asked Chris a few questions about music, creativity, and what inspired his own musical journey:

🎶 What do you love most about teaching the arts?

What I love most about teaching the arts is having the opportunity to work firsthand with students as they learn how to begin their musical journey. Learning how to make music can be a special time in a student’s life.

🌟 What is one arts experience you think everyone should have?

An arts experience that I believe everyone should have is the chance to feel like they’re proud of something they have created.

🎸 What made you fall in love with your art form?

I have always been drawn to music. I think it probably started when I was 5 or 6 and my parents introduced me to the Beatles and Elvis. Apparently, that was all I needed. Watching videos of them playing inspired me to start learning the guitar and then eventually join 6th grade band in middle school. Ever since then, I’ve worked towards filling my life with creating, performing, and teaching music. It’s great to be working in a career where I can experience each of those aspects every day.

👏 Help us thank Chris for helping our students begin their own musical journeys!

09/16/2026

📘💙 DON’T MISS THE $35 YEARBOOK PRICE!

Northview yearbooks are on sale now for $35 through December 31!

Beginning January 1, the price increases to $40 and will remain $40 through the end of yearbook sales.

🎓 8TH GRADE PARENTS:
Want to make your student’s final Northview yearbook extra special? You can also purchase a remembrance ad for your 8th grader when you order your yearbook! Ads are available for an additional cost and can include your own photos and a special message to your student.

⚠️ The deadline to purchase an 8th-grade remembrance ad is December 31. After that date, the ad option will no longer be available.

📅 DECEMBER 31 = TWO IMPORTANT DEADLINES!
💙 Last day to order a yearbook for $35
🎓 Last day to purchase an 8th-grade remembrance ad

Starting January 1, yearbooks will be $40.

Order now and check one more thing off your list! 📘💙

🔗 ORDER HERE: www.jostens.com

09/16/2026

In two days...

📸💙 FALL PICTURE DAY IS COMING, HAWKS! 💙📸

Time to practice those smiles! 😁

Northview Fall Picture Day is Friday, September 18!

📅 Mark your calendar
👕 Dress your best
😁 Bring your best smile
📸 We’ll take care of the rest!

💵 NO MONEY IS NEEDED ON PICTURE DAY!

We’re doing things a little differently this year. Students will have their pictures taken on September 18, and Strawbridge picture proofs will be sent home a few weeks later. Families will be able to see their student’s picture before deciding what they’d like to order.

So for now, there’s nothing to buy, nothing to send in, and no order form to keep up with.

Just remember:

📸 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 = PICTURE DAY!

Strawbridge recommends choosing solid colors or small patterns for picture day and avoiding clothing with large images or logos.

We’ll share more information about proofs and ordering when the time comes. For now…

Mark the date, dress your best, and get ready to SMILE, Hawks! 💙🦅📸

09/15/2026

🗓️Mark your calendar! Here are our NVMS Spirit Nights for the 2026-2027 school year!

09/15/2026

🩵 Our teachers were treated to something extra special today!

A huge THANK YOU to our friends at The Peanut House in Hickory for providing an absolutely delicious lunch for our Northview teachers—and to our Northview PTA for sponsoring today’s duty-free lunch!

Great food is always appreciated, but giving our teachers the opportunity to sit down, enjoy a meal, and have a little break in the middle of a busy school day makes it even better.

We are so grateful for community partners who choose to invest in our school and for a PTA that continually finds ways to support and encourage our teachers and staff.

Good food. Great partners. Appreciated teachers. 🩵

Thank you, The Peanut House and Northview PTA, for helping our teachers WIN THE DAY!

09/15/2026

🎻 National Arts in Education Week | Educator Spotlight

Meet Angela Allen, Orchestra Teacher at Northview Middle School - HCS! Angela is starting her 8th year with HCS.

We asked Angela a few questions about music, teaching, and her experiences as a professional musician:

🎻 What is one arts experience you think every student should have?

I believe that every student should have the opportunity to learn to play an instrument! While some people assume it is too challenging to learn an instrument, an experienced and knowledgeable teacher can break down the complexity into manageable steps that develop proper technique, which will build success and enjoyment for the student. I find it especially important to work with students at the beginning of their orchestra journey when they are developing these foundational skills and discovering their abilities. That is the main reason why I enjoy teaching middle school students.

❤️ What is your proudest moment as an arts educator?

My proudest moment as an arts educator is each and every time I see a student experience enjoyment in learning, performing, or advancing in music—understanding how to read music notes for the first time, performing one of their favorite songs in a concert, auditioning for a youth honors orchestra, and more!

✨ What’s something your students would be surprised to learn about you?

Something my students would be surprised to learn about me is that I perform regularly with professional orchestras across the state and beyond. I am a first violinist with Western Piedmont Symphony (professional orchestra here in Hickory!) and the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre Orchestra. I also perform regularly with Winston-Salem Symphony and have performed with Salisbury Symphony, Symphony of the Mountains, Fort Smith Symphony, Wichita Grand Opera, Piedmont Wind Symphony, and recording artists Boyz II Men, Josh Groban, The Temptations, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, and many more.

👏 Help us thank Angela for sharing her talent and love of music with our students!

09/13/2026

🎶 National Arts in Education Week | Educator Spotlight

Meet Karina Alegre, Chorus Director/General Music Teacher at Northview Middle School - HCS! Karina has been part of the HCS family for 5 years.

We asked Karina a few questions about music, teaching, and the arts:

🎤 If you could see any artist or group perform live, past or present, who would it be?

If I could see any artist perform live, I would choose Selena Quintanilla. I would love to experience her incredible stage presence, energy, and connection with her audience. She was such an influential performer, and I think seeing her live would have been an unforgettable experience.

🎵 What is one arts experience you think every student should have?

I think every student should have the opportunity to participate in a music class, whether that is chorus, orchestra, or band. Every child should experience what it feels like to be part of an ensemble and contribute to something bigger than themselves. Music teaches so much more than just musical skills—it builds confidence, teamwork, discipline, and relationships.

🏆 What is your proudest moment as an arts educator?

My proudest moment was taking my group to contest for the first time during my first year of teaching and receiving a Superior rating. As a first-year teacher, it was a little nerve-wracking preparing my students for their first contest, so seeing all of our hard work pay off was incredibly rewarding. More than the rating itself, I was proud of seeing my students work together, grow, and accomplish something they could be proud of.

👏 Help us thank Karina for sharing her love of music with our students!