Second graders Jordan Taylor and Kelsey McGoldrick (below) were among more than 100 Davidson Elementary readers who curled up in rocking chairs Friday to raise money for a special scholarship. Learn about the “Rock and Read” event, plus names of local graduates at Cannon School, end dates for area schools and show times for the Davidson Day musical “Snoopy!” this weekend.

All that plus a calendar of upcoming school events, including an open house Sunday at Woodlawn School, can be found below.

Reading for a reason

Students in the multi-age program at Davidson Elementary School spent Friday in rocking chairs, with piles of books at their feet. They were reading for a reason – students were raising money for a special scholarship in memory of Robin Cheeks, who died of breast cancer earlier this year and was the mother of two former multi-age program students.

This is the third time the combined second/third grade classes have held a “Rock and Read” event, raising money through donations and through per-hour reading pledges.

“We’ve held it every other year,” explained teacher Tina Cataldo. “First it was just three classes, but this year we have six classes participating.”

That meant a lot of rocking chairs, in fact enough to fill the school gym. Students rocked for six hours, stopping only to exercise with physical education teacher Walter Rabb, and also to eat a pizza lunch that included brownies donated by CiCi’s Pizza.

In the afternoon, “reading buddies” from Davidson IB Middle stopped by the gym to read along with the second and third-graders. The Cheeks family also came to meet with students and receive a special Adirondack chair donated in Robin’s memory by Carolina Mt. Furniture of Huntersville.

Robin’s husband, Jeff Cheeks, walked among the students, shaking hands and saying, “Thank you.” (See photo. In the background is daughter Shelby, a senior at North Meck, while out of the camera’s range is son Jacob, a fifth-grader at D.E.S.) Mr. Cheeks brushed away tears as he was presented with the chair.

Ms. Cataldo said donations to the Rock and Read scholarship fund will be accepted through Friday. Checks made out to “Davidson Elementary School PTA” can be sent to: Tina Cataldo, Davidson Elementary, 635 South Street, Davidson NC 28036.

Hats off to Cannon School graduates

Among the 66 members of the Cannon School Class of 2008 are 11 from Davidson, who will be leaving home this fall to attend top-ranked colleges across the country. Cannon handed out diplomas at commencement ceremonies Friday, May 23. Congrats from DavidsonNews.net to the families of the following local graduates, listed with the colleges they plan to attend:

Reid Emerson Baker, University of Mississippi
Daniel Patton Brown, Presbyterian College
Tyler Jenkins Elrod, Ohio Wesleyan University
Kyle Aaron Foster, North Carolina State University
Hillary Charlotte Gruce, Clemson University
Matthew Alan Keeler, Wingate University
Theodore James Keenan, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Russell Martin Kerr III, Emory & Henry College
Isabelle Kathleen Powell, Elon University
Kelsey Elizabeth Ross, Carleton College
Gregory Daniel Wadsworth, Miami University

How many days till summer vacation?

Cannon School has already held its upper school graduation, but most other area schools are still in session. Here’s a list of ending dates:

• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (including Davidson Elementary, Davidson IB, Bailey Middle and all public schools) will end the school year on Tuesday, June 10. The 2008-09 year resumes on Monday, Aug. 25.
• Woodlawn will hold its last day on Friday, June 6. See the calendar below for details on Woodlawn’s upcoming open house for its new school year, which will begin Monday, Sept. 2.
• Davidson Day ends Tuesday, June 10.
• Children’s Community School ends on Friday, May 30.

Davidson Day performs “Snoopy!”

Theater students at Davidson Day will perform “Snoopy! The Musical” over the weekend. The show features 13 students, ranging in ages from fourth through 11th grade, and live musical accompaniment. The photo is of the Peanuts Gang (with freshman Micah Clemence in the lead role of Charlie Brown) gazing at the clouds and breaking into song, from a preview performance earlier this spring. Shows will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with a special 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. The musical will be held in the school commons and directed by Joanna Gerdy. Suggested donation: $5.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

• Thursday, May 29 – Bailey Middle will hold an “Adios EOGs” party from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. with food, music and games, including the chance to dunk selected teachers and administrators. Dinners must be preordered and cost $4 each.
• Thursday-Saturday, May 29-31 – Students at Davidson Day perform “Snoopy! The Musical”
• Friday-Saturday, May 30-31 – The Science Olympiad Team from Davidson IB Middle, which placed second in the state, will represent North Carolina in the national Science Olympiad Tournament in Washington, D.C.
• Sunday, June 1 – Woodlawn School will hold an Open House at 2 p.m. for interested parents of children in grades 2-11. Parents will be able to tour the campus, including the new gymnasium and upper school classroom buildings, set to open in September.
• Wednesday, June 4 – Walking Wednesday for June at Davidson Elementary. This will be the last Walk to School Wednesday for the 2007-08 school year.

Send calendar items and press releases about local school news to us at lauriedennis@bellsouth.net. Don’t forget to include a contact phone number, in case we have questions.