CALENDAR OF EVENTS    

ALL-SCHOOL NEWS

Just Think:

• This week’s Blood Drive organized by our National Honor Society students raised 48 units of blood with the potential to save 144 lives.
  
  
  

Math Olympiad Team in Top 10 Percent Worldwide
Our Grades 5-6 Math Olympiad team finished in the top 10 percent out of 6,000 teams worldwide with more than 150,000 participants. They’ll be honored with a plaque for Highest Achievement at an academic awards ceremony in May. In addition, three of the competitors will receive a gold pin for scoring in the top two percent of all participants and five students will receive silver pins for scoring in the top 10 percent. Many others will receive felt patches for being in the top 50 percent of all competitors. The names of these outstanding students can’t be revealed until the awards ceremony, but congratulations in advance to our math stars.

MS Teacher Mrs. Fischer who has coached Math Olympiad Teams for over 30 years commented, “I have been extremely impressed with the performance of our team this year. They have tackled some very challenging problems.”

The students practice all year and then compete in five competitions. All problems require mathematical thinking, and each problem has a specified time limit. If you want to test your skills, try the problem below. (For the correct answer, consult with one of our Olympians.)

A broken clover has 2 leaves, a normal clover has 3 leaves, and a lucky clover has 4 leaves. In a bunch of these clovers, there are twice as many normal clovers as broken clovers and 5 times as many normal clovers as lucky clovers. The bunch has a total of N leaves. N is greater than 200. What is the least value of N?

New Platforms, Thanks to You
Remember the $5,000 we won a few months ago in the BING contest thanks to all of you? We now have a wonderful, versatile set of platform risers purchased with our Bing winnings and still have money left over to jump start other projects in the Theatre. The platforms can showcase more than 100 students at a time and will be well used by all our students, from performances and presentations to graduations and special events. Thanks to Coaches Chris Graham and Chad Illing, the entire 7th-8th grade chorus and some US muscle for helping unload and install 26 boxes and more than 1,000 pounds of platforms. Be sure to check out the risers in action at performances of The Lion King: Broadway Selections, April 6-8. Lucky audience members will also get to test the risers as seating to thank all who made this a reality for our students and our School.

Important Half Day Information
On Tuesday, April 12 and Wednesday, April 13, school will be in session half day with the afternoons reserved for parent-teacher conferences. Hot lunches will not be served. Please schedule a time with your child’s teacher or advisor to review their Student Growth Portfolio, if you have not already done so.

Please make note of special dismissal/carpool times by division:

• ECH: 10:50-11:10 a.m.
• US: 11:10-11:20 a.m.
• LS (including Kindergarten) and MS: 11:20 a.m. - until finished

After School Care (ASC) is available Tuesday and Wednesday for TT-Grade 8 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. If your children will need care, you must sign them up by Friday, April 8, even if they are enrolled in ASC full-time. ASC staff cannot watch children for parents solely during parent-teacher conferences. Please make sure to send bagged lunches for all children attending ASC those days.
To sign up, please email Extended Care Coordinator Alyse Savoca with your child’s name and grade level. There is no additional charge for students already enrolled in ASC full-time. The fee for all other students is $25 per day. (Families will be billed at the end of the month.) If your child is not enrolled already, either full-time or on a drop-in basis, you must fill out our ASC enrollment forms, which are available at the front desk. Contact Alyse Savoca via email or at 704-237-5289 with any questions.


Archaeology for Everyone
What brings professors and curators from Harvard and Boston University and photographers from National Geographic to our DDS campus? Maya at the Lago, Davidson Day’s very own international symposium on Maya archaeology and culture. But you don’t have to be a Ph.D. yourself to attend. You won’t want to miss lectures such as The Serpent's Crown and Welcome to the Dark Side: The Maya Underworld, or the Maya Feast featuring modern adaptations of ancient recipes. Details: www.mayaatthelago.com or contact Mat Saunders.

See “Race to Nowhere” at DDS
Come see the groundbreaking documentary “Race to Nowhere,” (http://www.racetonowhere.com/home) which has been termed “a call to mobilize families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens.”
DDS will screen the movie Monday, April 4 at 7 p.m. in the Theatre. College Counselor Stacy Allen will lead a post-movie discussion with attendees. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Click here (http://rtndavidsondayschool.eventbrite.com/) to purchase your ticket. Details: Stacy Allen


Eat Better, Perform Better
Parent, tired of your kids eating junk food? Learn healthy recipes, tips and information on how better nutrition can help optimize students’ health and improve their academic and athletic performance at our next Institute Speaker Series event. The event features Brooke Thomas, DDS Parent and owner of BT HealthSource, who is frequently featured on WCNC’s Charlotte Today and Dr. Matthew McAlees of Carolina Chiropractic. Parents can also learn more about the school’s new hydroponic garden initiative, which will provide fresh produce to our students and families. Details for “The Power of Nutrition: Eating Better, Performing Better”—Wednesday, April 6, 6:30-8 p.m. in the Commons. Adults $5, DDS parents $4, students free.

The Lion King Will Roar at DDS
Come and share the magic of the music of The Lion King: Broadway Selections next week in a one-of-a-kind production showcasing the many talents of our students in grades 3-12 who make up the cast and crew. Please arrive at the Theatre early as space is limited. Performances: 1 p.m., Wednesday, April 6 (school performance); 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7 and 7 p.m., Friday, April 8. Donations will be accepted at the door. Directed by our very own Katherine Ward Washington.

Stroll Through the Art Crawl
Davidson Day School is proud to be a stop on the Town of Davidson “April is for Arts” Gallery Crawl, along with local businesses, galleries, restaurants and Town Hall, on Friday, April 8. Select artwork from the MS and US students will be on display in the main entrance and the area in front of the Commons from 6-9 p.m. that day.

Tee It Up For DDS
Spend a day on the course for DDS at the Ninth Annual Tee It Up for Davidson Day School Golf Tournament, April 11 at the River Run Country Club in Davidson. This fundraiser includes lunch, beverages, 18 holes of golf, golf gifts and dinner at the club. Special thanks to our sponsors listed below. For details on sponsorships and individual play or to sign up, please click here. (http://www.davidsonday.org/teeitup)  For more information, please contact Megan Lynch via email or at 704-231-9797.

Organic Garden Sale
Getting your garden in shape for spring and summer? Then buy some of these organic gardening products and organic seedlings (click here to download the organic supplies list) to support our 7th-8th grade hydroponic gardening class. Sales begin today with all orders due by Friday, April 8.  Products will be delivered on May 15. Order forms will be sent home for students in classes up to 8th grade or you can click here to download the order form. Please return orders and payments to your child’s teacher, advisor or Kristin Metzler.

It’s Prom Time
US students, the big event is almost here and tickets are now on sale. Prom is Saturday, April 9 from 8-11 p.m. aboard the Yachta, Yachta, Yachta boat cruise. Students should meet at school no later than 7 p.m.; buses depart at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $50 a person and may be purchased from Dean of Student Life Ron Johnson by cash or check made out to DDS. Guests are welcome, if guest forms are completed and filed with Mr. Johnson. For questions, contact Catherine Fulton.

Admission Sneak Preview
We hope you’ll invite families you know that are interested in learning more about our school to our “Sneak Preview” event at 6 p.m. on April 12. That’s when we’ll showcase many of our innovative and outstanding programs, such as our Belize campus extension, robotics, academic teams, the Immigration project and more to prospective families. Please contact Trent Brown at 704-237-5229 with any questions about the Sneak Preview or the Admission process.  

Parking Space Auction Ends Monday
Just think of how nice it would be, especially during a rainy week like this, to have a parking spot in front of the school waiting just for you. Turn that wish into a reality, by bidding in our parking space auction. You have until just before 5 p.m. on Monday, April 4 to bid. That’s when the highest bidder will win the auction, earning the right to park in the designated space until the end of the next school year. You can even team up with a friend on your bid and share the space. All proceeds are tax-deductible and support the Annual Fund.  Click here to create an account and start bidding.

DAVIDSON DAY INSTITUTE

Improve Your SAT Test Scores
The Institute’s next SAT Test Prep Workshop begins Monday, April 4 in preparation for the May 7 SATs. Individual SAT Test Prep instruction is also available. Contact Ben Putnam at 704-237-5281 for more information or to register.    

Summer Academy 2011 Coming Soon
Work to get ahead, strive to catch up or maintain your academic edge with the DDI Summer Academy. There is something for everyone: courses for credit, credit recovery, math Jumpstart, keyboarding, Spanish, subject tutoring, Headsprout early reading & reading comprehension, speech therapy, occupational therapy, academic cognitive and achievement testing, SAT test prep, S.O.S. (Study and Organizational Skills) and more. Contact Ben Putnam at 704-237-5281 for details about these important academic summer programs.

PARENT COUNCIL

Election of Next Year’s Officers
Parent Council will hold elections for next year’s new Executive Board at its monthly meeting at 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 6 in the Commons. All DDS parents are invited to vote.

Get Psyched for the Mother/Son Kickball Game
Mothers and sons of all ages, it’s time to sign up for the 5th Annual Mother/Son Kickball Game, which is 3:30-5 p.m Friday, April 8. Please RSVP by emailing Jeanette Pietro and include the following information: the name, grade level and teacher name for each child playing and the parent’s name, phone number and email address. Participants should bring their own snacks and water. Please note we will play rain or shine. Questions? Contact Jeanette Pietro or Whitney Yates.

Support the SummerFest Auction
Donations of all kinds are being collected for the live auction that will take place during the Third Annual SummerFest celebration on May 18. The auction will add extra fun and excitement to the festivities and will also help raise funds to support the school.  If you would be willing to donate a stay at your vacation home or other large ticket items, we would love to hear from you. All contributions are tax-deductible and a donated item or service is a great way to promote your business to our families. Special thanks to the donors listed below for their support and to all the Room Parents and Parent Liaisons for their hard work on this event. For questions about the auction or to make a donation, please contact Tara Black.  

Firehouse Casual Living
Hearth & Patio

Lake Norman Limousine Services, Inc.

Lake Norman Miniature Golf

MegArt
(contributed products at a discount)

Sushi @ the Lake

ATHLETICS

Girls Soccer is No. 2
Congrats to our Girls Varsity Soccer team, now ranked No. 2 among N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 1A schools. The team posted a convincing 5-0 victory against No. 3-ranked Statesville Christian at home last Friday. This week, they defeated Trinity of Raleigh, 9-0, on the road.

This Week’s Contributing Photographers: Paul Cotter, US Photography Teacher; Chris McKay, 12th Grader and Photography Intern; Ann-Marie Harp, Eaglets Teacher; Tiffani Thomas, MS Art Teacher; Carrie Lott, Special Events Coordinator.