Heath Morrison

The Charlotte Mecklenburg school board said Thursday it has picked Heath Morrison, currently superintendent in Reno, Nev., as the system’s new superintendent. In other local school news, the annual basketball battle between teachers from Davidson Elementary School and J.V. Washam Elementary School in Cornelius is scheduled Tuesday. And we also have news from North Mecklenburg High and St. Mark’s School. Read the full story

Updated 4:30 p.m.
By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
DavidsonNews.net

Davidson’s Ada Jenkins Center will expand its Learn Works after-school program this fall when it adds 30 students in grades 1-5 from J.V. Washam Elementary School in Cornelius. The regional community services center also plans a satellite program at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church that for the first time will allow Learn Works to serve sixth graders. Read the full story

Congratulations to the following Davidson Day School middle and upper school students who earned academic honors for second trimester. Read the full story

Panelists (fom left) Sharon Green, John Concelman, and Lucretia Waston-Collins listen to comments from an audience member

CONCORD – The Cornelius-based anti-bullying group Foundation for Respect Ability hosted a private preview Thursday night of the movie “Bully” that was followed by a panel discussion. The event drew applause and tears, but was not a sob story, it was a call to action. With discussions about bullying growing in the right now, Christina Ritchie Rogers of CorneliusNews.net went to the screening, and also checked in on a session Friday at Bailey Middle School. Read more on CorneliusNews.net»

First-grader Jacob Batycki ensured his spot in today's news coverage of Artfest by affixing our favorite bumper magnet to his home-made coffee-can drums. He's the son of Lenny and Annette Batycki, who supplied the photo.

Davidson Elementary School held its annual Artfest art and music celebration on Thursday night, featuring the creations of students. Hundreds of friends and family members roamed the art-covered hallways, sat for musical performances in the gym and bid in a silent auction on items ranging from family photo sessions to arts and crafts.

See more photos below.

Read the full story

A new high school competition that aims to promote a better understanding of sustainability is scheduled in Davidson this weekend as part of the 2012 North Carolina Science Festival. Teams from area schools will square off in the first Green Idea Factory Competition on Saturday, at The Business Center, in South Main Square. Read the full story

Updated 8 a.m. April 11, 2012
The Charlotte Mecklenburg School board voted 8-1 Tuesday to approve a $1.19 billion budget for 2012-13, including cost-of-living raises for employees and new positions. Next stop: the Mecklenburg County Commission, which has the final say over the school budget. Read the full story

Chief academic officer Ann Clark and the superintendents of schools in Reno, Nev., and Memphis are the three finalists for the job of superintendent of Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, the district announced Monday.

The district is seeking to replace interim superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh, who has been running the system since Peter Gorman stepped down in August.

Here’s the full announcement from CMS: Read the full story