Bloggin' Bulldog

Gold Award for Student Achievement

2012-01-19T11:31:00.001-08:00

	Congratulations to the students and staff of Decatur High School! DHS earned a Gold Award for Highest Performance from the Governor's Office of Student Achievement. For immediate release Office of Communications Jan. 17, 2012 (404) 651-7774 370 schools awarded for outstanding results Governor’s Office of Student Achievement recognizes improvements on state test scores Gov. Nathan Deal announced today that 370 Georgia public schools are being recognized for improvement and achievement during the 2010-2011 school year. The schools are being recognized under Georgia's Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS), developed by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, to award schools based on their performance on state curriculum exams and Adequate Yearly Progress status. "Congratulations to these 370 schools for their commitment to hard work and high academic standards," said Deal. "The principals and teachers at these schools are to be commended for maintaining a focus on providing every student with a world-class education." The awards are being announced as part of the release of the 2010-2011 K-12 Public Schools Report Card. The Report Card, which features the SSAS awards, was developed by GOSA and provides bottom-line data for Georgia’s preschools, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, technical colleges, and educator licensing and accreditation. It includes school, system and state level reports organized into seven major sections: Accountability, Georgia Tests, National Tests, Indicators, Student and School Demographics, Personnel, and Comparisons. “I am pleased to recognize these schools for their continued focus on student achievement," said Bonnie Holliday, Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Student Achievement. "Congratulations to the students at these schools for their accomplishments and to the staff for their ongoing commitment to learning." The schools are awarded on four levels -- Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze -- in two categories: * Greatest gains: 111 schools are being recognized for demonstrating significant improvement on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) or the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT). * Highest performance: 259 schools are being recognized for high achievement on the CRCT or GHSGT. The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement provides accountability for all of Georgia’s education system from pre-kindergarten to post secondary to drive improvement in student achievement and school completion through meaningful, transparent and objective analysis and communication of statewide data. To learn more about GOSA, please visitwww.gaosa.org. To access a complete list of 2010-2011 SSAS award winners, visit gaosa.org. Brian Robinson brobinson@georgia.gov Stephanie Mayfield smayfield@georgia.gov (404) 516-5376

Discussion with students

2012-01-19T11:30:00.001-08:00

Decatur High School Families,

Twice in the past week we have found students to be inpossession of a weapon on school campus. In both cases it was a knife. Though Idon’t believe there was an imminent threat in either situation, theconsequences are difficult to digest. According to our Code of Conduct, thisviolation constitutes a Level III disciplinary action; the consequences mayresult in long term suspension (i.e., a suspension for more than ten days),alternative school, or expulsion. As you know, weapons on school campus alsocarry criminal penalties, often considered a felony offense.

In my experience, parents are generally aware that theirson/daughter has a knife (boy scouts, hiking, etc.), and I know students areaware that they should not be at school. Please have conversations at homeabout the consequences of having weapons on school campus. The laws are verystrict, designed to maintain safety on school campus. We do not have the luxuryof dismissing weapons cases, and it is nearly impossible to determine intent.

Going to a disciplinary hearing of this weight is one of myleast favorite responsibilities as a school leader. However, when faced withthe issue, it is what must happen. I write this to appeal to you as a schoolcommunity to discuss this issue with your children. My hope is that doing sowill not only ensure the safety of our school, but will also help ensure ouryoung people are aware of the weight of such a mistake.

Many thanks for your support,

Lauri McKain

Principal

Support during tragedies

2011-12-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

As many of you have heard already, yesterday we lost two former Decatur High School students in unrelated tragedies. Here is an article describing what happened:

http://decatur.patch.com/articles/two-former-decatur-high-softball-players-die

The school community members have been supportive of each other in this challenging time. The faculty and staff have been available to students and have had many conversations and times of quietly being with students. DHS counselors have been visible and available to students and faculty throughout the day, and were offered additional support if needed from City Schools of Decatur Central Office personnel. As students have needed, they have gathered in the media center, in offices, or in semi-private places for conversations with each other and the adults in the school.

We have had wonderful offers from parents and the community for additional help should we need it and are most thankful for the offers.

At the onset of a tragedy, the counselors remind us of a few things.

· It is important to let children “have permission” to grieve. Rather than encouraging them to hold their feelings in or implying that crying is to be avoided, allowing expressions of their deep sadness is one of the most helpful things one can do. Children respond to tragedy in different ways and on different timelines; there is no one “right” way.

· Encourage taking care of themselves even if they do not feel like it. Stay healthy. Eating, sleeping, moving are important day to day steps when one is hurting.

· Make sure they have access to other people. Sometimes they may not feel like talking, other times they may want to talk and just have someone listen. At other times, they simply want to know that someone is nearby.

The counselors are available as a resource both from them and from outside supports.

Thank you all for your calls of support as our school community grieves these tragedies.

Lauri McKain

Decatur High School | Principal

310 N. McDonough St. | Decatur GA 30030

(404) 370-4420 x111 | lmckain@csdecatur.net

http://decaturhighprincipal.blogspot.com/

DHS Needs your Feedback!

2011-12-01T07:34:00.001-08:00

Decatur High School is looking for feedback on two items. One is the change in our schedule this year to begin the school day at 8am. Please take a moment to log in to the Parent Portal to take the online survey.

Also, a new School Improvement Plan has been developed. Please review it and send questions/feedback to the following email: DHS_SIP@csdecatur.net

https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/StrategicPlan/PlanDetail.aspx?S=4052&PID=1873

Thanks for your time and input!

Lauri McKain

Decatur High School | Principal

310 N. McDonough St. | Decatur GA 30030

(404) 370-4420 x111 | lmckain@csdecatur.net

http://decaturhighprincipal.blogspot.com/

Basketball Season Opener 11/18

2011-11-18T08:27:00.001-08:00

Decatur High inducts two to Wall of Honor (from AJC.com)

Decatur High will add two athletes to its Wall of Honor at a 7 p.m. ceremony in the school’s arena. Clarence Scott and Larry Morris are only the sixth and seventh inductees to the Wall. Scott, a 1966 graduate of Trinity High was later an All-American at Kansas State before playing 13 years with the Cleveland Browns. Morris, a 1950 Decatur grad, was a four-time All-SEC performer at Georgia Tech before his 12 NFL seasons.

Homecoming Oct 21

2011-10-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Embrace your inner super hero and help the Decatur Bulldogs save the day against the Twiggs County Cobras in our homecoming Game on October 21st!

Students have been asked to show their school spirit by participating in the week's dress up days:
Monday we’ll recognize crime never sleeps in our pajamas.
Tuesday we’ll dominate our alter ego’s by bending the genders.
Wednesday we’ll grab our sidekick fighting crime with twin day.
Thursday will need all the real superheros to stand up
Friday we’ll fly to victory with Blue and Gold.

We have good reason for working hard over the past several years to ward off a student-created day during homecoming week called "class color day". Promoting class rivalry within the building is not the objective of homecoming and promotes a poor school climate. If your student dresses for school in all yellow, green, red or blue, it is likely they are participating in this day. Please check your students for markers or paint in these colors. To ensure a positive week, I really need your help in checking your students. Many underclassmen have been told to dress in their colors "or else". I can't have that at DHS and ask for your support and intervention at home.
If a student is found "tagging" a student with a color, the situation will be handled by disciplinary action.

Float Building
All chaperones: Float building ends at 8 p.m. on M, T, and W, 9 p.m. on Thursday. I have asked staff to stay until students have been picked up. PLEASE be sure you have a ride arranged at least 15 minutes before the end of floatbuilding so that we can all leave on time!
Locations:
9th-Lower Lot (Culinary patio)
10th-Maintenance shed
11th-Frasier Center
12th-Scene Shop

Schedule of events for the weekend
Friday
Parade-5:30
Game-7:30
Saturday
Dance-8-11

Please note that the parade starts 2.5 hours after school lets out. Students will not be in supervised activities during this time, so please be sure you are aware of their where abouts.

Looking forward to a spirit-filled week!!

Changes to outdoor practices due to heat

2011-08-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

In light of the current heat index, Decatur High School and Renfroe Middle School are cancelling all outdoor practices between the hours of 12pm and 6pm. If your child participates in an athletic team, or band, the head coach will be in contact about adjusted practice schedules. This will be in place until further notice.

SLT Parent Position Open

2011-08-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

SLT Position Open

This fall, there is one parent position open on the DHS School Leadership Team (SLT). If you have a child at the high school, this is a great way to be involved. If you are interested in being on the ballot, you are encouraged to submit the following to the DHS office or via email to Lauri McKain (lmckain@csdecatur.net) by Monday, August 8, 2011:

1. A short biographical sketch or résumé (including, name, contact information, relationship to the School (e.g.,ages/grades of kids), occupation/background, any other relevant information).

2. A brief statement of why you are interested in serving on the SLT.

Please consider running for this important elected position. The election will be held in conjunction with CurriculumNight on August 23, 2011, and new members will begin their terms in October. If you have any questions or comments, you are always welcome to contact any member of the current SLT: http://dhs.csdecatur.net/charter/

BACKGROUND:
The SLT is the school's governing body, as described in the system charter. The team, which meets monthly, is composed of parents, teachers, administration, a student, and other appointed members. The SLT has decision-making and management authority in several areas of school operation including:

* Determining use of non-personnel funds(e.g., for technology, instructional materials, etc.)
* Participating in interviews and recommendations of personnel for hire
* Developing the continuous school improvement plan which describes specific goals and action items.

The driving theme behind all of the SLT work is to improve student achievement and performance as outlined in the system strategic plan. Members of the SLT act as a liaison, facilitate communication, and encourage participation of parents and others within the school community. The DHS SLT meets on the fourth Monday of every month.

The most important requirement to be a member of the SLT is an honest desire and commitment to contribute to the educational experience and learning of all the children at Decatur High School.

2011-07-26T12:18:00.000-07:00

DHS Parents Note: Agnes Scott To Hold “Crisis Management Drill” on First Day of School

Agnes Scott College will conduct a crisis management drill on August 2, 2011 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. This drill will be led by Agnes Scott Police in conjunction with several other municipal and county agencies. There will be no road closures and there should be only minimal impact on the community.

August 2nd is also the first day of school for Decatur schools. Many of the safe routes to school pass thru or are adjacent to Agnes Scott campus. Parents and students should not be alarmed by the presence of many public safety personnel.

2011-2012 Schedules

2011-07-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

Early next week (week of 7/25) you will receive a packet in the mail from Decatur High School. It will include student schedules and a lot of information to read over about the start of school. Please be on the lookout for it.

We are looking forward to a great year!!

Start times for the 2011-2012 School Year

2011-05-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Board of Education has approved the following school times for the 2011-2012 school year:

Decatur HS 8:00 – 3:00
Renfroe MS 8:45 – 3:45
Fifth Avenue 4/5 8:45 – 3:45
Clairemont ES 8:00 – 2:30
Glennwood ES 8:00 – 2:30
Oakhurst ES 8:00 - 2:30
Winnona Park ES 8:00 – 2:30
College Heights PK 8:00 – 2:30

Finals week schedules

2011-05-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

Please note that May 20th is the last day for seniors.
Here is the schedule for the remainder of the year:

Bell Schedule Week of May 16th
Monday-Wednesday-7 Period Days
Thursday-Odd Day
Friday-Even Day

Exam Schedule 9th -11th Grades
Monday, May 23rd

1st Period-8:35-10:24
2nd Period-10:28-11:18
3rd Period-11:22-12:50
5th Period-12:54-1:44
6th Period-1:48-2:38
7th Period-2:42-3:32

Tuesday, May 24th

1st Period exam-8:35-10:35
4th Period-10:39-11:49
2nd Period-11:53-1:55 (Odd-day lunch times)
3rd Period-2:00-3:32

Wednesday, May 25th

2nd Period exam-8:35-10:35
3rd Period exam-10:39-12:39
4th Period 12:43-1:58
1st Lunch 12:43-1:08
2nd Lunch 1:08-1:33
3rd Lunch 1:33-1:58
5th Period 2:04-3:32

Thursday, May 26th
4th Period exam-8:35-10:35
5th Period exam-10:39-12:39
6th Period 12:43-1:58
1st Lunch 12:43-1:08
2nd Lunch 1:08-1:33
3rd Lunch 1:33-1:58
7th Period 2:04-3:32

Friday, May 27th
6th Period exam-8:35-10:35
7th Period exam-10:39-12:39
******Please note that students will be done by 1pm******

Start time for the 2011-2012 school year

2011-04-12T18:46:00.001-07:00

I posted a letter earlier today describing how we would make a possible 7:45 start time work for DHS, since it appeared it was necessary due to transportation issues. I know many of you will be happy to hear the school board tabled the decision to allow for further review and input.

School Start Times

2011-04-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, April 12, 2011, the school board will vote on the 2011-2012 Fifth Avenue Elementary School Transportation Plan. The new plan will affect the high school schedule by changing our school day to the following: 7:45 – 2:45.

The schedule changes will allow our faculty to move early morning activities to more student, teacher, and family-friendly times in the afternoon and help our large population of athletes get home earlier after practice. Currently, many of our AP and band students arrive at school between 7 and 7:15 for rehearsals and mandatory sessions that leave them exhausted long before the dismissal bell sounds. We plan to have a time after school for tutorial, meaning no practices will start before that time. We expect attendance to rise since students are already in the building and are not rushing off to an athletic practice. This immutable time for academic support is vital as we continue to increase expectations and rigor for all of our students. When we moved to ending the day at 3:30, it pushed back practice times to 4pm, and it became more difficult to share our space. I heard from many parents that their students were getting home very late, often 7:30 or 8pm. Also, we had trouble getting athletes to afternoon events (especially outside the perimeter) considering most of our competitors got out at 3pm or earlier. At times, athletes need to leave for their events before school ends, causing them to miss valuable instructional time. We believe that moving up practices and game departures by just 15 minutes will reduce stress on coaches, athletes and their families.

Although it is a fairly significant shift earlier (50 minutes), all the other schools in the district had to be considered and staggered due to shared buses. There were a variety of options and topics discussed. Dr. Edwards listened intently as principals discussed feedback from teachers and parents about research around teenagers and optimal school performance. It was very clear in this research that the peak start time is around 10:00 a.m. However, this is not an option at this time. Therefore, when given the choice to be the first school to start or the last, the above reasons weighed heavily in my preference for an earlier start time. I believe the students will successfully adjust. Some of our neighboring high schools start earlier—or within 15 minutes of that time. I am confident Decatur’s students will be able to do so as well.

Tuition and Registration for the 2011-2012 School Year

2011-03-01T05:30:00.000-08:00

The window to apply for tuition opened today and will remain open for the month of March. Applications can be found at www.csdecatur.net/tuition. In order to know how many tuition slots we can approve at DHS, it is imperative that residents who do not currently have students in CSD go ahead and enroll for next year. Please do so ASAP at the City Schools of Decatur Administrative Offices: 758 Scott Blvd.

Each year we have families in Decatur that might have sent their children to some of our local k-8 private schools. Please spread the word to enroll now, if they plan to attend DHS for 9th grade.

DHS Construction Update

2011-02-21T05:16:00.000-08:00

If you've noticed the big DHS on the Howard side of the High School, that is progress on the new DHS Career Academy. You may remember that DHS won a competitive federal grant last year (just under $3 million) to do this renovation of the wing that was added on to DHS in the '70s. This grant was received in partnership with Dekalb Technical College. The grant is funding lab updates in the following areas: Early Childhood (Frasier Center), Culinary Arts, Video Production/Communications, Graphic Arts, Engineering/Drafting, Healthcare, and Business. Our students will greatly benefit from state of the art lab space. We will be renovating the old Culinary Arts space into a beautiful new arts suite this summer, as well. We anticipate having the Career Academy open for community classes in the evenings.

A quiet week in February

2011-02-15T11:06:00.000-08:00

It is strange to be in such a quiet building, on a weekday, in the middle of February. But I walked outside for a moment. Students were practicing on the field, others were sitting in the plaza, and I could hear the basketball buzzer with practice going on inside. The weather confuses me and I think it is spring break instead of winter break.
I wish I were gardening.

Happy Winter Break DHS!

Decatur High Named AP Honor School

2011-02-11T07:57:00.001-08:00

Georgia State School Superintendent Dr. John D. Barge announced AP Honor Schools, which included Decatur High School.

"Georgia continues to see positive trends in Advanced Placement - not only in the number of students taking the courses, but in the number of students having success," Barge said. "Much of the progress we're seeing in Georgia can be attributed to our AP Honor Schools."

Decatur High School was named an AP Challenge School and an AP Stem Achievement School for its success last school year.

Advanced Placement Challenge Schools are schools with fewer than 900 students with students testing in the four core areas of English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science. Advanced Placement Stem Achievement Schools are schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses, and at least 40 percent of the exam scores on AP math and AP science exams are 3 or higher.

Advanced Placement classes and exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP classes offer rigorous college-level learning options to students in high school. Students who receive a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams may receive college credit.

"Our students must have rigorous coursework in high school to be successful after they graduate," Barge said. "I am so pleased that more of our students than ever are taking AP courses and passing the exam."

Snow Day

2011-01-10T07:20:00.001-08:00

We are closed on January 10, 2011. Have fun playing in the snow!

Sping is in the Air...

2010-04-15T06:03:00.001-07:00

I hope spring break allowed for relaxing and enjoying time with your teen. With busy schedules, this is precious time.

This week, I mailed the Decatur High School Parent Survey. We use this perception data from parents to inform school improvement planning. As you know, we are embarking on a year-long visioning project, with the intent of developing key targets that will be used to measure the success of the school. Community input and research will be key to the development of these targets. We hope that you will take 15-20 minutes to complete this survey. Results will be reported to the community as soon as they are available. For ease of data analysis, it is preferred to complete this survey through the Parent Portal, but this paper survey may also be completed and returned to the DHS main office.

These last weeks go quickly and are especially busy. Please help your student maintain focus by asking about key work, testing dates and current progress. If you do not get the information you believe you need to help support him/her, please feel free to email teachers and/or counselors. If you believe your student will not pass a class, please call your child’s counselor to discuss summer school options. Teachers will communicate about students they are worried about as well. We have time, at this point, but communication between home and school is critical.

Behavior also becomes more of an issue in the spring.

Dress code:

Please help us by reviewing wardrobe choices. If your child is found to be in violation of dress code, s/he will be asked to change. If s/he does not have extra clothes, a parent may be called to bring some. When this happens, it is almost always a disruption to instructional time. Compliance is our expectation.

Athletics:

There are many athletic events our students are participating in this time of year. A lot of effort and skill goes into this experience, by both the coaches and students. Good sportsmanship is a strong focus of our program. I have spoken to students about being good fans as well. Please come out to support our athletes, our guests, and the Decatur Bulldog Athletic Booster Club by being a positive presence at our games. Check the schedule on the school website.

Code of Conduct:

To maintain a safe school environment, it is our expectation that the Code of Conduct is followed to the last day of school. If your student has an issue with his/her behavior, you will be called by the teacher and/or an assistant principal. Sometimes issues such as tardies and skipping school/class increase in the spring, as the students get restless. Please help us keep this to a minimum. Check the parent portal and call the school if you need to talk about an issue you are having. Our process is to call as well. Be sure we have the best number to reach you at. Larger issues, such as fights, drugs/alcohol and weapons will result in immediate suspension, and possibly more significant action, depending on the circumstance. This is not how any of us want to or hope to spend our time. Regardless, our commitment to providing a safe and drug free school is one we take very seriously.

As always, I wish you all the best as we continue into the home stretch of the school year. Call or email if you need to discuss something with me.

Warmly,

Lauri McKain-Fernandez

Principal

2009 SAT Scores

2009-08-27T03:06:00.000-07:00

Here are some interesting numbers to help us put this year's SAT scores into perspective.
Using the old metric of combining verbal and math (now critical reading and math):
1996 1012
1997 1062
1998 1037
1999 995
2000 1041
2001 1047
2002 1066
2003 1084
2004 1069
2005 1050
2006 1032
2007 1064
2008 1043
2009 1064

Rankings taking out any high school were less than 10 students took the test.
Reading: 19th out of 368 GA high schools, top 5%
Math: 44th out of 368 GA high schools, top 12%
Writing (relatively new area): 35th out of 368 GA high schools, top 10%
total: 30th out of 368 GA high schools, top 8%

Comparing to Druid Hills nearby:
Reading: 52nd, top 14%
Math: 87th, top 24%
Writing: 409th, top 13%
total: 61st, top 17%

Since CSD’s one high school is smaller compared to many other metro Atlanta high schools, the data tends to look mountainous, rather than smoothly sloping either upward or downward (like the nation or GA).

2009-2010 School Year

2009-08-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

The first two weeks of the school year have been amazing. Our student body seemed ready to start the new year. We are enjoying getting to know the ninth graders and new students to DHS. Our construction work is progressing nicely--we expect to gain occupancy in October. I have been touring the new facility frequently and continue to be amazed by how beautiful it is. This will surely become the gem of the Decatur community.

I have added a call feature to this blog. Click on the link to the right and you can call me directly if you have an issue. I continue to have open office hours on Monday mornings, and am always happy to meet with you at another time with an appointment. We are in the process of having our website redesigned, so check back often.

Looking forward to another great year. I am beginning my fourth year as principal at DHS. Does that mean I am a senior too??

Graduation 2009

2009-05-31T18:48:00.000-07:00

Graduation was lovely. Arthur Ratliff was there and took many candid shots. Get them at arthurratliffphotography.com

Here are a few examples.

Events Yesterday (Thur, May 7)

2009-05-08T02:32:00.001-07:00

I want to thank all the parents for your support as we dealt with the lockdown yesterday afternoon. The coverage on www.ajc.com is accurate.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/dekalb/stories/2009/05/07/lockdown_decatur_schools.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

Getting the call to place the school on lockdown is never a good feeling. To have it take place at dismissal was even worse. I am so proud of the students and staff who remained calm and compliant as we dealt with the issue. At no time did I ever feel like the school was in danger, we just needed to be sure the streets were safe for our students to travel safely home. I am getting emails about how well the calling posts worked. It is new for us to be able to communicate in that way and I am pleased it served its purpose.

On another note: the class of 2009 was AWESOME last night presenting their senior projects to community members. I saw many many smiles as the seniors left. I saw them proud of this accomplishment and I heard community members who were impressed with our school. A difficult afternoon morphed into a lovely evening.

Here's to a calm end of the school year,
Lauri McKain-Fernandez

Events Yesterday (Thur, May 7)

2009-05-08T02:26:00.000-07:00

DeKalb K-9 Units at DHS

2009-04-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

Today we had the DeKalb County K-9 unit come to Decatur High. There were 6 dogs in the unit, 5 trained for drugs and 1 for weapons. Our procedure is to place the school on lockdown when they are here, meaning there is no interaction with students at all. The dogs sniff lockers and common areas. They also walked the upper parking lot. The dogs stopped at a couple lockers and a couple cars. When this happens we search. In our searching we did not find anything that was a cause of concern. I am very happy to report we are drug and weapon free.

This type of activity is more of a preventative measure than anything else. When we have had visits in the past they have been similar to this one.

Thanks for your support,
Lauri McKain-Fernandez
Principal, Decatur High School

Prom Photo

2009-04-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

We all had such a nice time at prom. I want to thank all the parents that volunteered to make this event so special. Our junior class out did themselves and it appeared that everyone had an enjoyable evening. One of the highlights was watching junior Kody Kitchens dance to Beyonce's "Single Ladies"!

Congrats to our 2009 Prom King and Queen: James Godfrey-Kittle and Zahra Floyd!

Legislative Forum

2009-02-25T17:07:00.000-08:00

Please plan to come to the City Schools of Decatur Legislative Forum. As you know, budget cuts to public schools are imminent and already in effect. Come hear about how citizens can have a voice in the decisions at hand!

Date: Thursday, February 26, 2009
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Central Office at Westchester, 758 Scott Blvd., Decatur, GA 30030

Decatur High Named AP Honor School

2009-02-13T06:59:00.000-08:00

Please see the press release below, naming Decatur High as an AP Challenge school and an AP Merit school. Only 8 schools in the state were listed on two of the AP Honor lists.

February 5, 2009 -- State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox named more than 80 Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools today.
"Georgia is making tremendous strides with Advanced Placement -- not only in the number of students taking the courses, but in the number of students having success," Superintendent Cox said. "Much of that progress comes from the dedication to rigor and excellence at each of our AP Honor Schools."
Advanced Placement (AP) classes and exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP classes offer rigorous college-level learning options to students in high school. Students who receive a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams may receive college credit.
The 2009 AP Honor Schools are named in three categories, based on the results of 2007-2008 AP classes and exams:
- AP CHALLENGE SCHOOLS: Schools with fewer than 900 students that are offering AP classes in the four core areas of English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science
- AP ACCESS & SUPPORT SCHOOLS: Schools with 30% of AP test takers that are African-American or Hispanic and at least 30% of all AP exams scoring 3 or higher
- AP MERIT SCHOOLS: Schools with at least 20% of students taking AP exams and at least half of the AP exams scoring a 3 or higher
The AP Honor Schools are listed below.
On Wednesday (February 4), the College Board released the AP Report to the Nation, which showed that Georgia ranked 15th nationally in the percentage of 2008 high school seniors that had at least one AP exam with a score of 3 or more.
For more about the AP Report to the Nation see the GaDOE press release

Schools named in all three AP Honor School categories
(School, district)
- Davidson Magnet School, Richmond
- DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb

School named in two AP Honor School categories
(School, district, categories)
- Chamblee High School, DeKalb (access and merit)
- Cross Keys High School, DeKalb (challenge and access)
- Decatur High School, Decatur City (challenge and merit)
- Johnson Magnet School, Richmond (challenge and access)
- Montgomery County High, Montgomery (Challenge and access)
- North Oconee High, Oconee (challenge and merit)
- Savannah Arts Academy, Chatham (challenge and merit)
- Thomasville High School, Thomasville City (challenge and access)

AP CHALLENGE SCHOOLS: Schools with fewer than 900 students that are offering AP classes in all four academic areas

Albany High School, Dougherty
Avondale High School, DeKalb
Bremen High School, Bremen City
Buford High School, Buford City
Calhoun High School, Calhoun City
Cook County High School, Cook
Cross Keys High School, DeKalb
Davidson Magnet High School, Richmond
Decatur High School, Decatur City
DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb
East Jackson High School, Jackson
Greene County High School, Greene
Johnson Magnet High School, Richmond
Lincoln County High School, Lincoln
McIntosh County Academy, McIntosh
Montgomery County High, Montgomery
North Oconee High School, Oconee
Northeast High School, Bibb
Putnam County High School, Putnam
Rabun County High School, Rabun
Savannah Arts Academy, Chatham
Schley County Middle-High School, Schley
Southeast Bulloch High School, Bulloch
Temple High School, Carroll
Thomasville High School, Thomasville City
Vidalia Comprehensive High, Vidalia City

AP ACCESS & SUPPORT SCHOOLS: Schools with 30% of AP Test Takers that are African-American or Hispanic and at least 30% of all AP Exams
scoring 3 or higher

Academy of Richmond County, Richmond
Bacon County High School, Bacon
Baldwin High School, Baldwin
Berkmar High School, Gwinnett
Bradwell Institute, Liberty
Bryan County High School, Bryan
Burke County High School, Burke
Campbell High School, Cobb
Central Gwinnett High School, Gwinnett
Chamblee High School, DeKalb
Chapel Hill High School, Douglas
Clinch County High School, Clinch
Cross Keys High School, DeKalb
Dalton High School, Dalton City
Davidson Magnet High School, Richmond
DeKalb HS of Technology, North, DeKalb
DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb
Douglas County High School, Douglas
Druid Hills High School, DeKalb
Dublin High School, Dublin City
Dutchtown High School, Henry
Eagle’s Landing High School, Henry
East Laurens High School, Laurens
Emanuel County Institute, Emanuel
Fayette County High School, Fayette
Jenkins High School, Savannah-Chatham
Jenkins County High School, Jenkins
Johnson Magnet High School, Richmond
Luella High School, Henry
McEachern High School, Cobb
Montgomery County High, Montgomery
Randolph Clay High School, Randolph
Rockdale County High School, Rockdale
Salem High School, Rockdale
Sandy Creek High School, Fayette
Shaw High School, Muscogee
Shiloh High School, Gwinnett
South Gwinnett High School, Gwinnett
Southwest DeKalb High School, DeKalb
Tech High School, Atlanta Public Schools
Thomasville High School, Thomasville City
Woodland High School, Henry

AP MERIT SCHOOLS: Schools with at least 20% of students taking AP exams and at least half of the AP exams scoring a 3 or higher

Alpharetta High School, Fulton
Brookwood High School, Gwinnett
Centennial High School, Fulton
Chamblee High School, DeKalb
Chattahoochee High School, Fulton
Columbus High School, Muscogee
Davidson Magnet High School, Richmond
Decatur High School, Decatur City
DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb
Duluth High School, Gwinnett
Harrison High School, Cobb
Lakeside High School, Columbia
Lassiter High School, Cobb
Milton High School, Fulton
North Forsyth High School, Forsyth
North Gwinnett High School, Gwinnett
North Oconee High School, Oconee
North Springs High School, Fulton
Northview High School, Fulton
Parkview High School, Gwinnett
Riverwood High School, Fulton
Roswell High School, Fulton
Savannah Arts Academy, Chatham
South Forsyth High School, Forsyth
Starrs Mill High School, Fayette
Walton High School, Cobb
West Forsyth High School, Forsyth

Career Awareness Week

2009-01-27T16:39:00.000-08:00

Our Career and Technology Department has spent a lot of time and energy educating our students about the careers and experiences that await them after high school. Next week, the department is hosting our annual Career Awareness Week. Many parents and community members will take part in the events, explaining their career and the training it took to accomplish success in their given field. Please see the events below. The community is welcome to participate, and is in fact, critical to the success of this experience. Please contact Mr. Duane Sprull at dsprull@csdecatur.org if you are able to participate.

At the very least, expect to see our students Monday afternoon scouring the city for businesses who are participating in a Scavenger Hunt. If you see teenagers who look lost, please offer your guidance!

Career Awareness Week

_____ Monday, February 2, 2009 Sophomore Job Shadowing Experience
Scavenger Hunt

The Job Shadowing experience will provide sophomore students the opportunity to
spend a day following a professional in the student’s field of interest. The student
will be excused from school for this opportunity.

The Scavenger Hunt will allow juniors and seniors to work as a team as they use
clues to retrieve business cards from Downtown Decatur. This activity will take
place Monday-Thursday from 3:32pm-5:00pm. Businesses that participate will
only have to provide students with business cards. To limit the number of students
that will be in and out of business, there will be a limit of twelve teams of 4-5
students that are permitted to participate in the competition.

_____ Tuesday, February 3, 2009 Decatur High School CTAE Open House
6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

The Career, Technical and Agriculture Education (CTAE) Open House will
provide parents, students, business and industry, and community members the
opportunity learn more about the programs offered at Decatur High School. The
CTAE Advisory Committee will meet from 6:00-6:30pm. Stakeholders will be
provided the opportunity to join the Advisory Committee at the end of the meeting.
The program will move to the classrooms, where stakeholders can go from class to
class to hear from the instructors and see student projects.

_____ Wednesday, February 4, 2009 Career Awareness Day 9:00am-3:00pm

Career Awareness Day will connect the entire Decatur community directly to the
high school. Parents, as well as community members, are asked to come into our
classroom and discuss their careers with students. Presenters are asked to speak in
30-minute segments and are welcomed to make a single presentation or stay with
us for the entire day. The best effort will be made to match your career field with
the appropriate course.

_____ Thursday, February 5, 2009 College & Career Fair 12:00pm-3:00pm

The College & Career Fair will bring the library and halls to life with employers
and institutions of higher learning. The goal is to expose younger students to
careers and colleges. Upper classmen will gain employment leads and potential
work-based learning placements. Having the fair during the school day will allow
nearly 800 students exposure to these opportunities.

_____ Friday, February 6, 2009 Career Week Wrap-up Ice Cream Social
4:00pm-5:00pm Scavenger Hunt Drawing

The Ice Cream Social will be a time for students to mingle with any of our adult
participants who wish return on Friday afternoon. The Junior-Senior Scavenger
Hunt drawing for the winning team and presentation of the awards will be done
during this time.

Inaugural Watch

2009-01-19T04:14:00.000-08:00

On January 20th, the school schedule will change to allow time for students and staff to watch the inauguration of the 44th president, Barack Obama. At 11:30, all students will report to advisement, where they will stay until about 2pm. We will run the lunches during this time, (we'll have screens set up in the cafeteria.)

We have thirty-three students and two teachers in Washington, DC with the Close Up Foundation, and a number of families emailed me that they were attending as well. The rest of us at DHS will join the millions of viewers who will participate in this American experience by watching it on TV.
We are all looking forward to witnessing this landmark occasion together.

Lauri McKain-Fernandez

2009-2010 Calendar Options

2009-01-09T02:25:00.000-08:00

The CSD Calendar Committee is posting two calendars for feedback from CSD families and employees. Although the committee posted calendars last year, two important changes to last year's parameters have taken place that warrant one last feedback session:
1. CSD leadership wish to communicate student progress to families 6 times each year rather than 4. This does not affect the length of the school year.
2. Budget constraints will not permit any student intervention opportunities in which some students would attend school for more than 180 school days.

A calendar survey will be sent on Monday, January 12, to the Campus Parent Portal account of each parent/guardian. Login at https://campus.csdecatur.org/campus/portal/decatur.jsp. If you have not accessed Parent Portal before, you must show your identification in person at your child's school. Your personal access code can only be provided in person. Paper copies of the survey will also be made available in each school's office.

The survey will be available through Friday, January 23 in order for the Board of Education to consider the recommendation at their February 10 meeting. It is the desire of the Calendar Committee to make an expedient recommendation so families can make summer plans.

Welcome back

2009-01-07T03:36:00.000-08:00

Good morning and welcome back to your morning routine! I hope you all have had a great start to 2009 and enjoyed some peace and rest with your teenagers. We are looking forward to the second half of the school year.

I want to thank all of the families that provided breakfast to the staff yesterday. That was a great way to honor the teachers as they work to ensure a smooth beginning to the semester.

We have a couple of staff changes I want to share with you. Mr. Rorabaugh will not be teaching with us this semester. He was new to us this year, and we were lucky to have him teach English part time first semester. We will miss him. Rather than bring in someone new, Mr. Eickhoff will be teaching his American Literature class. He has been teaching this class for a number of years and is looking forward to doing so this semester.

In math, we had a couple more sections second semester than first, so hired a part time teacher, Brad McPhail, to teach two sections of math. He comes to us from Georgia State where he has been teaching and working on his PhD. He worked as a high school math teacher for many years prior to pursuing his advanced degree. We welcome him to DHS and appreciate the experience he brings with him.

Ms. Kim Jones remains on Maternity leave, having had a boy in December. We expect her back in late February and are enjoying Mr. Steve Pearson, a retired DHS counselor, in her absence.

Again, I want to thank you for a great first half of the 2008-2009 school year. The spring brings much excitement. As always, I invite you to come to my office hours (on most Mondays from 9-11--please check the calendar first or call to be sure) to discuss your child's experience at DHS.

Wishing you a wonderful 2009,

Lauri McKain-Fernandez

Student Safety

2008-12-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

With the students having some extra time on their hands during the holidays, I asked the Decatur Police Department to provide us with some tips we can pass along to ensure their safety. Officer Coltharp, our school resource officer, and Juanchella Francis, in the Community Relations department, sent me the following to pass along to our families:

It is very important to walk in pairs/groups.
Students should not carry valuables when walking to and from school (or just
out and about in the community).
If one is approached and asked to "give up" possessions, one should do so.
Everyone is encouraged to call 911 if they observe suspicious or criminal
activity.
They can also call the non-emergency number which is 404-373-6551. Parents
should program this number in family-members' cell phones.

If you have any questions about these tips, or want to discuss anything
about the safety of our youth in the community, please contact Juanchella
Francis at 404-373-6551.

With best wishes for a wonderful holiday season,

Lauri McKain-Fernandez
Principal, Decatur High School

Schedule for Thur and Fri

2008-12-17T02:25:00.000-08:00

I hope this has been a productive semester for your student. Please remember that we have early dismissal on exam days. We will follow this schedule on Thur and Fri:

Exam Schedule
Students Enter 8:25
First Exam 8:35 – 10:50
Announcements (at 2nd Exam site) 10:55 – 11:00
Second Exam 11:00-1:15
Dismissal (Sack lunches available in cafeteria) 1:15
Building Clear 1:30

Because teachers need to submit final grades before we break for the holidays, there will be no after school activities (this may not be true for athletics--so please check with your student's coach). There will not be any tutoring or club meetings on exam days. Students will need to leave campus at dismissal--buses will run at 1:30.

The grades listed on the portal are not considered final until all teachers verify that the submitted grades are accurate. This will happen on Jan 5th and 6th. We will mail report cards on Jan 9th. We will be mailing second semester schedules out this week.

I want to thank you all for a great first semester. End of Course Tests (state exams) are wrapping up today, and this is always a stressful week for students and staff. However, looking forward to two weeks off is helping everyone make it through the days. I have been impressed with the projects I have seen students bring in for a variety of classes. Seeing the culmination of a student's learning in a creative way is a joyful part of this week--I hope you have had the opportunity to see some great ideas and products come together.

From the DHS Faculty and Staff, I wish you all a safe and relaxing holiday break. See you in 2009!

School Improvement Plan Feedback

2008-10-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

The school improvement plan was developed by a team of teacher leaders and administrators at DHS. The teacher leaders comprised of department heads and committee leaders. Based on the district's Strategic Plan, three goals were identified and action steps to accomplish each goal were developed by this group of educators. Once a draft was in place, it was posted on the DHS website for feedback.

On Oct. 27, the School Leadership Team (SLT) met in a work session to hear a presentation about the DHS School Improvement Plan. At that time, comments from community members and SLT members had already been solicited and were noted in the revised draft. Now, notes from the work session have been reviewed and another draft has been developed. Please take a moment to review the plan. Feedback continues to be welcome. A vote from the SLT to approve the plan will be solicited at the Nov. 14th monthly meeting (4pm). Public comment will be heard at that time. Please see the DHS website and click on School Improvement Plan Feedback to see the latest version of the plan.

Update

2008-10-29T06:35:00.000-07:00

On Oct. 26th I held a meeting with Freshman parents about the new Georgia math curriculum. New standards were adopted last year which is an integrated approach to high school mathematics. There are two options for 9th graders: math 1 and accelerated math 1. From there, students take math 2 or accelerated math 2, math 3 or accelerated math 3, and then math 4 or an AP math class. Each student is required to take four math classes as a graduation requirement.

The math 1-4 option and the accelerated math 1-3 option both begin and end at the same point. In the traditional math sense, students will end having learned what was taught in alg 1, geometry, alg 2, trigonometry and statistics. Unlike other Georgia Performance Standards adoptions, this one is phased in one year at a time. This year's ninth graders are the first students to participate in Georgia's new math curriculum. As we add classes each year, teachers receive training and guidance in the new standards. The teachers who will be teaching Math 2 next year began their training last May.

School Leadership Team

2008-10-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

Last week all of the school district's School Leadership Teams met for the first time and had some training of the work we will do and how we will do it. This Friday, we have our first meeting (4:00 in the Media Center).
The first things we have on the agenda will be about setting up our work: defining the bylaws, looking at appointing additional members, and electing officers.
We plan to meet the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:00 to 5:30. Please remember that these are public meetings and we will allow for public comment. We will do our best to keep our community in the loop about the topics that arise.

Homecoming Festivities

2008-09-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks to each and every person that came out to our grand opening of the stadium on Friday. We have home games for the next three Friday nights so I hope to see you again!

It is hard to believe that next week is homecoming in Decatur! We announced this year's theme today, which is "Back to the Future." The student government thought this theme allowed us to celebrate the past as we build the future, which is in line with our new facilities opening. Each theme day will also be a celebration of past accomplishments at DHS:
Monday: 50s/60s
Tuesday: 70s
Wednesday: 80s
Thursday: Future
Friday: Blue and Gold

As the excitement of the week approaches, I would appreciate your help in the following ways:

Floatbuilding sites will be fully off campus this year due to a lack of on campus space. It is embarrassing to our school community when homes and cars are egged, however, egging events happen each year. Please do whatever you can to ensure our students are not egging peoples' property. I cannot reiterate this enough. Some people have said it isn't so bad but please see it from my point of view. Homecoming is a school-sponsored event. When egging (or vandalism) happens during homecoming week, it is hard to separate the two and presents a bad image of our school. Let's work together to build new and positive traditions.

Please help us reinforce that homecoming is about Bulldog Pride. Our rival Friday evening(Oct. 3) is Cross Keys. For many years, class rivalry seems to come up at Homecoming. I am trying to minimize that this year in order to enhance school spirit.

Please help supervise floatbuilding by signing up to be a volunteer at these locations. I have seen that classes are getting the word out about ways parents can help and I appreciate that. Teachers and administrators will be there as well. We really look at this as a joint effort.

Thanks in advance for helping to ensure that this year's homecoming goes off without a hitch!
Mon-Thur--Floatbuilding
Mon--5-7
Tue--5-8
Wed--5-8
Thur-5-9
Fri--Parade (4:30)
Kickoff (7:30)
Sat--Dance (8-11)

SLT, Senior Year, Reminders

2008-08-28T19:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who was able to make the forum on Tuesday night to meet the candidates running for SLT. There was a great spirit in the room focused on our school. I was impressed with the commitment these candidates have demonstrated by coming forward to run for this new Team.
This week we also had an evening event focused on "The Senior Year." We had a great turnout of students and families. Thanks to everyone who was able to join us. I realize it all feels like a lot right now. Please know that DHS faculty and staff is poised to help your student have a great year. For many students, the senior year is a blend of hard work, play and growing anticipation. The senior project will fit in, hopefully adding an element of engagement that we've seen wane in the past, as the school year continues. A student I am working with is designing a project around two interests: one in culinary arts, and the other in African Culture. Like him, most students are taking a topic that intrigues them and committing to learning more. That is what has been exciting for us to see as we are used to seeing students do work based on the topics and constructs we create, for the most part.
Next week is our big curriculum night event, on Thursday Sept. 4. We also have the polls open all day. Please plan to vote and be present that evening. You will have an opportunity to meet all your child's teachers and get a feel for what his/her day is like at DHS.
See you then!

School Leadership Team

2008-08-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Thirteen parents submitted their name to run for SLT at DHS! This is a great sign of our community engagement. The parents are:
Michelle Hammond-Susten
Monica McGannon Handman
GG Howard
David Hughes
Mara Knight
Lew Lefton
Jim Nettles
Elisha Silvera
Rachelle Spell
Lisa Stone
Susan Strickland
Eric Tumperi
Francis Wechsler

Our candidates' forum is on August 26 at 7:00pm in the Media Center

The forum will be held in a coffee house format. Each candidate will be seated at a table with empty chairs in which parents and guardians can come and engage in conversation around a set of questions:

What does School Leadership Team mean to you?

How will you be a contributing School Leadership Team member?

Describe at least two reasons why you believe Decatur being a charter system will improve education for all students?

Does anything worry you about this process? If so, what?

These questions will be printed on pieces of paper around the room and are simply a starting point for a conversation. Parents/guardians may stay at a particular table as long as they wish.

This week our charter consultant, Debbie Pepin, met with district leaders. She asked us many of these same questions. It was an interesting conversation about our hopes for this new work. My sincere desire is that what we do as a community impacts the students in ways that strengthen their learning. It always has to be about that. As we move in to the realm of charter, the expectation needs to be that the work we do increases academic achievement in our school. The day-to-day details, the structures and processes that are essential, need to be so well done that our focus can be on the students and the instructional program. That is what we strive to accomplish at DHS. I am looking forward to working with a team of individuals that want to participate in our vision of achieving distinction in all areas, and will do so by committing to every student, every day.

WebCam

2008-08-13T16:52:00.000-07:00

Check out our stadium project webcam. It is in the upper right hand corner of the DHS webpage. When you click on it you get a recent picture of the stadium. We expect the turf to be delivered this weekend, with installation beginning Monday and Tuesday. As you can see, the gravel underlay is almost complete. Check out the bleachers too. Under the pressbox are chair-back seats. You can see that they have begun installation--golden ones will be in the shape of a D among blue seats. We are all looking forward to our first home game on Sept. 19th. All summer long people have asked me "Will it be ready?" As you can see, the answer is "Absolutely!"

First Day of School

2008-08-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

This was a great first day! It was actually quiet at times, which I am hoping was a sign that students and teachers were engaged in getting to know each other. The buses ran late, which is usual as elementary routes are worked out.

A few reminders:
If you are picking your student up, please do so in the upper parking lot--NOT out front.

SLT self-nominations are due on Friday 8/15 at 4pm. Please see the school website for details.

Students should have received "First day of school packets" today (thanks for help organizing these PTSA). In this packet there are forms that must be completed and returned by Friday. Handbooks and other information are also in these envelopes. Please be sure they are given to you and that whatever needs to be returned is returned in the next few days. This is always a difficult feat for us so your help is much appreciated!

Welcome!

2008-08-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

I am starting this blog to serve as a dialog amongst the DHS community. I hope it serves to increase discussion, share ideas, and communicate about what feels important to us. How we best educate our students, in a world that is full of diverse issues, is something we must always be talking about. Learning is the work we are trying to accomplish--when it doesn't happen, we have to keep at it, in new and creative ways. When it does, it is joyful and exciting--at all ages.
I look forward to getting started on this project. I commit to keeping it current--please do the same.