Counselors Newsletter

https://app.smore.com/n/d0zr2

Parents of teens are invited to participate in this free webinar hosted by Skyland Trail. Hear from mental health experts about how to support your teen. What you’ll learn:

• Navigating social media, substance use, and peer pressure

• Proven strategies to support teens who are struggling emotionally

• Warning signs: know when to ask for professional help

To register: https://www.skylandtrail.org/parents

We are so excited to partner with you as you approach one of the most significant and exciting milestones of high school: the start of your post-secondary planning! Junior year is where college and career preparation truly begins, and we are ready to guide you every step of the way.

Starting in January, the counseling team will host interactive, small-group conferences to dive deeper into your plans.

• What to Expect: We will meet in supportive groups of 2-5 families. This format is perfect for reviewing the video content, answering specific questions, and helping you map out your next steps and timeline.

Format: To accommodate everyone, the families will join virtually. Students are welcome to join either in person with their counselor or virtually from home—whatever works best!

To sign up, simply click on your student’s counselor based on your child’s last name:

(A-De) Mrs. Kiana Wills

(Df-J) Dr. Ken Jackson

(K-Re) Dr. Jazzmon Parham

(Rf-Z) Ms. Shadiqa White

Participating Institutions

Find out more about the College Fair.

We are excited to introduce Naviance—your student’s new all-in-one command center for life after high school. Whether they are dreaming of a specific career, scouting the perfect college, or just starting to wonder "what’s next?", Naviance is the tool to get them there.

What can Naviance do?

Think of Naviance as a digital roadmap for success. It’s designed to take the guesswork out of planning by offering:

• Career Discovery: Match interests to real-world careers and post-secondary programs.

• College Research: Find the "best fit" schools based on personal goals and academic profiles.

• Goal Setting: Create personalized "Student Success Plans" and track progress through surveys.

• Application Management: (Starting with the Class of 2027) This will be the hub for tracking deadlines, building resumes, and syncing with the Common App to send transcripts and letters of recommendation.

Get Started in Minutes

Ready to see it in action? We’ve put together two quick resources to help you and your student hit the ground running:

• Watch the Teaser: Naviance Introduction for Parents/Families (90 second Video)

• Look at the Naviance Introduction for Parents/Families Slides

• Listen to the Naviance Introduction for Parents/Families Deep Dive Podcast!!! (12 minutes). Use this while you look at the slides.

The 2026 Georgia Scholar Program application window will open January 1 and close March 1, 2026. Georgia public- and private-school seniors who meet all program criteria are eligible to apply. These criteria are established in state law, and no exceptions can be made. The application, detailed program criteria, and application guidance brochure are found on the Georgia Scholar webpage linked below.

Additional Information: Georgia Scholar Webpage

Deadline: Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 5 p.m.

Contact: Arlecia Brooks, arlecia.brooks@doe.k12.ga.us

Georgia students are invited to participate in the 8th Annual Greater Atlanta College Fair on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at South Gwinnett High School. This statewide, free event provides an opportunity for students and parents to meet with HBCU admissions and financial aid counselors from across the country. We encourage you to ensure students in your district have the opportunity to register and attend this year’s fair. The fair will also feature HBCU band scholarship auditions conducted by college band directors, along with essay and art contests that provide scholarship awards to the winners.

Additional Information: Student/Parent/Counselor Registration

Contact: info@hbcucf.org

1 - A device that they have made sure can be used for the test. There are no devices to be loaned from the test center.
2 - An Admission ticket. You must have a paper/printed admission ticket for the ACT. A printed or an electronic ticket may be used for the SAT.
3 - A hard plastic ID card, passport, or completed ACT or SAT ID form (completed = everything filled out and it is signed/notarized). School ID must show the current year. State federal ID must be valid on the test date.

ACT requires device readiness checks on all testing devices 2 to 4 weeks prior to testing. Examinees will be responsible for performing device readiness on their laptops. ACT describes the readiness process and current Device Readiness Cutoff Date at https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-changes/gateway-test-center-resources.html.

January 23, 2026

Georgia Gwinnett College (GA)

January 28, 2026

Georgia Southern State University (GA)

Appalachian State University (NC)

January 29, 2026

Florida Tech (FL)

February 2, 2026

Mississippi State University (MS)

LaGrange College

Georgia State University (GA)

Piedmont University

March 4, 2026

California State University, San Marcos (CA)

March 10, 2025

Xavier University (OH)

Below are the details of the 6 week SAT Prep courses starting Jan & Apr 2026.

Call us at 404-351-4955 if you have further questions.

Location: Decatur High School | 1510 Commerce Dr. Decatur, GA 30030

Class Option 1 : Jan 31 Feb 7, 14, 21, 28 Mar 7 | 2026 for SAT Test March 14th 2026
Payment Deadline : Jan 16th

Class Option 2 : Apr 25 May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 | 2026 for SAT Test June 6th 2026
Payment Deadline : Apr 11th

Schedule: Saturdays : 9 - 1 pm on each day (6 sessions | 4 hrs each)

Room: Inside New Library @ Decatur High School

Register Online for SAT Prep Class:

https://successprep.com/SAT-prep-atlanta-ga-decatur-high-school

Textbook you need to buy:

The Official SAT Study Guide, 2nd Edition by The College Board

Don't forget to register for the SAT Test! - http://sat.collegeboard.org/home

*Prep class fee is non-refundable after class starts, we do not offer partial refunds for class sessions a student misses. Any cancellation for refund of a prep class fee must occur 5 days before the start of that prep class, to allow for the seat to be offered to another student.

Please click on the appropriate link below to address your concern/need:

I Need A New ID

Certificate Of Enrollments (complete this form at least 1 week prior going to the DDS. Form expires 30 days after issuance)

ADAP Card Information

Portal Access Requests

Request for Google Password (email)

College Visit Form

Work Permit Process (only needed for students ages < 15)

NEW Guide to PTSA Community Service Hours

Order A Transcript (If you need a transcript mailed, please email micheal.ackley@csdecatur with student name as it appears in the portal, college/university name, college/university address)

Students when you graduate your DHS email account will be deactivated. Please use your personal email address so you will have access beyond high school.

College Admissions Accommodation Form

(Consent Form for College Admission Tests Accommodation Requests - If you have a 504 or IEP with testing accommodations, a consent form must be completed and turned in to your/your student's counselor in order for the school to request accommodations for the College Board (PSAT/AP/SAT) and ACT. Testing agencies take up to 8 weeks to process requests.)

Summer & PreCollege Programs Google Classroom - CLASS CODE: fkrkuep

Scholarships Google Classroom - CLASS CODE: 43xlcav

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10c5TZ7RZ3DjuRLXalarKAdAOKQStk5wnQNJEYxyBYN0/edit?usp=sharing

Email: rjones1@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/dhs
Location: 310 North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4170