DHS Weekly Update
Thursday, April 27, 2023
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
DHS Community,
Last Thursday I had the pleasure of attending the Shuler Awards for our Musical Theater students. Congrats to Elena Torres for taking home the Shuler for best supporting actor and to Saachi Bedi for lighting design. Because "9 to 5" was nominated for Best Overall Production, our students were able to showcase one of the acts from the Spring musical. We have such talented students!
This week I watched our boys tennis team as they advanced to the quarter finals for State and our baseball team played against Northgate HS in the first round of State. Both - in addition to the girls tennis team - are advancing in their State competitions. Join us on Saturday at McKoy Park at 1 pm and 3 pm for the 2nd round of the Baseball State competition! Go Bulldogs!
This Sunday, Student Government has organized a Spring Festival complete with bounce houses, food, music, and student artists/vendors (also a teacher dunk tank!). Join our students from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm here in our stadium for this event. They are still looking for adults to help chaperone so please consider signing up to help - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0944adaa2aabfcc70-adult#/.
Rochelle Lofstrand
Principal, DHS
Principal Search
Thank you so much for the feedback for the next Principal search. The form will close at midnight on April 27. If you haven't taken the opportunity to add feedback, please take the time to do so.
DHS Graduation Class of 2023
Teacher Appreciation - PTSA
Hey Parents and Guardians! Can you believe school is almost out?! It’s that time of year to show our appreciation for our DHS teachers (Teacher appreciation week is May 8 - May 12). Please click on the link to donate and please remember that any amount is appreciated.
Sunday! Spring Festival
Come out and enjoy the fun on Sunday! Music, art, games, food trucks and more!
SGA COLLECTION DRIVE
What: SGA is hosting a drive collecting necessities that can be put together into bags for the unhoused population in Atlanta
When: Monday, April 24 - Friday, May 19
Why: Homelessness is a significant issue in our community. Atlanta is estimated to have an unhoused population of over 3,200. By creating these bags, we will have something to give to people on the streets, keeping them a little bit warmer and less hungry for the night.
How to participate: Sign up to donate items by clicking on the SignUp Genius link and filling out a slot. Then drop your items off in the DHS bus loop (outside for weekend/after school drop-offs) or LLC lobby (area in between library and cafeteria) between April 24 and May 19!
Link to sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4dabae28a2fec43-sgabags#/
Decatur Robitcs Bites and Bots
Decatur Robotics FRC is currently recruiting for the 2023-24 school year! The team participates in the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC) program, which introduces students to engineering, coding, CAD, and more in an engaging, inclusive, and creative environment. Rising freshmen and current high school students are invited to join team members for Bites and Bots on May 10 to learn more about what we do! Parents of potential members may also join us.
Best Buddies Walk
DHS CTI ATTENDS 41ST ANNUAL STATE LEADERSHIP COMPETITION CONFERENCE
Chromebook Return
All chromebooks, chromebook cases and chargers should be returned to the Learning Commons.
CSD Athletics News and Updates
DHS Tennis Advances to Quarterfinals!
Congratulations to our Girls' and Boys' Tennis teams who advanced to the quarterfinal round of the GHSA State Playoffs. The boys defeated Greenbrier High School 3-0 at home, while the Girls’ team battled back to victory on the road in Statesboro.
Our Girls' next matchup is on the road again on Monday against Cambridge High School. The Boys' team will once again serve as host to Greater Atlanta Christian on Monday at Glenlake Park. Round 2 matches will start at 3 pm. Come out to support the Bulldogs!
(DHS) Girls’ Lacrosse Sets a New Single-Season Win Record!
Congratulations to our Girls' Lacrosse team! The Bulldogs defeated Northgate HS last night in their final game of the regular season. The victory gave the team 13 wins, a new single-season record at Decatur High School!!
DHS Volleyball Tryout Information
Volleyball tryouts for DHS will be May 9 and 10. Click the link below for more details and contact Coach Denard (mdenard@gmail.com) or Coach Tigner (mtigner@csdecatur.net) with questions.
(DHS/BHMS) DHS/BHMS Softball Tryouts Happening Soon!
Attention, all students interested in trying out for softball. Tryouts for our DHS and BHMS Gold team will happen in May. Please see the document detailing tryouts below from Coach Williams. Pay close attention to positions, dates, and times and let Coach Williams know if you have any questions.
2023 Softball Tryout Information
DHS Softball Tryouts: May 1-3 - Open to all Rising 8th-Graders and above.
BHMS Gold Tryouts: May 8-9 - Open to all BHMS students (Rising 8th-Graders should plan to attend both weeks of tryouts)
**Tryouts for other BHMS Softball teams will take place at the start of the ‘23 school year.
Summer Lacrosse Opportunities
If your student is interested in playing lacrosse this summer, our Decatur Recreation Department has opportunities for middle and high school students. This is a great time to hone your skills and/or start to learn about the game! See this graphic below for more information.
DHS Baseball Playoff Update
Congratulations to our Baseball Bulldogs who advanced to the Round 2 of the GHSA State Playoffs. The Bulldogs won two out of three games against Northgate High School. After splitting Games 1 and 2, the Bulldogs closed out the series on Tuesday, 11-0. The Bulldogs will play another best-of-three series beginning on Saturday against Union Grove. Come out to support Decatur and give us the home-field advantage only McKoy Park can provide! Game 1 will begin at 1 pm (weather permitting).
DHS Track & Field Win Region!
On Saturday, 4/22, and Monday, 4/24, the DHS track team competed at the 5A Region 4 meet. The girls finished in third place overall, and the boys brought home the Region Championship! The boys' victory came down to the very last race, and they won by only 1 point over the runners up (MLK High School)!
37 different athletes qualified to move on in their events. In fact, DHS is sending at least one runner to the sectionals meet in every running event! On May 6, all the qualifiers will compete again and attempt to qualify for the GA State Track Meet.
Highlights of the meet include:
1st place finishes in their events by Anna Blaich, Billy Carlton, Sophie D'Elena, Ethan Johnson, Ben Markham, Juno Rogers, and the boys 4x200 relay.
Decatur girls runners sweeping both the 800 and 1600 races by finishing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. (800: Sophie D'Elena, Liv Sawyer, Kate Sherwood and 1600: Sophie D'Elena, Anna Blaich, Gabby Malerba)
All three DHS throwers qualifying for finals in both events (Asa Bailey, Ben Nowakowski, Dante English).
The boys 4x200 team winning their race by one one-hundredth of a second! (Clayton Wentworth, Vic Bowles, Ben Markham, and William Smiley)
Click here to see full list of athletes who qualified.
DHS Gymnastics Makes History
Congratulations to our gymnastics team for a historical inaugural season! On Friday, Ahva Kamooneh competed in the GHSA State Championships as an individual competitor in the All-Around competition. Ahva is the first DHS student to represent the Bulldogs at this competition. Fittingly, it was Ahva who approached the Athletic Department last school year about starting a gymnastics program at Decatur High School and did a tremendous amount of work to make it happen. On Friday, Ahva finished in 8th place overall in classification A-AAAAA!! Avha’s commitment to gymnastics and dedication to starting the program at DHS has led to great individual success and laid a path for future Bulldogs to achieve impressive accomplishments in gymnastics as well! Great job, Ahva!! Thank you to Coach Cabrices and Coach Vickery for leading our team this year.
Next PTSA Meeting
DHS SLT News
Next SLT Meeting
Glennwood Elementary School Blood Drive
DISTRICT NEWS
CSD Comprehensive Local Education Agency Implementation Plan (CLIP) Review and Input Meetings
Attention ALL CSD Staff, Parents, and Community Members! Please join us on Wednesday, May 3 at 5:30 pm and Thursday, May 4 at 5:30 pm to share your feedback on the CSD 2023-2024 CLIP. Your feedback is extremely important! You may view the current CLIP documents by clicking here or by visiting https://www.csdecatur.net/Page/1351. Please contact Willie Washington at wwashington@cscecatuir.net if you have any questions.
Extra Mile Awards
Students: Do you know a teacher or CSD employee who has gone “the extra mile” this year? Nominate them for the CSD Extra Mile Award! The Extra Mile Award is an annual award that allows students to show appreciation for the teachers or staff they feel go above and beyond what is expected of them.
Students (not parents) at any grade level can write an essay describing how their teacher (or staff member) goes the extra mile (parents can help younger children write the essay). The essays should be detailed and describe how the employee goes above and beyond.
Click here to submit a nomination. The deadline is May 31.
These awards will be presented at the CSD Opening Day Celebration in July.
Questions? Contact cburnett@csdecatur.net or 404-371-3601
CSD Special Education Department
This month we are hosting a Parent Engagement Meeting for families of students with IEPs on the topic of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Please share the following with families:
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Meeting
WHEN: Thursday, April 27th, 6-7pm
WHERE: This is an online event.
WHO: Parents of students that are served through an IEP (ECLC- 12th).
MORE INFORMATION
Ms. Alicia Lipscomb, Public Affairs Specialist, for the Social Security Administration will share an overview of how to access SSI for individuals with a disability.
What is SSI?
How do parents apply for their student?
What does it mean to qualify for SSI?
What comes with the SSI benefits
What recourse do families have if denied the benefit?
Click here to RSVP or email Cheryl Grant, cgrant@csdecatur.net
DHS SGA Earth Day 5K
The DHS Student Government Association (SGA) is hosting their inaugural SGA Earth Day 5K at Legacy Park on April 29, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. Proceeds from this event will support SGA’s future sustainability efforts and the Decatur Track and Field. Bring the family and enjoy sprint races and activities, music, prizes, and food vendors.
COMMUNITY PARTNER ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPDATES
CITY OF DECATUR
City of Decatur Downtown Master Plan Final Community Meeting
Join the City of Decatur for the third and final Community Meeting for the Decatur Town Center Plan 2.0, Thursday, April 27 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore St. This meeting will be an opportunity for the planning team to share what they have learned from the community and to introduce the plan’s concepts, ideas, and action items.
The Decatur Town Center Plan 2.0 is the first comprehensive look at downtown since the 1982 Town Center Plan. Whether you live, learn, work, or visit Downtown Decatur, your input helped shape the vision.
It's time to Step Up for Teachers! The yard signs are being ordered and will be available for pickup soon! www.stepupforteachers.com is live and ready for your tributes to CSD teachers, paraprofessionals and staff. For a small donation, you leave a message of appreciation, we'll notify the honored person and post it on our website. For a gift of $50 or more, you
can select between a "We Step Up" or a "Class of 2023" yard sign. If you would like a sign but cannot contribute, please email drew@decatureducationfoundation.org with your tribute and your sign preference. Together we make a difference for our teachers, our schools and our kids.
Do you know a CSD teacher, paraprofessional or employee who has shown extreme care and compassion for a student at a time of great need or crisis? We are currently accepting nominations for the Clarence Strickland Make A Difference Award HERE. Nominations are due by April 20th and the recipient will be recognized at our scholarship event on May 15th.
If you’d like to enjoy live music for FREE, consider volunteering at Amplify Decatur’s Spring Concert in the Square THIS Saturday, April 29th. There are spots at every time of day available. Click here to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904084caba628abff2-amplify1#/ Your evening of live music will support DEF, Decatur Cooperative Ministry and Giving Kitchen.
Come see some of our talented Decatur High musicians perform at No Ordinary Joe! Benefitting DEF’s behavioral health initiative, Joe’s Fund, No Ordinary Joe will feature Decatur High School’s Exploring Music Club members for an evening of live music at Waller’s Coffee Shop on Thursday, May 4th starting at 7pm. Tickets are now on sale at www.decatureducationfoundation.org/noordinaryjoe: $25 for adults/$10 for students. Big thanks to Waller’s for donating their space!
Decatur High School
Email: noreply@csdecatur.net
Website: csdecatur.net/DHS
Location: 310 North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4170