Northview`s Dischiavi Wins HPS Principal of the Year

Stephanie Dischiavi
Northview’s Dischiavi Wins
HPS Principal of the Year
For the past 16 years, Stephanie Dischiavi has demonstrated commitment to ensuring a rigorous and quality
education for all students based on their unique social, emotional, physical and intellectual characteristics.
Sounds complex? Absolutely. Serving as an elementary and middle school teacher and administrator is indeed,
a tough job.
But Dischiavi, principal of Northview Middle School, makes it seem easy, at least on the outside. She’s calm,
genuine, a great listener, and at the heart of every decision, she puts her students first. That part is easy. “It’s
what I do…serving the needs of the students is a priority,” said Dischiavi, with a heart-warming smile.
“All children can learn when the curriculum and instruction are inclusive in design and implementation to
accommodate the diversity of learners,” said Dischiavi. “A successful learning environment can be achieved
through high expectations, clear goals and collaboration with students, parents and educators.”
So with her high standards to achieving excellence in public schools, Dischiavi’s peers recently rallied together
and elected her as the 2014-2015 Principal of the Year for Hickory Public Schools.
“On behalf of the Hickory Public Schools, I am pleased to congratulate Mrs. Dischiavi for this well-deserved
honor,” said Dr. Walter Hart, HPS superintendent. “How wonderful to have a principal like Mrs. Dischiavi to
represent Hickory Public Schools as she epitomizes continual improvement, care for children and high
expectations,” said Hart.
Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, Dischiavi majored in elementary education at the University of Akron. She
moved to Hickory, NC where, in 1997, she began her teaching career at Oakwood Elementary. After just a few
years, she served as a principal intern at Jenkins Elementary before her selection to serve as assistant principal.
The following year, Dischiavi was promoted to principal of Jenkins serving in that role from 2005 -2012.
For the past two years, Dischiavi has served as principal at Northview Middle School where she has discovered
a new passion in developing Northview as a middle school model. Dischiavi is leading a transition at
Northview, one that captures a school-wide reform for academics, developmentally appropriate practices,
alignment of practices to ensure social equity and the enhancement of school-wide structures and systems.
During Dischiavi’s leadership at Northview, with a staff of 48 employees, she has implemented the Positive
Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) Program and revised school-wide discipline procedures; implemented the
Olewus Anti-Bullying Prevention Program; implemented Professional Learning Communities to allow for
effective collaboration among teachers and support staff; partnered with district technology to create a
comprehensive three-year technology plan for Northview; created an interactive electronic staff handbook to
serve as the school’s communication tool; and she has strengthened professional relationships with community
stakeholders to establish an active PTA and faith-based partnerships.
A recipient of the NC Distinguished Leadership Program and the NC Principal Fellows Program Scholarship,
Dischiavi was also selected as Teacher of the Year for Oakwood Elementary (twice), the First Union Excellent
Teacher Award, and the Sallie Mae First Year Teacher Award. Dischiavi earned her Master of School
Administration from UNC-Charlotte and she also earned local endorsement for the Academically and
Intellectually Gifted Program.
A resident of the Mountain View community, Stephanie Dischiavi is married to Jim Dischiavi and step-mother
to 16-year old daughter, Nicole. Dischiavi enjoys golfing with her husband when she can sneak in some quiet
time away from the world of achieving excellence in education for approximately 600 middle school students.
(Posting and photos by Beverly Snowden, HPS public information office)