Mrs. Christy McCauley

Welcome to Hawk Ridge  Elementary School! We are excited to welcome you and your child to The Nest! 

Our school is a unique learning environment made exceptional by the community that we serve.   At Hawk Ridge, we also believe in supporting the whole child. Kids in pre-k through fifth grade are kids and deserve to foster their character, social-emotional understanding and, most importantly, have fun.  This core belief is represented in our belief that all students deserve the opportunity to experience success and be happy.  Students experience this through our SOAR leadership initiatives, recess, special area classes and through our wonderful teachers. 

Hawk Ridge Elementary School has such a rich history of dedicated teachers, community support, and eager students. It is with great enthusiasm that I am able to foster this journey together with you to continue the success of our school. I am thrilled to build relationships with our families, community members, faculty and most especially, the students. 

Hawk Ridge has a history of growing students academically. In the 21-22 school year, our school was deemed an “A” school and our students EXCEEDED expected growth as determined by the state. Our teachers believe in meeting the individualized needs of each student.  This is done through small group instruction and a personalized learning approach.   

I invite you to participate in our school community as often as you can. Please remember to register as a CMS volunteer. All volunteers must register each year and select Hawk Ridge Elementary as the site. Please also remember to bring your photo ID to sign in upon entering the school, as we are working diligently to keep our school safe.

Finally, I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I grew up in Ohio, attending private Catholic School K-12.  I loved calling Ohio home, but post-college, my career brought me to North Carolina. I have loved calling this area home for the past 20 years and this is where I met my husband and started our family. I have two wonderful children; Andrew (7) and Ruby (3). It is important to me that we serve our students and families as if they were our own. Providing a high quality experience at Hawk Ridge is the highest priority for me. 

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.  All of my additional graduate degrees have been from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.  At UNCC, I obtained my Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, Administrative Add-on Licensure and my Talent Development certificate. I have gained teaching and leadership experiences throughout CMS schools.  I started my career teaching Kindergarten and 3rd grade at Idlewild Elementary.  Following this time as a teacher, I took on leadership roles at Idlewild Elementary School as a Magnet Coordinator, Oaklawn Language Academy as a Dean of Students, and Steele Creek Elementary as an Assistant Principal. My diverse experiences have provided me with the necessary opportunities to serve our community and students. I have gained the knowledge to provide a school environment that is focused on high expectations, excellent communication and an overall superb student experience. 

I am eager to start our journey together! Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns: christyd.mccauley@cms.k12.nc.us or 980-343-5927

Thank you for choosing Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Hawk Ridge Elementary.

Christy McCauley, Principal