Mike Cerkovnik, head of educational innovation and research at DDS, will lead a comprehensive review of books from leading 21st Century educational thinkers as part of the store’s annual Educator’s Appreciation Week program. Cerkovnik’s presentation will be held Saturday, Jan. 21, from 11 a.m. to noon at the store at 8725 Townley Road in Huntersville.

Area educators and parents are invited to take part in the discussion, which will focus on what Cerkovnik’s describes as “essential reading tips for parents and educators everywhere.” He’ll discuss the research-based views on instructional practices, teaching, learning and mindful parenting included in works by various authors.

Among the books to be featured in the discussion are Intellectual Character: What it is, Why It Matters, and How to Get It by Ron Ritchart; Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck; and Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School by John Medina.

At DDS, Cerkovnik develops educational research relationships between the school and universities, partnerships with businesses to promote science, technology, engineering and math opportunities for students; and professional enhancement offerings for educators.Before beginning his current duties, he was head of the lower school at DDS, an independent school counselor and director of psychological services for three schools in Vermont.The book review and discussion program will serve as a fitting prelude to an open house just a few days later at DDS, located at 750 Jetton St. in Davidson. On Tuesday, Jan. 24, starting at 9 a.m., the school will host an admission open house for parents and students. The event will provide an opportunity to learn more about Davidson Day’s early childhood and lower school academic programs.Parents will also have the chance to meet teachers and administrators and learn more about the school’s admission process for students from age 2 through fourth grade.

No registration is required and more information is available by contacting Terry Brown at 704-237-5229 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Power outage make-up day

It will be a short day, but Monday, Jan. 23, is now a classroom instruction day at three north Mecklenburg schools.

Students at Hough High School and J.V. Washam and Cornelius elementary schools have to make up a day of school missed two months ago because of a localized power outage. The three schools were the only three impacted by the loss of service on Nov. 14. The make-up day will include an accelerated half-day of classes, which will be an end-of-semester teacher work day elsewhere in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

At Hough, classes will begin at 7:15 a.m. and students will be dismissed at 10:16. A quick lunch will be available before buses begin leaving the school at 10:30. At J.V. Washam, classes will begin at 7:45 and the school day will end at 10:46. At Cornelius Elementary, school will open at 8:45 a.m. and dismiss at 11:46.

Each school is distributing detailed information about the make-up day and questions should be directed to the office at each of the three schools involved.

Pine Lake seeks board applicants

The board of directors of Pine Lake Prep in Mt. Mourne is accepting applications for appointed board positions.

Candidates for the board positions can be, but are not required to be, parents of Pine Lake Prep students. Candidates seeking board appointments should have skills in one or more of the following areas: financial oversight, school administration, policy governance, non-profit oversight/administration, management or strategic planning.

The board generally meets the fourth Wednesday of each month and attends the annual North Carolina Charter School conference. The board provides fiduciary oversight on budget and serves to uphold the charter authorized by the North Carolina State Board of Education.

Board members receive ongoing board governance and parliamentary training throughout the year, attend an annual board retreat for strategic planning and serve on various committees that concentrate on enhancing school operations.

More details about the board, and applications for board appointments, are available at www.pinelakeprep.org.

Mooresville okays DDS rezoning

Davidson Day has cleared the first hurdle toward locating a new campus in Mooresville. Last week, The Mooresville Town Board of Commissioners approved a rezoning request on property at the town’s southern edge proposed as the location for DDS’s new upper school campus.

A residential development was previously proposed on the 173-acre parcel between Mackwood and Faith roads. The rezoning approval for the bank-owned property is just the first step. No construction schedule has been finalized and there are still many other preliminary steps, including a traffic impact study, to complete.

As proposed. the new fully equipped school would house students in grades 7-12 while the lower school classes would remain at the Davidson location.

Open house set at Cannon School

Cannon School plans to host an admission open house in late February for families seeking to explore educational opportunities in grades junior kindergarten through 12.

The event will be held Saturday, Feb. 25, beginning at 1 p.m. at Taylor Hall on the school campus on Poplar Tent Road in Concord.

During the open house, families will have the opportunity to tour the campus, speak one-on-one with parents and students about the school’s academic, arts, athletics and character education offerings, and about the admissions process. Families interested in taking part can register now at www.cannonschool.org.

For parents unable to attend, the school also offers “walk-in Wednesdays.” Campus tours are offered Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon with no appointment necessary.

Cannon School is an independent, college-preparatory school with students from Concord, Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, Mooresville and throughout the region.

Team ticket program helps Hough lacrosse

Charlotte’s Major League Lacrosse team is participating in a program to boost the developing program at Hough High School in Cornelius.

Now through late January, ticket voucher packages to Charlotte Hounds games are being sold by Hough lacrosse players and others in the communmity with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the lacrosse program at the high school.

Vouchers are $25 and the Charlotte Hounds organization has agreed to donate $10 from each voucher sold to Hough.

Ticket vouchers will be valid for any Hounds home game in the upcoming season that begins in April and continues through August. Seven home games are currently on the schedule and games will be played at Memorial Stadium in Charlotte.

To order ticket vouchers or get additional information, contact any Hough lacrosse player or coach or mail orders to Laurie Hadley, 8909 Sutherland Drive, Huntersville, NC 28078.