Updated with additional comments, Tuesday, Nov. 24. EDITOR’S NOTE: Following are additional letters and comments received on the school board decision to name the new Bailey Road high school after educator William A. Hough.

Committee member speaks

First and foremost I am a positive supporter of my child and her education and I will not be a part of this negativity. With a community this large there was no way everyone was going to be happy with whatever name was chosen, however I find it appalling that there would be this much time and effort put into trying to change it to something else. We, as parents, should be embracing this new school, regardless of the name, with a positive attitude. What kind of message is really being sent to our children? Read the full story

Following is a letter to the editor from Davidson Mayor John Woods, who was on the committee that recommended naming the new high school on Bailey Road in Cornelius after educator W.A. Hough.

To the Editor,
All of us have had teachers and mentors in our development who have made substantial impacts on our lives. W.A. Hough was the principal at North Mecklenburg from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s. As a 1967 North graduate, I appreciated the opportunity to learn so much about life and self-improvement from Mr. Hough. Read the full story

Kaye McGarry, facing the camera, listened to constituents at Summit Coffee.

Kaye McGarry, vice chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, didn’t have  much time to sip from her drink Thursday morning at Summit Coffee.  She was too busy taking notes as a crowd gathered to talk to her.

“This was 99 percent about Hough High,” she said, as she wrapped up two hours of meeting with a steady stream of constituents. Ms. McGarry was in Davidson as part of her regular “about town” visits throughout the county.  She told DavidsonNews.net that she has been holding coffee hours since 2007, and today’s session ranks among her top three in terms of attendance. Read the full story

Our school notes this week include the dates for upcoming flu clinics at local public schools, and also news of Ben Wyatt of Woodlawn’s winning poster in a local Lions Club contest and Michael Sanders of Cannon’s successful golf season in U.S. Kids Golf.  We also have a calendar of upcoming events, including North Meck’s 3rd annual Chili Cook-off, set for Thursday afternoon. Read the full story

Kaye McGarry

Kaye McGarry, a member-at-large on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, will be at Davidson’s Summit Coffee Thursday morning, 7:30-9 a.m., as part of her regular “about town” visits.

“I will be available to discuss school-related issues and to answer questions you may have regarding Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools,” she says on her website.

She may be in for an earful Thursday, since the president of the Bailey Middle School PTA is encouraging parents to attend the session to talk about concerns over naming the new high school in Cornelius “Hough High.” Read the full story

The following letter submitted to DavidsonNews.net is a version of an email message sent to local school parents by the head of the Bailey Middle School PTA:

To the Editor:

Hopefully by now you know our new high school on Bailey Road in Cornelius has a name – Hough High. It was approved by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education on Tuesday, Nov. 10. (DavidsonNews.net, Nov. 11, 2009, “It’s official: School on Bailey Road is Hough High”) You may have also heard there has been lots of discussion – positive and negative – in the community since the board’s approval.

Some people are upset because of the possibility of the mispronunciation from Hough High to “Ho” High, or to “huff” (a possible substance abuse reference), and the possibility that the naming process was flawed. Read the full story

There’s nothing amateur about the kids in School Notes this week – in fact, they seem poised to make national headlines as old pros.  We bring you news of a Davidson Elementary fifth-grader-turned-national-reporter, Julia Desmond, who has just joined the Scholastic Kids Press Corps; and also Davidson Day second grade speed racer Caleb Tate who is burning up go-kart tracks across the country.

All that, plus the background on the Davidson College senior, Billy Powers, who is behind Sunday’s charity concert to benefit children with special needs, and a calendar of upcoming school events. Read the full story

The naming of the newest high school in north Mecklenburg for W.A. Hough is a very appropriate action. (See Nov. 11, 2009, “It’s official: School on Bailey Rd. is ‘Hough High.'”) My family and I have only lived in Huntersville for about 15 years, but it was our privilege to have been a part of Mr. Hough’s life for his final 3 years. Read the full story