The conference, held Sept. 29-Oct. 1, attracted educators and researchers from five states to participate in tours, workshops and roundtable discussions and to hear presentations from local teachers and guest speakers.

With a focus on the Basic School framework for education, the “Fresh Take: Strategies for Student Success” conference began with full-day classroom visits including a first-hand look at community building programs, inclusion strategies for exceptional children, art integration programs and daily instructions. The next two days, conference participants had the opportunity to choose from a varied selection of teacher-led presentations, including workshops on differentiated learning, executive functions, intrinsic rewards and conversations on assorted education topics facilitated by CSD administrators.

The conference, which CSD administrators hope to establish as an annual event, drew widespread praise.

“It’s been my work to travel around the U.S. working with schools and helping them to implement this vision,” said Mary Ellen Bafumo, a veteran education administrator, Basic Schools movement pioneer and keynote speaker at the conference. “And I want you to know that there is nowhere in the United States, and I speak with authority on this, where this vision that I’ll be talking about and that you live with, has been implemented the way it has here. This is an extraordinary place.”

Davidson Mayor John Woods, also viewed the conference as a plus for the school and the community. “We’re thrilled to have CSD bring a conference of this nature to our town,” Woods said. “We hope to launch a series of annual conferences in the near future to showcase innovations in civic planning, wellness programs and local governance. We’re delighted that CSD’s Fresh
Take conference complements that roster so nicely.”

Local businesses, including Lime Energy, Earth Fare, Fresh Market and OnTime Supplies, helped support the conference, which enabled CSD to keep the registration fee affordable for teachers seeking continuing education credits. Other area merchants provided raffle prizes and additional goods and services to help make the CSD event a success.

CSD is a K-12 charter school with a current enrollment of more than 1,100. The school’s primary campus is on Griffith Street and the high school facility, in its first year, is off Armour Street.