Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has received the results of an all-employee engagement survey and three audits commissioned by Superintendent Heath Morrison as part of his 100-day entry plan. The employee engagement survey, conducted in October by the consulting firm K12 Insight, found that 76 percent of CMS employees were engaged or highly engaged. “This survey highlights that the majority of our employees are fully committed to CMS and the work we must do together in service to children,” said Dr. Heath E. Morrison, superintendent. “But it also says that we have some significant work to do in reaching the remaining 24 percent.

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Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) was recognized as a leader in the national student completion movement by Achieving the Dream, a national nonprofit leading the nation’s most comprehensive non-governmental reform network for community college student success and completion. CPCC, one of 14 institutions designated as a 2012 Leader College, was recognized for demonstrating sustained improvement and accomplishments on key student achievement indicators, including student persistence and completion. The 14 new Leader Colleges are: · Bay College (Escanaba, MI) · Central Piedmont Community College (Charlotte, NC) · Community College of Baltimore County (Baltimore, MD) · College of the Ouachitas (Malvern, AR)

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Bank of America Merchant Services, the No. 1-rated electronic payments processor in the U.S.1, has announced the upcoming release of Mobile Pay on Demand. Available on December 3, Mobile Pay on Demand is a new solution designed specifically for small businesses that will turn a client’s smartphone or iPad into a mobile point-of-sale terminal. Mobile Pay on Demand will include a free mobile app, free secure card reader, no monthly or annual fees and expanded functionality to meet the needs of small business owners nationwide. Customers can find more information about the product and sign up at http://www.bankofamerica.com/mobilepay [4]. “In

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The Pitchin’ for Wishes Cornhole Tourney, co-sponsored by Andrew Roby and Harris Teeter, raised $120,000 for Make-A-Wish® Central & Western North Carolina. The money will provide hope, strength and joy for as many as 20 children suffering from life-threatening medical conditions. The average cost to grant a child’s wish through Make-A-Wish Central & Western North Carolina is $6,000. “The tournament was a lot of fun, and we’re thrilled to support the mission of Make-A-Wish in such a meaningful way,” said David McGuire, Andrew Roby chief operating officer. “It’s great to know that everyone involved with Pitchin’ for Wishes has helped

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Looking for an elegant new way to enjoy the holiday and take care of your shopping at the same time?Experience a delicious high tea and an afternoon of boutique shopping at The Duke Mansion on Sunday, December 2 at 2 pm. The cost is $35 per adult and $15 for children ages 5 to 12. Reserve your spot by November 28 by calling 704/714-4445 or emailing ke****@**wf.org . The Mansion is located at 400 Hermitage Road in Charlotte’s Myers Park. From 2 – 3 pm, we’ll shop ’round The Mansion’s dramatic Christmas tree. Participating shops include:blis UptownThe Blossom ShopThe ButtercupJeffre

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Davidson College invites the public on Monday, November 12, to a talk analyzing the 2012 elections by New York Times columnist and PBS Newshour commentator David Brooks. Brooks has been an opinion columnist with the paper since 2003. He has also served as a senior editor at The Weekly Standard, and as a contributing editor for Newsweek and the Atlantic Monthly. Brooks will begin his talk, which is titled “What It Means: The 2012 Election and the Future of America,” at 8 p.m. in Duke Family Performance Hall. There is no charge to attend, but tickets are required. They may

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The public is invited to “spice up their evening” by joining The Mint Museum for ArtFusion: Maya on Tuesday, November 13 at Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road. Admission is FREE for a night of art, chocolate tasting, stories on Mayan mythology and stargazing. Begin the night by exploring the museum’s Art of the Ancient Americas collection, which includes many rare Mayan art items on view. Then, enjoy free chocolate tastings with chocolatiers from Davidson Chocolate Co. Afterward, get ready for a lecture on Mayan mythology (and its fabled “doomsday” implications) with Dr. Dorie Reents-Budet, Consulting Curator of Ancient American

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Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association reports that residential sales outpaced last year with closings in October 2012 (2,575) up 36.8 percent compared to October 2011, when closings totaled 1,882. Both the median and average sales prices showed gains. The average price in October 2012 ($204,335) was up 4.9 percent compared to last year ($194,739), and the median price ($157,000) was up 3.3 percent compared to October 2011 ($151,942). These gains mark nine months of year-over-year price increases for both price indices. The average list price in October 2012 ($235,920) increased 6.2 percent over the same period last year ($222,194), bringing the

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Pearson’s Appraisal Services has announced the dates and places for a series of meetings to discuss with property owners the findings and recommendations from its review of the 2011 Mecklenburg County property revaluation. One meeting will be held in each Board of County Commissioners district, and will include details related to findings in the district where the meeting is held. The six BOCC district meetings will follow Pearson’s presentation of its review findings and recommendations at the Nov. 13 Board of County Commissioners workshop, which will be held at 3 p.m. in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center. At the beginning

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Wagner Noble & Company and Boatsman Gillmore, PLLC, two of the region’s most prominent accounting, tax, and financial advisory practices are merging their firms. The evolved practice will be known as Boatsman Gillmore Wagner, PLLC and will have offices in Charlotte and the Huntersville-Lake Norman area. Larry Wagner, managing partner for the practice, noted that the firms were a great complement to each other. “Our business approaches and client values are both completely aligned. This merger allows our partners to focus on what each does best, whether that is consulting, tax, development of financial strategies or assurance,” shared Wagner. “We

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