What's with all the ping pong balls being dropped onto Woodlawn School? See below to find out.

Fall is fund-raiser time for area schools.  We have several to report on, including Woodlawn‘s “Fun at 5,” and the Bailey Middle kids at the farmer’s market.  We also have news below of Davidson Day artwork on display, a meet-and-greet planned for the principal of the new Bailey Road High School, CMS school board election updates and classes being offered through Davidson Parks & Rec for the CMS school holiday next week.

In sports, find out about Davidson Day’s volleyball tourney, Woodlawn’s successful soccer team and Bailey’s undefeated girls sports teams.  We have all that plus an events calendar that lists the Davidson IB fall fest Friday, a seminar on “Internet Safety,” a holiday bazaar at Cannon and more.

WOODLAWN FUND-RAISER

Participants in the ping pong drop wait for the Mt. Mourne Fire Department ladder to rise above the target and drop its cargo. (Photo courtesy Woodlawn School)

Woodlawn School hosted “Family Fun at 5″ Friday afternoon, Oct. 16, featuring juggling and acrobatic displays and also games and prizes.  One highlight was the Ping Pong Ball Drop, which featured the release of 700 ping pong balls onto a target.  The balls were dropped from a 70-foot fire truck ladder.  Captain Steve Robbins of the Mt. Mourne Fire Department, assisted by Firefighter Wade Nunez, coordinated the drop and took the bird’s-eye-view photo at the top of this post.

The ball that dropped closest to the center of the target won a prize of $1,500.  Claiming that prize was the Kollme family of Davidson, who have five students at Woodlawn: Burns, Elizabeth, Shaw, May and Ellie.

The fundraiser event raised over $11,000 for Woodlawn.

BAILEY HOLDS SPRUCE UP, FUNDRAISER

Parent Caroline Kenna (in black t-shirt) led a group of Bailey students in spruce up work for Beautification Day. (Photo courtesy of Bailey School.)

Bailey Middle students have been active in community service projects this fall.

On Sept. 22, the school held its first-ever “Beautification Day,” sending students throughout the campus to help spread mulch, plant flowers and more.  Over 40 students were involved in the event

Saturday, members of the National Junior Honor Society pulled on hats and sweaters and staffed a bake sale table at the Davidson Farmer’s Market.  The table had a Halloween theme, and was laden with cookies, breads and candies cooked up by Bailey families.

A customer checked out the sales table for the Bailey Middle NJHS bake sale Saturday. (Photo by Laurie Dennis)

The honor society collected over $250 in sales, which will be donated to a charity selected by the society members.  On Monday, students packaged up the remaining goodies and donated them to the Ada Jenkins food pantry during a visit that also included work to organize and restock pantry shelves.  On Oct. 26, the society will be making candy Halloween treat bags for the food pantry.

The bake sale was one of several community service projects NJHS has been involved in this fall. Keep an eye out for the group’s new blue t-shirts, designed by society member Sylvie Stanback, an 8th grader.  Bailey’s NJHS program is coordinated by Amy Diamond.

DAVIDSON DAY ARTWORK ON DISPLAY

Art by Davidson Day students is currently on display at the local library branch.

Fourteen students in the Lower School (pre-K through grade 4) at Davidson Day have their drawings, paintings, prints and collages on display at the Davidson Public Library through the end of the month.

Student artists include:  Katherine Brown, Lexi Justice, Kennedy Nemechek, Charlie Caputo, Emma Lott, Sheridan Elliott, Rees Payne, Emma Lindquist, Zack Mandel, Taylor Bennett, Aicha Kaouss, Tyler Cook, Blair Nemechek and Maisie Rees.

HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL WILL BE IN TOWN MONDAY

The principal for the new Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools high school currently under construction on Bailey Road will be in Davidson for a public meeting.

Terri Cockerham

The meet-and-greet will feature Terri Cockerham at Davidson’s Town Hall on Monday, Oct. 26, between 4- 5:00 p.m.. The informal session will offer a chance to ask questions and view pictures and architects’ renderings of the new high school.

For more information contact the North Learning Community of CMS at 980 343-1457.

KEEP UP WITH SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES

Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3) is fast approaching and voters in Davidson will get a chance to pick a new representative for District 1 on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education.  The three candidates – Robin Bradford, Rhonda Lennon and Gail Summerskill – will be speaking at a candidates forum Thursday, starting at 7 p.m. at the St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Davidson.

For our past coverage of the school board race, click on:

• School Board candidates talk boundaries, walking to school (Oct. 16)
• Meet the candidates for CMS School Board (Oct. 14)

SCHOOL BREAK CLASSES

Openings are still available for classes through Davidson Parks & Rec coinciding with the Teacher Work Days for CMS schools Oct. 29-30.  The following classes are scheduled for the break:

• Exploring in Fall with Jane Ellithorpe will be held from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. both days, for ages 6-12, and feature a trip to Patterson Farms and more.  Cost is $60
• Cooking Classes with Stacey Wackerman will feature two separate sessions, one Thursday and one Friday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., aimed at ages 6-12.  Participants will make  zucchini bread, soup in a pumpkin, pilgrim bars and other holiday treats.  Cost is $50 per session.

Online registration is available for these classes by clicking here.

SPORTS SCORES

BAILEY MIDDLE – The girls volleyball team is now 9-0 and face their archrival, Bradley Middle, after school on their home court Wednesday, Oct. 21.  The girls softball team, meanwhile, is now posting a 5-1 record.

DAVIDSON DAY – The Southern Piedmont Athletics Association Volleyball Tournament will be held at Davidson Day this year featuring four teams playing from 2:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22.  Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for students.  The host Lady Patriots team have a 9-9 record and are coached by Tamara Gallen.

Woodlawn's middle school coed soccer team won their conference Tuesday.

WOODLAWN – The school hosted the Piedmont Athletic Conference (PAC-8) Middle School Soccer Tournament on Tuesday.  The Trailblazers’ co-ed team, which had a 9-1 record for the regular season, was the Number One seed among six teams and emerged the champions, defeating Statesville Montessori 2-1 in the final game.  All-stars named for the 2009 season from Woodlawn included: Morgan Crawford, Thomas Tyson (who scored both goals in the championship game), Drew Hedrick, Taylor Givens, Alex Lee and JP Shaw.

SCHOOL CALENDAR

• WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21 – Davidson Elementary will hold a Book Fair and Pizza Night, ending at 7 p.m. The book fair runs the entire week.
• THURSDAY, OCT. 22 – Second of two candidate forums in Davidson that will feature candidates for the school board.
• FRIDAY, OCT. 23 – The Davidson IB Middle student council will host the school’s annual fall fest starting at 2 p.m. Friday.  This year’s theme is “Fall Around the World.”  The event will involve games, prizes and food.
• MONDAY, OCT. 26 – The public is invited to meet Terri Cockerham, the principal for the new public high school on Bailey Road, between 4- 5:00 p.m. at Davidson Town Hall. See above for more details.
• MONDAY, OCT. 26 – The Bailey Middle PTA will host a Parent Education seminar on “Internet Safety,” led by Officer Dan Waltman of the Cornelius Police Department.  The free seminar will start at 6 p.m.
• THURSDAY, OCT. 29 – Bailey Middle will host a community blood drive. The Bloodmobile will parked at the school from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
• THURS. – FRI., OCT. 29-30 – Classes at CMS schools will not be in session to allow time for parent conferences.
• FRIDAY, OCT. 30 – Cannon Connections, the parent organization at Cannon School, will hold a holiday bazaar from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the school campus.  Over 50 vendors will be on hand, selling crafts, jewelry, gourmet foods and more.  The free bazaar is open to the public.
• FRI.-SAT., Oct. 30-31 – Theater program students at Davidson Day will be performing “Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe.”  Shows are scheduled for 5 and 9 p.m. Friday and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday (Halloween).
• TUESDAY, NOV. 3 – Election Day ballots will include District 1 (north Mecklenburg County) on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education.  Three candidates are running.  See above for more details.

Send us your news

Have school news you want to share? Send calendar items and press releases about local school news to us at: lauriedennis@bellsouth.net