By KAREN CIMINO WILSON
DavidsonNews.net
As Davidson IB Middle School prepares to close its doors and move its program to Huntersville next fall, school officials have changed the way they market the program among prospective students and families, focusing on the staff and international baccalaureate classes rather than the school’s location.
Davidson IB, at 251 South St. in Davidson, has been a full magnet program for several years. In fall 2011, it will become a partial magnet program housed at J.M. Alexander Middle School, 12201 Hambright Road in Huntersville.
The Charlotte Mecklenburg schools board approved the move Nov. 8 as part of a package of school closings and other changes to save money. With the economic downturn, the districts funding has declined, forcing big cuts to cover a projected budget gap.
A majority of school board members decided to close the half-century-old Davidson IB Middle School building, saying it would need costly repairs to continue operating. The IB program will continue to be offered at Alexander.
TOURS AHEAD
CMS requires students interested in attending a partial- or a full-magnet school program to apply through a lottery. CMS’ magnet lottery will be held from Jan. 7 to Feb. 7. Current CMS students will receive lottery applications in January.
Davidson IB began offering tours and information sessions for prospective students and their parents Thursday, Dec. 16. Five tours are planned in January and one in February before the admission lottery ends.
Typically, Davidson IB has promoted itself as a full-magnet program located in the heart of Davidson within walking distance to Davidson Town Hall, a public library branch, and Davidson College, the school’s IB coordinator Mary Kendrick said.
But that changes in the fall when Davidson IB becomes integrated into an existing school. The staff and current students will move with the program to J.M. Alexander. The location will change, but the program will continue, Ms. Kendrick said.
One push for next year is to attract more rising sixth-graders. The move to Alexander will open up more spots in the incoming IB class, Kendrick said. Then the program will continue to grow as those students move through. Davidson IB currently serves about 240 students in grades 6, 7 and 8.
Davidson IB Principal Jo Karney encourages students and parents to attend one of the tours to learn more about how IB works.
IB is a program overseen by the International Baccalaureate Organization that aims to develop “inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect,” according to the organization’s website.
IB programs are available in 3,101 schools in 140 countries, serving approximately 888,000 students. Teachers must be certified to teach the program, which is why the Davidson IB teachers will move with the students to Alexander, Dr. Karney said.
It’s still unclear where Dr. Karney will end up, but she said she’s confident the program will continue to be strong in its new home.
Dr. Karney said she’s been working with the administration at J.M. Alexander to plan a tour there in January for prospective IB students. That tour would strictly be a peek at the Alexander facility, though, and would not allow parents or students to see the IB program in action. She recommends folks come to Davidson IB’s current location in Davidson to experience a class and learn more about the curriculum.
Other tour dates will be held on at 1 p.m. Jan. 5, 10 a.m. Jan. 12, 10 a.m. Jan. 13, 1 p.m. Jan. 19, 1 p.m. Jan. 24 and 10 a.m. Feb.3.
For more information, visit http://schools.cms.k12.nc.us/davidsonMS/Pages/Default.aspx.
