DHS Weekly Update
Hello,
Early in the week, we had a lockdown situation when a staff member pressed our Centigix badge more times than required during a physical altercation between students. Although the press for the lockdown should not have happened, it gave us the opportunity to improve our practices. The alert occurred while a fourth of our students were at lunch, and the response prompted the administration to review our process, gather feedback from students (nearly 90 students provided feedback) and teachers, conduct retraining and clarification with staff, and provide students with updated instructions that will be shared during lunch periods next week.
If you have not had the opportunity to review the Semester Credit information, please take a moment to review the link regarding the move for the 2026-27 school year. We need feedback and look forward to responding to questions.
This is the last opportunity to provide feedback on the Georgia School Climate Survey, as the end of the month will bring the survey to a close for the 2025-26 school year. Your input is valuable to DHS, so please complete it if you have not done so already.
Finally, tomorrow is SAT School Day for some of our seniors and nearly all of our juniors. Seniors who are not taking the SAT will have a virtual day to continue working on assignments and complete tasks related to their plans after graduation. We have programming for freshmen and sophomores that will support their learning and overall well-being. I am strongly encouraging families to have their freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in school on Friday.
Sincerely,
Duane Sprull, Ed.D.
Throughout this school year, our Teaching as a Profession (TAP 2) Year 2 students have been growing as global leaders through a powerful, ongoing partnership with the Global Village Project (GVP). This year-long exchange allows our aspiring educators to step into the role of teachers, visiting GVP to lead intentional lessons they designed themselves. In return, GVP students have regularly visited DHS to share their own heritage and traditions; even teaching our students about their home countries and leading hands-on henna art sessions. This sustained collaboration is a beautiful journey of building empathy, professional leadership, and lasting community connections.
Our talented Varsity Winter Guard and Indoor Percussion teams soared to success this past weekend, proving that Decatur High’s performing arts programs are among the best in the Southeast. Competing against top-tier teams from seven different states including Florida, North Carolina, and Mississippi, our students demonstrated incredible skill and artistry on the national stage.
Our Indoor Percussion ensemble earned a stellar 1st Place in prelims and finished 2nd overall out of 15 teams. Meanwhile, our Winter Guard placed 2nd in prelims and finished 14th out of a massive field of 33 competitors. We are so proud of the hard work these students and directors put in to achieve these results right here in the metro Atlanta area. 🥁🚩
Please join us in celebrating these hardworking students and their amazing achievements!
Our Science National Honor Society (SNHS) students are making a national impact through real-world research that helps our local environment! We are thrilled to share that our partnership with Agnes Scott College and the Atlanta Regional Commission recently earned the Climate Luminary Award for Climate Resilience from the nonprofit Second Nature.
By managing heat sensors and analyzing data alongside experts like Kimberly J. Reeves and Dr. Jennifer Kovacs, our students are gaining invaluable STEM experience that directly benefits the Decatur community. We are so proud of Zion Mwangura, Yunus Derinkok, Lu Dignam, Annabelle Huebner, Campbell Gervin, Karma Soliman, Thea Muhlstein, Jack Shannin, Quinn Park, Maeve Downey, and Liam Aldredge-Byars for their hard work on this award-winning project.
Interested students can learn more by reading the official Agnes Scott College press release or by contacting Dr. Cassy Smith at csmith@csdecatur.net to get involved in future research!
On Friday, March 20th, students from the Ultimate Problem Solving Club visited Glennwood Elementary to lead a hands-on workshop teaching younger students how to build electric cars. During the visit, our students guided their peers through the design and assembly process, demonstrating teamwork, problem-solving skills, and creativity. This outreach gave the elementary students a fun introduction to engineering concepts while allowing our students to develop leadership and mentoring experience in a real-world STEM setting.
We are bursting with pride for the DHS Theatre Ensemble! Our recent production of Alice By Heart has been recognized with an incredible 7 Shuler Nominations, 2 Semi-Finalist spots, and 3 Honorable Mentions. Out of 67 schools adjudicated across Georgia, DHS ranked among the top ten highest scores for Overall Production—a testament to the hard work and talent of our students and staff.
Join us in celebrating these achievements:
What: The Shuler Awards (The "Georgia High School Tony Awards")
Tune In: Watch the ceremony live on GPB * on April 16th at 8:00 PM
Best Ensemble & Best Music Direction (Elise Eskew Sparks)
Best Costumes (Sophie Levine-Tsang) & Lighting Design (Wiley Perreault)
Best Scenic Design (Chris Davis & Nora Casariego)
Featured Performer (Tafesse Jenks) & Leading Actor (William Bartlett)
Semi-Finalists: Best Overall Production & Leading Actress (Sofia Satterfeild)
Mark your calendars to cheer on our talented Bulldogs from home! 🎭
🚀 Big Ideas, Big Prizes: The DHS STEM Fair!
We are calling all DHS thinkers, makers, and creators to showcase their brilliance at this year’s STEM Fair! Whether it’s a coding project, a scientific experiment, or an engineering marvel, this is the perfect stage to share their passion, and potentially walk away with some serious cash.
The Details:
When: April 20 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Where: DHS Cafeteria
Prizes: Top projects win $500, $200, or $100!
Sign Up HERE or scan the QR code on posters around the school.
🚁 Drone Academy Summer Camp – Registration Now Live
Decatur Career Academy is partnering with AI Nautics to offer a five-day Drone Academy Summer Camp, June 22–26 (9 AM–5 PM) for rising juniors and seniors (ages 16+).
Students will receive hands-on drone training and complete their assessment at Peachtree DeKalb Airport, an official FAA testing site.
- Cost: $500
- Four $250 scholarships available
- Only 15 seats
- Deadline: May 1
Seats are limited. Registration is first come, first served.
Trade your screen time for shop time and discover the satisfaction of building a custom piece of furniture with your own two hands! Our Decatur Career Academy is back with a new round of community woodworking classes. Whether you want to build a shaker bench or a custom tool chest, this flexible program allows you to learn at your own pace in a professional shop environment. Best of all, you can choose the sessions that fit your busy family calendar!
The Details:
Evening Sessions: Tuesday & Thursday, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM (April 14 – May 14)
Weekend Sessions: April 24 & 25 and May 8 & 9
Flexibility: You do not need to attend all classes—just come on the days that work for you!
Included: Expert instruction, all tools, and premium materials.
Ready to start your project? Register here or email Randy Archer at rarcher@csdecatur.net with any questions. See you in the shop! ✨
Exciting News!
Foxtail Coffee is offering our teachers, staff, students, and parents a 25% discount on all beverages every Thursday through the end of May, beginning March 26. When ordering, please let them know you are part of the Decatur High School community by showing your school ID or using the code “Decatur High School.”