A group of 3 to 5 year olds laughed with their teacher Friday. Students at Davidson Montessori range in age from 2 to 6. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Andrea Cruz Solano founded the school in January 2011. She's planning an open house Saturday, Jan. 28. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Every morning at the Davidson Montessori School on South Street, 3-, 4- and 5-year-old students spend a little time practicing letters, sounds and spelling. Teacher Andrea Cruz Solano encourages them, even the youngest, as they reach into a box and pull out wooden letters to spell out words like ham, pan, sad and fan.

The sounding and spelling are a precursor to writing, something the program emphasizes, Ms. Cruz Solano says.

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Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools has been in the headlines over the past couple weeks week for two different reasons. The district posted school progress reports that included incorrect information about students on track to graduate. Then, on Monday police found the principal of Northwest School of the Arts dead in his garage. Police have confirmed he committed suicide. Psychologists and social workers flooded the school to help students deal with their grief. CMS held a press conference Wednesday to talk about these events. Lisa Miller of our news partner WFAE was there, and talked with local “All Things Considered” host Mark Rumsey about the district’s responses. Read more or listen to their conversation below: Read the full story

Pine Lake Preparatory will have its own football team starting next school year, the school’s Booster Club announced this month. Meanwhile, the W.A. Hough High PTSA will benefit from a Barnes & Noble book fair starting Thursday, Davidson Elementary seeks volunteers for special student/parent nights, and J.M. Alexander Middle School IB students take another state Future City title. Also, North Mecklenburg High School will host an IB open house, and North Meck principal Matthew Hayes received special recognition from the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce last week. And, CMS has begun planning its 2013-14 calendar, Cannon School students won writing awards, St. Mark Catholic School will observe Catholic Schools week, and both Cannon and the Levine Jewish Community Center offer college admissions advice. Read below for details. Read the full story

Students at three area Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on Jan. 23 will make up a day lost due to a power outage. W.A. Hough High, J.V. Washam Elementary and Cornelius Elementary schools closed Nov. 14 after an explosion at the Mt. Zion substation in Cornelius that left the schools and area homes without power for 19 hours.

Transportation, sack lunches and after-school care will be provided for the students on Jan. 23, which will be half-day. Morning buses will run at their regular times.

The state requires that schools are in session 180 days each year, so make-up days are required following unplanned school closings.

Map shows the parcel where Davidson Day School hopes to put a second campus.

MOORESVILLE – Mooresville commissioners last week approved the rezoning of 190 acres between Faith and Mackwood roads, clearing the way for Davidson Day School to build a separate campus for its upper school – grades 7-12.

The rezoning request had been on hold while commissioners considered the proposal. Last month, Davidson Day officials said they hope to purchase the land this month. The parcel lies east of N.C. 115 and north of Faith Road. Read the full story

Stinson-Wesley

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board Members on Thursday voted to appoint Rev. Amelia Stinson-Wesley as the board representative for District 6. A United Methodist minister and Pineville Elementary parent, Rev. Stinson-Wesley was one of 12 candidates vying for the seat and will be sworn in Jan. 10.

She fills the seat left by board member Tim Morgan, who on Nov. 8 was elected as one of the three At-Large board members.

In her application, Ms. Stinson-Wesley said:

“I am committed to public education; I believe that our schools, particularly our public ones are where basic citizenship is fostered. I am committed to this community and its future; with the impending selection of a new school superintendent, I want to be involved in this community and the decisions that affect my children, our children collectively and the future for us all.”

Ms. Stinson-Wesley founded World Connections for Women in 1998 and serves as its director. She holds a master of divinity from Duke University and a bachelor of arts degree from Meredith College. Also, she has been a member of the Mecklenburg County Child Protection team, a member and chairperson of the Burke County Task Force on Domestic Violence and a member of the Burke County Child Fatality/Child Protection teams.

District 6 includes Pineville, Matthews, Mint Hill and parts of southeast Charlotte.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute Outreach Office at Davidson College will offer an afternoon of science and math activities for local students March 24. It brings its Math, Originality, Science, Achievement, Imagination and Creativity (MOSAIC) program to J.V. Washam Elementary School, and students in third through fifth grades and their families are encouraged to reserve tickets now for the free event, as space is limited. Also in this column, Davidson Elementary students learn hands-on about the Ada Jenkins food pantry, W.A. Hough High plans a make-up half day Jan. 23 and Pine Lake Prep seeks board members. And, parents interested in a CMS magnet program can attend a Magnet Fair in Charlotte Saturday, North Mecklenburg High School deals with a bat infestation and Cannon School offers an open house next month. Read the full story

Congratulations to the following students at W.A. Hough High School, who made the A and A/B honor rolls for first quarter: Read the full story