This year, all Davidson-area schools will begin classes in the month of August. No more dallying until after Labor Day. Time to hit the books! Community School of Davidson and Davidson Day School will be the first back. See all local schools’ start dates and open houses below.

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Bill Strong has lots of books to read and carpentry projects to work on...but he'd rather be teaching this fall.

It’s been a long and anxious summer for teachers in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.  The need to cut $100 million to deal with the state budget crisis has cost the public school district money for things like field trips and supplies, forced delays in building plans, and jeopardized funding for middle school athletics.  More reductions may be on the way.

Teachers and staff are bearing the brunt of cuts. The Charlotte Observer reported in July that of the 1,175 people who lost their jobs in the school district due to budget reductions, almost 57 percent were teachers.

For schools serving Davidson, these reductions have resulted in lay-off notices for at least 17, transfers for several assistant principals and a tense time of waiting to see whether a job will be available when school opens Aug. 25.

Read on for more about whose jobs were cut, who is transferring where, and how cuts are being managed by the four local CMS schools: Davidson Elementary, Davidson IB Middle, Bailey Middle and North Mecklenburg High. Read the full story

Three of the four National Merit Scholars at North Mecklenburg High School – Alyssa Botelho, Teresa Portone and Krista White –  have ties to Davidson.  Find out more about those ties, and also see a complete listing of the open houses and school start schedules for area schools. Read the full story

It may be the middle of summer, but School Notes this week brings a few updates, including a follow up on the status of McKinney Academy‘s application for charter school status, special accreditation for Woodlawn School, greetings from Poland by the principal at Davidson I.B. and a report on the Bailey Band trip to New York City.

We hate to mention the start of school already, but our calendar offers a listing of open houses and start dates for area schools. Read the full story

A Davidson College student is conducting summer research on how the general public views synthetic biology, and he’d love to have your opinion. You can help by filling out an online survey that takes no more than 3 minutes to complete (link below). Read the full story

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board’s seat for District 1, which includes Davidson, will be filled by someone new in November, and that someone will be female. When the filing period closed at noon Friday, the District 1 ballot listed three women as candidates Robin Bradford, Rhonda Lennon and Gail Summerskill. The incumbent, Larry Gauvreau, who has been in office since 2001, did not seek reelection. Read the full story

Davidson’s Town Board meets Tuesday for a monthly meeting that will include the unveiling of plans for a proposed parking deck downtown next to Town Hall. The meeting also includes a vote on a new town ordinance that would bar registered sex offenders from town parks and recreation facilities. Read the full story

Bob Mahood

Robert P. Mahood died peacefully on July 8, 2009, in his Davidson home with his two daughters at his side. He was 79. He was a longtime Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools psychologist and in recent years had been “cove keeper” on Lake Davidson, where he lived. A memorial service is planned Friday. (Details below.) Read the full story