Meet the Directors!
Mrs. Nell Altman-Boyce
Musical Director
Nell Altman-Boyce (Director) is a 1971 graduate of Winthrop University. She earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree with Organ proficiency. She has taught in the Charleston County Schools where she directed the musicals, “Li’l Abner” and “Oliver” at North Charleston High School. She taught music in Craven County Schools at Havelock Middle School. She has also taught at White Oak High School, Northwoods Park Middle School, Hunters Creek Middle School, and Silverdale Elementary School for the Onslow County School System before retiring in 2011 with 34 years of teaching experience. In addition to her music degree, Mrs. Boyce has earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from The Citadel and a Master of Library Science degree from East Carolina University. While in Okinawa, Japan she worked as an Education Specialist for the Navy and was the director of the Okinawa Choral Society. She has accompanied Jim Croom, Visiting Artist at Coastal Carolina Community College, Mark Walters, Operatic Baritone, Joe Meyers, Operatic Tenor and Krista Wigle, Operatic Soprano. She was the organist/accompanist for the presentation of Handel’s Messiah by the Crystal Coast Choral Society in 1989 and organist for Coastal Carolina Community Choir’s presentation of Handel’s Messiah in 1992 and 1994, and the Brahms’s Requiem in 1993. On several occasions she has performed Dedicatory Recitals on newly acquired or refurbished church organs. Since graduating from college she has given seven organ recitals, two at Trinity United Methodist Church in 1991 and 1997. She served as Organist and Children’s Choir Director at Trinity United Methodist Church for 24 years and is now the Organist/Music Director at Infant of Prague Catholic Church, beginning there in 2012. She also teaches private piano and voice lessons from her studio. She has served as Testing Coordinator for Northside since January, 2013. She accompanied the musical “Big” in the spring of 2013 and directed the musicals “A Christmas Carol” [2014 & 2015] ,“Disney’s Aladdin, jr.” [April 2015], “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” [April 2016], Mary Poppins [April 2017] “Oliver” [2018], "Disney's Frozen Jr" [2022], and "Shrek" [2023]. She lives with her husband, James, in Jacksonville. She has one daughter, Martha, and two precious grandchildren, Austin and Ruby. In her spare time, she likes to read and work Sudoku puzzles.
Mrs. Jennifer Smith
Choreography Director
Jennifer Smith is in her 11th year of teaching and all 11 have been here at NHS. She is the dance teacher and runs the NHS chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts and choreographs for the Marching Monarchs Marching Band and Visual Ensemble (guard/dance team). She has produced and choreographed 19 NHS dance shows, her students have performed in community productions including Relay for Life in 2017, Ainsley's Angels Benefit Concert in May 2017 and November 2022, and at the Onslow Assisted Living Facility in December 2017, and DPA 2023 & 2024 where the students received Excellent and Superior ratings. She founded Onslow County's All County Dance Event in 2024 and will continue hosting it yearly. She founded and coached the Dancing Royals Dance Team from Fall 2016- Spring 2019, and she's choreographed 8 NHS Musical Productions. "The Sound of Music" will be her 10th production!
Mrs. Smith graduated from ECU in 2015 Magna Cum Laude with her BFA in Dance Education and a K-12 Dance License. She has been training in dance for 30 years and teaches ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, contemporary, tap, and hip-hop at NHS and to 7-18 year olds at Riverwalk Dance Collective four times a week after school. Before RWDC, she taught at Swansboro/Emerald Isle Dance studios for 9 years. In 2018 she was a member of the KT Collective Dance Company based in Durham, NC and performed with them in their showcase "The Time is Now".
Mrs. Smith enjoys her free time with her husband, their two young boys and their 2 dogs. She also loves to travel the world and has been to 2 other continents and 7 countries.
Ms. Kayla Cooney
Choral Director
Kayla Cooney began teaching at Northside in the Fall of 2020. The choral program has participated in All County, Eastern Regional Chorus, MPA, and has had students audition for NC Honors Chorus. She has also helped facilitate relationships with local organizations like Kempton Assisted Living and participating in city events, such as the Beirut Observance in 2023 and various ceremonies with the local American Legion group. Ms. Cooney has assisted with the productions of Frozen Jr. (2021), Shrek (2022), and the Wizard of Oz (2023) while teaching.
Ms. Cooney graduated from Stetson University with a Bachelor of Music with an Outside Field in Business in 2019. She completed her teacher certification process with University of Mount Olive. She has been playing flute for over 15 years and teaches the instrument privately. She also is a member of the Coastal Community College Orchestra and is a founding member of the Coastal Community Flute Choir.
Ms. Cooney enjoys her free time with her bird, Jellybean, watching her favorite paranormal shows and reading any book she can get her hands on.