Turn to back cover for more great deals!
201 5
page 18
Serving The Arboretum, Ballantyne, Blakeney and SouthPark communities
2015 Cadillacs Locally Owned & Operated www.thecharlotteweekly.com
Volume 15, Number 16 • April 17 to 23, 2015
Sara’s YMCA to open in Ballantyne Corporate Park Smoky Bissell donation to help fund new YMCA location
by Hannah Chronis scweditor@thecharlotteweekly.com
Employees in Ballantyne Corporate Park will soon have easy access to a stateof-the-art fitness facility as construction begins on a new YMCA location in Ballantyne. The latest YMCA of Greater Charlotte location will be known as “Sara’s Y” in memory of Sara Harris Bissell, the late wife of Ballantyne developer Smoky Bissell, and will be located at the corner of Brixham Hill Avenue and Ballantyne Corporate Place. The 24,000-square-foot facility will cater to corporate tenants and offer indoor and outdoor fitness spaces, group exercise classes, a yoga studio (see YMCA on page 12)
Legislators address uncertain fate of public education by Courtney Schultz education@thecharlotteweekly.com
Area legislators faced hard questions regarding the fate of North Carolina public education on Friday, April 10, at MeckEd’s Community Conversation event and the outcome doesn’t look as promising as some legislators hoped.
MeckEd, a non-profit advocacy group, hosted North Carolina House Reps. Craig Horn and Tricia Cotham and North Carolina Sen. Jeff Jackson in a discussion about the teacher pipeline crisis, school performance grades and the state budget, among other education-related legislative decisions.
The legislators told attendees the budget will “move quickly” when they returned from the legislature’s spring break this week, which will significantly influence budgets of local education agencies. Some legislators were concerned about “special provisions” that could encompass policies not properly scrutinized on the floor or in committee by all parties. However, area legislatures are pushing for bills and polices to better support education as they return from the break.
Grades don’t make the mark This year, all North Carolina schools received performance letter grades from the state for the first time since becoming required by the state. The scores were based 80 percent on proficiency and 20 percent on growth, leaving many schools that had high growth but low test scores with low letter grades. The grades were originally based on a 15-point scale, but through state law, the new grades will be based on a 10-point scale. (see Public education on page 9)
INDEX: News Briefs, 6; Crime Blotter, 7; Education, 12; Rev. Tony, 16; Calendar, 22; Sports, 24; Classifieds, 27
Summer AT PROVIDENCE DAY SCHOOL
CAMP DATES
REGISTER NOW AT
play.learn.create. 2015
JUNE 1 - AUGUST 7 PROVIDENCEDAY.ORG/SUMMERPROGRAMS