Today’s headlines: It’s a big week for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board meets tonight, and if you care at all about CMS you should pay attention this week.
Observer education reporter Ann Doss Helms does a great job breaking down this week’s pressing issues here. In short, they are:
– Superintendent Ann Clark’s plan for expanding seats in magnet schools will be laid out in public for the first time.
– Administrators will give an update on Project LIFT and the Beacon Initiative, two efforts to improve low-performing schools.
– The board is scheduled to declare unused land on the edge of some school grounds as surplus, meaning it can be sold to pay for school construction and renovation.
– The resumption of an ongoing discussion on student assignment. Basically: Who should go to what school and why?
– The superintendent search. Some board members and community leaders want Clark to stay on past the end of her contract, which ends summer 2016. Others want someone else in charge.
That last one isn’t on the agenda, but some folks might try to speak about it during the meeting. One problem: School board rules don’t allow speakers to talk about individuals, and Board Chairperson Mary McCray said she’ll enforce the rules.
SHODDY WORKMANSHIP: More than 20 people who bought townhouses in the Seigle Point community near uptown have sued the developer and contractor, alleging shoddy workmanship and poor maintenance. The issues: Failing decks, heating and AC units breaking down, electrical system problems and too little sound insulation.
Both Grubb Properties and Carocon have denied wrongdoing and said they plan to defend themselves.
CROSS REMOVED FROM PARK: Mecklenburg County removed a small red cross from a Park Road Park playground after a Charlotte mother said she was offended by the symbol. The park debuted last year with a tribute to teachers and students killed in Newtown, Conn., during the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and the cross was on a replica general store.
County parks and recreation director Jim Garges told the Observer including a cross was “simply an oversight” and taking it off was the right move.
DIRTY HIPPIE: Pitching itself as an effort to contribute to the funkiness to Charlotte’s art community, a new bar and event venue called the Dirty Hippie will open Oct. 30 on South Boulevard. The bar, at 5028 South Blvd., will have a menu of cheap cocktails, local craft beers and coffee, according to the shop. Nightly events are planned to include live music, free movies, open mic and bingo hosted by drag queens.
Photos: David T. Foster III/Charlotte Observer; T. Ortega Gaines/Charlotte Observer
This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Today’s headlines: It’s a big week for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools."