Druid Hills High School, a longstanding educational structure within DeKalb County, is set to receive a significant modernization overhaul. On Monday, the DeKalb County school board voted to move forward with renovation plans. This decision comes on the heels of public scrutiny that escalated after a viral video showing the school's decaying conditions circulated on social media in 2022. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the modernization efforts are necessary after years of concerns regarding exposed wiring, leaking sewage, and cracked walls inside the campus.
The school, originally built in 1919, is overdue for improvements to tackle issues related to its aging infrastructure and to enhance safety and educational facilities. The project includes a blueprint for adding a four-story building and a two-level parking garage, with an initial planning and pre-construction budget sourced from E-SPLOST VI funds amounting to around $10 million. The total costs are anticipated to not exceed $185 million, which are purported to be funded through E-SPLOST VII, pending its approval in November 2026. As mentioned by Rough Draft Atlanta, the multi-million dollar revitalization is intended to meet current educational, accessibility, and building standards.
The DeKalb County Board of Education approved these new plans in a 5-2 vote, spearheading a much-needed facelift for one of DeKalb's oldest high school facilities. During the construction phase, ninth graders are recommended to be stationed at the former Avondale High School, while grades 10 through 12 will remain on campus. The modernization plan has not been without its dissenters; District 6 board member Diijon DaCosta was among those who opposed the motion, citing a desire for equitable efforts in modernization across the district. DaCosta told Rough Draft Atlanta that his "goal is to have a unified board on such topics."
In addition to the school's modernization updates, the DeKalb County Board of Education tackled other issues in their meeting. They approved a contract with mental health provider Cartwheel, worth up to $900,000, to bolster the availability of mental health services for both staff and students. This development comes on the back of a state grant aiming to support the mental well-being within the school district. Furthermore, during Interim Superintendent Norman Sauce's culture and climate update, reports indicated a positive trend with a decrease in out-of-school suspensions by 1,812 and in-school suspensions by 640 from the previous year.
