Happy New School Year! 2026
July 16, 2026
Hello DHS Parents and Students,
We want to welcome our families to the 2026-27 school year at Decatur High School. The information included here and in the district newsletter supports your transition into the new school year. We eagerly await the return of our PACK (Purposeful, Accountable, Connected, Kind) students and staff.
Our team worked extremely hard during June and July to prepare for a successful school year. We look forward to opening school smoothly and are ready to support students and staff in the teaching and learning process. Over the next two weeks, we will send updates to support students as they start school. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you need support.
First Day of School
The first day of school is August 3, 2026. All students will be able to enter the building at 8:10 am via the Bus Loop (Commerce Street) and the Attendance Office (McDonough Street) to facilitate secure entry into the building. The Decatur Career Academy doors are for senior entry only. Breakfast will be available at this time. The tardy bell will ring promptly at 8:35 am.
Please remember that only clear or mesh backpacks are permitted in classrooms. Opaque or drawstring bags may not be brought into classrooms, but can be stored in assigned lockers, which will be distributed during the first week of school.
Arrival and dismissal procedures remain in place to prioritize safety. All bus loading and unloading, as well as parent drop-off and pick-up, must occur at the Commerce Drive bus lane. For everyone’s safety, do not use the parking lot at W. Howard Avenue and N. McDonough Street for drop-off or pick-up. Traffic and bus monitors will be present to direct vehicles appropriately.
Duane Sprull, Ed.D.
Principal
DPI Community Survey
The Decatur Prevention Initiative needs your help in learning more about community perceptions and concerns regarding underage drinking and substance misuse among Decatur youth. The results of this brief survey will be shared with the coalition members, parents, key partners, and the community-at-large. A summary of the results will be posted on the website at www.decaturpi.org. This information assists in satisfying current federal funding requirements as well as helps target our programming efforts and provide critical information for future funding opportunities.
This voluntary survey is anonymous, and responses cannot be traced to you. Please answer the questions based on what you think and do. You may skip any question you choose not to answer.
Thank you so much for volunteering to provide this valuable information to help DPI and our partners better address youth alcohol and substance misuse in Decatur. Please only take this survey once.
