DCHS's very own, Edwin Trejo Balderas, has been named the 2022-2023 STAR Student!! Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program honors Georgia’s highest achieving high school seniors and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development. To obtain the STAR nomination, high school students must have the highest score on any single test date of the SAT taken through the November test date of their senior year and be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average. Nominee’s SAT scores must be equal to or higher than the 2022 national average scores on the Evidence Based Reading and Writing and Math sections of the SAT. High school STAR Students compete for system titles; and System STAR Students in turn compete for region-wide honors in the 12 STAR Regions. Region Winners compete for state PAGE STAR scholarships and awards. High school STAR Students are asked to name their STAR Teachers, who continue with their STAR Students at every level of the program. Edwin chose Mr. John Cunningham as his STAR Teacher! Locally, STAR Students and STAR Teachers are honored by their schools and receive special recognition in their communities from one of the more than 172 civic organizations and businesses that serve as local STAR sponsors. On Monday, Edwin and Mr. Cunningham were honored at a luncheon, sponsored by the Rotary Club, at the Douglasville Conference Center along with other STAR Students and STAR Teachers from all the high schools in the Douglas County School System. It is an honor to have Edwin and Mr. Cunningham represent DCHS! We are extremely proud of Edwin, who has received a full scholarship to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)!! Congratulations, Edwin!! Congratulations, Mr. Cunningham!!

DCHS IB Student, Claire Riggs, represented DCHS and the county very well by winning 1st Place and Best in Show for her research on "Utilizing Iron Oxide Nanoparticles to Decontaminate Water" at the West Georgia Regional Science Fair, held at the University of West Georgia. Claire presented amazing work and showcased her talent for all to see. Congratulations Claire on a job well done! Your DCHS Tiger Family could not be more proud of your accomplishment!

Congratulations to our Algebra I teachers!! Ms. Michelle Hanna, Ms. Mariam Castillo and Mrs. Barbara Brown had the highest scores in the county on the Georgia End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments. Not only were they celebrated with lunch from Honey Baked Ham, but they also received Amazon Gift Cards for all the hard work and dedication they poured into our students resulting in proficient and distinguished scores. Thank you for all you do!

DCHS Counselors hosted an HBCU college fair on February 3rd and it was a success! Our students were able to gather general information about schools they were interested in and gained information on student life and academic programs. Students engaged with college admissions counselors and representatives. We would like to send a special thank you to our counselors, Mrs. Genobia Babalola, Mrs. Shay Barnby, Mrs. Jari Christmas, Mrs. LaRosa Johnson and Mr. Christopher Mason for exposing our students to HBCU's and for making this event a success!

Douglas County High School DECA was among 525 chapters that achieved THRIVE level recognition this year and will be commended at DECA’s International Career Development Conference (ICDC) held April 22-25, 2023 in Orlando, FL.

Each fall, DECA offers four campaigns for chapters to complete as part of their program of leadership for the year. These campaigns are designed to grow membership engagement and build lasting partnerships within the school and local community. Chapters that achieve THRIVE level receive a commemorative pennant, flag, and plaque. The chapters also have an opportunity to participate in ICDC. In order to receive THRIVE level recognition, the chapter completed two out of three chapter campaigns including the community service campaign, ethical leadership campaign and promotional campaign. Alternatively, the chapter could have participated in the membership campaign which challenged the chapter to attain two of three goals: recruit 20 professional members, recruit 20 alumni members, or increase student membership by 20 more members from the previous school year.

The Douglas County High School DECA members who contributed to the THRIVE recognition were Isabel Yang, Danielle Tabe-Ebob, and Khadijah Buke, and the DECA officers with the assistance of their advisor, Ms. Janice Ritchey.

This year our chapter focused on giving back to our community with several campaigns surrounding helping the local animal shelter, the homeless, and the local school community. In addition, our chapter focused on developing its brand of student engagement through chapter meeting activities, school store and selling projects along with increased student enrollment in competition.

DCHS DECA Bound for State Competition

On December 6th, 11 of DECA’s competition team members placed in the top spots and will be

moving on to state competition in January . This is a big accomplishment for the team. Overall,

we will have 15-16 students representing DCHS at state this year. Several additional students

have been working all semester on written events, which they will present, in order to move on

to our International competition in April.

DECA is a marketing, hospitality, finance and management club. DECA competitions are an

excellent way for students to prepare for their future, practicing skills required for their ongoing education and/or the workplace. There are two parts to the regional competition. The first part requires students to take a test over general marketing and business knowledge and score a higher percentage than others in the region.

Part two requires students to take on the role of marketing, business,

or finance consultants. On the day of the competition, students are given a business situation

and as a consultant, they must present how they would handle the situation. Students are

judged on their business knowledge, communication skills and presentation.

The officers of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) presented the Emblem Ceremony

during a recent meeting. The ceremony was conducted to inform and inspire current and

potential members about the purpose and mission of FBLA, “To bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs.” The ceremony featured a crest and reviewed the meaning of each letter of FBLA:

Future: The word “future” reminds us that the future of the world depends upon the quality of

leadership we are able to produce. We, in FBLA, will be the future business leaders.

Business: The world of “business” is our world. To be successful, one must be educated both

formally and informally in business methods.

Leaders: The word “leaders” represents the search for knowledge in order for us to become

better citizens. This knowledge will prepare us for the task of leadership.

America: Lastly, we think about “America”. The future of America depends on our generation.

We pledge ourselves to use our abilities to make this world a better place for us all.

Thank you to DCHS FBLA Chapter Advisor, Mrs. Brenda Hence for your leadership!

DC girls are county champions in the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay.

Pictured below from left to right are:

Sydnee Stepter, Bella Ortega, Gaby Ortega, and Sophia Turner

Remind Link: Enter the number 81010 and Text Message @cb3dh3

Uniform Order information:

If you need a uniform, we will have order forms available for you to fill out. All that will be required is the actual top and bottom. However, coaches recommend that you purchase the sweat-suit at the very least.

Coaches’ Numbers

Coach White 770-598-0028

Coach Forsh 770-630-5169

Coach Quinn 404-867-3275

Track Dues: $100.000 Payments can be made in two installments of $50.00

Dues cover the following: Snacks and Water during meets, Costs of meets, and Medical equipment needed during the season. IF YOU HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS, PLEASE SEE THE COACHES!

Drelan Jones - Ask any of his teachers and they will all tell you the same: Drelan is a respectable young man. He is loved by his peers who often come to him for assistance. He is always willing to lend a helping hand to others and does his best to be a voice of reason when needed. We are proud of this young man and glad to have him as a student at DCHS!

Donne Taylor-Fraser - Mrs. Fraser is the speech language pathologist at DCHS. She goes above and beyond to ensure her students are serviced to the highest level. She works well with her colleagues, and communicates with parents regularly regarding the progression of their child's education.

Priscilla Nelson - Ms. Nelson is always willing to lend a helping hand in her department when needed for morning bus duty. She goes out of her way to make sure her students participate in the Special Olympics. She gets along well with her colleagues and has her students' best interests at heart.

Terrance Lindley - Mr. Lindley is a hard worker and has devoted his time to assisting after school with extra curricular activities. He is very helpful and does whatever is asked of him. He is loved by his students who light up when he enters the classroom. Mr. Lindley is flexible and dependable and always there when you need him.

What was the Greenwood area of Tulsa, Oklahoma also known as in 1921?

Last Week's Question: Who was the first African American Nobel Peace Prize winner?

Answer: Wangari Maathai

SAFETY AND SECURITY...A MESSAGE FROM MRS. PARKS

To maintain the safety of our school community, the Douglas County School System Police Department will continue to implement the use of trained canines from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. These skilled dogs will be accompanied by DCSS administrators, and will sniff items in and around our campus. Administrators will take every effort to minimize disruption to the learning process during these searches. Thankfully, the police department has not found any evidence of any violations during our previous searches.

The Douglas County School System will initiate the random unannounced searches in response to our commitment to protect our school community’s health, safety, and welfare. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will continue to partner with us in our proactive efforts to maintain a safe environment for our school community. We sincerely desire that nothing illegal or against district policy be recovered during these searches. However, we must remain vigilant to maintain a positive and secure learning environment for Douglas County students. Thank you for supporting us in our efforts to keep our campus safe.

To further aid us in our mission to keep our campus safe, we will institute "Dads on Duty" to help be a beacon of hope for our youth through their presence and mentorship. To further support our children who benefit from additional mentorship, guidance and support we will continue to meet every Thursday morning in our Tiger Focus Group. This group is designed to help children address their social and emotional needs, while aiming to improve student attendance, behavior and academics.

"See it, Say It, Send It" App Launch Allows Students to Anonymously Report Potential Threats

With the addition of a student app, Douglas County students are bringing safety to their fingertips. The added layer of school safety is called See It, Say it, Send It.

Sending a message through the anonymous app is quick and easy. First, students download the See It, Say it, Send It app. From there, students send a video, audio or text message. In their message, they can include anonymous information about potential school violence, drug use or bullying. When students use the app, sharing information with administrators is easier.

The app gives students a voice. Students can share information through the app, and parents can also use the phone or website to submit information. This accessibility allows pertinent information to be shared with those who need to know.

Director of School Discipline and Safety Management James Strong says this technology empowers students.

“See It, Say it, Send it not only empowers our students, but acts as an early warning system,” Strong says. “It facilitates reporting potentially dangerous situations and allows administrators to continue providing the best learning environment. This technology allows us to be more proactive in resolving matters before they ever become an issue.”

The student communications tool reflects the district’s efforts to improve safety in the school community.

“Meeting students where they are is critical,” Superintendent Trent North says. “Board members believe we must offer students a mobile way to interact with our district. Our students live in a digital generation and are redefining how we communicate. This app allows them to share critical information through text, picture messages, or video any time of day.”

Superintendent North encourages students to download the app. Along with school administrators, he sees the app as an additional way for students to share safety concerns.

Students can download the free app from Android, Apple, or Classlink. From there, they can submit a quick or detailed tip and follow the tip’s progress.

To access your students progress reports, report cards, attendance, and grades, click the "Infinite Campus Parent Portal Set Up" link above for directions on registering for a Parent Portal account.

13.5 weeks progress reports were made available online on Nov. 11th via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal for all students and parents to view. Progress reports will not be printed, so please create an IC Parent Portal account to keep track of your child's progress.

If you need help with Parent Portal, contact the Douglas County Help Desk at parent@dcssga.org or (770) 651-2330.

Click the link below for Instrucciones del portal para padres de Infinite Campus (Espanol)

Do you know your counselor? Your counselor is based upon your last name. The alphabet breakdown is as follows:

Last Names A-D: Shay Barnby; shay.barnby1@dcssga.org

Last Name E-K: Jari Christmas; jari.christmas@dcssga.org

Last Name L-R: Christopher Mason; christopher.mason@dcssga.org

Last Name S-Z: Genobia Babalola; genobia.babalola@dcssga.org

International Baccalaureate Academic Advisor: Suzanne Helms; suzanne.helms@dcssga.org

If you need to meet with your counselor, please schedule an appointment with him/her directly. Signs are posted throughout the school building with the QR code you can scan in order to make an appointment.

Google Class Codes:

Class of 2023 (Seniors): 24efsuw

Class of 2024 (Juniors): xsjkje7

Class of 2025 (Sophomores): 3gfsjgk

Class of 2026 (Freshman): pijk6rs

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parents, if you would like to meet with your child's teacher, a parent-teacher conference may be scheduled through your child's counselor. Appointment times will be before or after school and may be virtual or in-person.

Find out why TCSG may be the right choice for your higher education by clicking this link.

When students are present daily, their grades and reading skills often improve—even among those students who are struggling in school. Students who frequently attend school feel more connected to their community and develop strong social skills and friendships, which are important life skills.

High School hours are 8:20-3:25.

Daily attendance is strongly encouraged.

See Mrs. Flanagan in the main office.

Students can complete the Student Parking Application prior to visiting Mrs. Flanagan

Bring your driver's license and a copy of your insurance and registration

Cost is $50 and it is payable by cash, check or money order

Parents, if your child drives to school, then they must have a parking pass.

Click here for the Student Parking Application and Vehicle Registration Form.