Mychal Wynn, one of the world’s premiere authorities on black male achievement, school improvement planning, closing the minority achievement gap and college planning, will speak at the Smith Middle School Auditorium on August 4. Wynn will discuss why identifying, analyzing and understanding the unique societal, home and community variables that impact all students identified as “at risk” is prerequisite to developing holistic and effective strategies for closing the achievement gap and preparing students for college.

The session is sponsored by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Minority Student Achievement Team and will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

The 2008 Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Battle of the Books will be held March 7 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in the Culbreth Middle School auditorium.

The district’s four middle schools will compete for the right to represent the district at the Piedmont Regional competition later this spring.

Battle of the Books is an exciting showcase of the reading talents of Chapel Hill-Carrboro students.