8th grader Laura Knight kicked off a group dance that concluded Sunday's celebration.

It began as notes on a restaurant napkin outlining plans for “the perfect school.”  Those notes became a private elementary school that opened in Davidson eight years ago, then became a state charter school, then an elementary and middle school.  Sunday evening,  Community School of Davidson evolved yet again, breaking ground for a new high school campus.

“I can see what this high school is going to look like,” Dr. Ralph Pillsbury told the crowd gathered on a former factory floor of Liburdi Engineering on Armour Street, near Lake Davidson. Gesturing around the cavernous space, with plastic sheeting hanging from the rafters and an industrial, poured cement floor, Dr. Pillsbury described his vision for how the space will become a hub of learning.  He will serve as the new high school’s  first principal.

Tears flowed as the school’s founders reminisced about how the school has grown.  Assistant Director Leslie Tomko told the story of the napkin from a Chili’s Grill restaurant on which she and Director Joy Warner scribbled out their dreams.

Benjamin Banzhof (in red shirt), Humza Omar and Camden Young (back to camera) were among those who drew notes and pictures on the floor of what will become the CSD high school.

Sunday evening, the scribbling continued, with students using red, blue and black markers to write names, drawings and messages all over the floor for their new high school.

“We crunched numbers and sought 15 students,” Ms. Tomko said of the school’s humble beginnings in 2001. “We opened our doors that year with 18 kindergartners — who are now our 8th graders.”

In the fall of 2010, those 8th graders will be able to start the school year in the Liburdi site as the charter’s first class of high school freshmen.

“I didn’t count on falling in love with all these children,” said Dr. Warner, her voice breaking, after receiving a standing ovation from the assembly.  “I am so incredibly honored to be a part of this.”

Clutching a tissue her mother had just handed her, a teary Joy Warner described her dreams for a new high school. Looking on was Dr. Ralph Pillsbury, who will be principal of the new CSD high school.

The $5.5 million high school is to be developed in two phases. Phase 1 will use 60,000 square feet of the Armour Street building for classroom space. Insight Architects has been chosen to design the renovations, while Connor Co. is the general contractor. Phase 2 would add another 30,000 for an arts wing.  That would leave 30,000 square feet for the building’s other occupants, which currently includes the Town of Davidson’s Parks Department, the McKinney Academy, and River’s Edge Church.

The charter school will keep its elementary and middle school campus on Griffith Street.  The first class of seniors should graduate as the Class of 2014. Davidson Mayor John Woods congratulated the school for finding creative ways to reuse existing office buildings around town.  “We welcome this expansion into this wonderful space,” he said.

Kindergartners Olivia Flannery (at left) and Justin Seebert shoveled sand onto a time capsule "Hope Chest."

Since technically, there was no new ground to break, the school marked the official start of the construction project by lowering a time capsule “Hope Chest” into the ground.  Kindergartners used golden shovels to add sand to the top of the chest, which contained notes and memorabilia from students and staff.

A group of students read a selection of some of the notes, which included this contribution from a kindergartner: “I hope my high school stars always twinkle.”

The ceremony concluded with a “flash mob” or sudden performance of a dance by a group students in the CSD dance program.  Dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There?” the students were led off by 8th grader Laura Knight, who was joined by an ever larger crowd of fellow dancers, moving in sync, performing an elaborate routine choreographed by dance teacher Sara Keys, concluding with smiles and hugs.

Ms. Keys said the dance was a surprise gift to the school’s directors.

“We held a secret rehearsal in the gym this past week,” she said.  “I thought it might be difficult for hundreds of middle school students to keep a secret for several weeks, but I knew I could trust them and they did an amazing job pulling it off!”

A "flash mob" dances to Michael Jackson's "Will You Be There" to conclude Sunday's ceremony.

Download a printable PDF version of this story, click the image. (Adobe PDF, requires Adobe Reader or other compatible software.)