To the Editor:

This letter is to remind area residents and parents that the second of two parent-information meetings about the proposed changes for Davidson IB Middle School will be held this Wednesday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m. at Davidson IB. This will be an important and informative meeting and we encourage the community to be present. Read the full story

Budget cuts will mean the closing of the North Learning Community office this summer and changes for Davidson IB Middle, but will not impact the opening of the new William A. Hough High in Cornelius.  That’s the news from a phone interview last week with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Peter Gorman.  He spoke with DavidsonNews.Net as part of a series of interviews in April with local media. Read the full story

Local charter school Community School of Davidson was featured on a news segment last week on WCNC-TV, Channel 36, in Charlotte that looked at the school’s ways of “thinking outside the box” when it comes to teaching. The segment included an interview with founder Joy Warner.

Rosemary Klein (second from left) received a check for $2,000 from New-Birth church, after being nominated by her student, Alexis Powers (at center). Joining them were: (at far left) Dr. Monique Gardner-Witherspoon, superintendent of the CMS North Learning Community, (second from right) Debbie Higgenbotham, also of CMS, and (at far right) New Birth-Charlotte Bishop Terrell L. Murphy. (Photo courtesy of Bishop Murphy and New Birth-Charlotte)

In a time when the news headlines on education are all about budget cuts and teacher layoffs comes at last a different kind of story — one of teachers being handed large checks and thanked for their service.

“We wanted to recognize the unsung heroes who touch the lives of young people every day,” said Bishop Terrell L. Murphy of New Birth-Charlotte in Huntersville during a church worship service April 18.

Then Bishop Murphy helped hand out checks for $2,000 each to four teachers from the north area of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Among those honored was Rosemary Klein, a Davidson resident and 6th-grade math teacher at Bailey Middle School. Read the full story

Now that's a lot of bunny ears! Will Archambault hammed it up with students during his last Monday with Ms. Thrasher's class.

His legs may have been a little too long for the first-grade chairs, but Wildcat hoops star Will Archambault managed just fine during what became a weekly session with a class at Community School of Davidson.

School Notes has news of “Mondays with Will,” plus followup on Saturday’s Bailey BBQ & Bows fundraiser, and notes about honors for McKinney Academy artists and Bailey band members.  Plus, our calendar lists upcoming events, including auditions for the new Hough High band this week, and Beginner’s Day at Davidson Elementary next week. Read the full story

The Hough High school rock is, at least for now, painted in the official colors of the Huskies: silver and black.

In the midst of all the bleak budget news facing Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is one bright spot: William A. Hough High is on track to open Aug. 25 in Cornelius.

Everything about the school is a first, and Tuesday night was no exception: It marked the school’s first-ever ninth grade curriculum night.

“We are going to make history opening a new school,” counselor Sue Colbert told the audience. Read the full story

Davidson IB Middle is among several CMS magnet schools reeling from proposed changes to bell schedules and transportation policies that are the result of deep cuts to the county-wide public schools budget for the upcoming year.

The international baccalaureate middle school will hold two information meetings for parents about the changes, on Thursday, April 29, at 6:30 p.m., and Wednesday, May 5. Read the full story

Plan to save $5 million affects 6,000 students, would push start time back 90 minutes at Davidson IB Middle, other schools.

By ANN DOSS HELMS
The Charlotte Observer

About 5,900 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools magnet students from kindergarten through high school are likely to lose neighborhood bus service next year. Instead, they’ll have to go to nearby high schools to catch a bus.

Letters will go out Monday notifying families at 11 schools that their transportation options are likely to change. And four of those – Davidson IB Middle, Davis Military Academy, Piedmont Middle and Smith Language Academy – can expect to start school about 90 minutes later. Read the full story