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DeKalb School of the Arts
DeKalb School of the Arts
Address
	1192 Clarendon Avenue; Avondale Estates, Georgia 30002; United States
Coordinates	33°45′34″N 84°16′04″W / 33.75944°N 84.26778°W
Information
Type	Public magnet
Motto	Where passion meets performance
Established	1999
School district	DeKalb County School District
Principal	Keith Jones
Faculty	27
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	308 (2022-23)
Student to teacher ratio	14:1
Campus	Suburban
Color(s)	Purple and gold
Mascot	A Fire Ant
Nickname	DSA
Accreditation	AdvancED/SACS
National ranking	National rank: #284; state rank: #8; metro Atlanta rank: #5; school district rank: #1
Newspaper	The Formicary
Yearbook	The Spotlight
Website	www.dsa.dekalb.k12.ga.us

DeKalb School of the Arts (DSA) is a public performing arts magnet school in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, east of the city of Atlanta. It is a part of the DeKalb County School District, as well as a member of the Arts Schools Network.

DeKalb School of the Arts is located at 1192 Clarendon Avenue, Avondale Estates, Georgia 30002.^[4]

History

DeKalb School of the Arts began in 1985 under the direction of Richard Leitgeb and became the DeKalb Center for the Performing Arts, a magnet program housed at Avondale High School. In 1999 it was established as a separate entity and became the DeKalb School of the Arts, and in 2002 it moved into the former Briarcliff High School. After eight years at its independent location, DeKalb School of the Arts moved back into the Avondale High School building in August 2009. Since the closure of Avondale High School in 2011, DSA has occupied half of its old campus, sharing it with the DeKalb County School District's Registration, School Choice and Records departments. In the winter of 2020 the school district abruptly decided to drop the eighth grade class from DSA. Starting in August 2021 the school only has grades 9–12.

Art curriculum

Every student at the school has a major and a minor. They must take three courses in their major and two courses in their minor. The arts majors are: creative writing, dance, drama, film & digital media, instrumental music (band and orchestra), tech theater, visual arts, and vocal music. In addition, students must earn twenty production credits every year through school performances or helping produce school performances.

Academic achievements

2021: The College Board named DSA an AP Access and Support School, an AP Challenge School, an AP School of Distinction, and an AP Expansion School - qualifying in every category it was eligible for^[5]
2018-2021: Niche School Rankings consistently named DSA the Best High School for the Arts in Georgia^[6]
2017: US News/World Report named DSA the #2 high school in the state, the #24 Magnet School in the country, and the #89 best high school nationally^[7]
2017: DSA received a Platinum Award for being a Highest Performing High School under Georgia's Single Statewide Accountability System from the Governor's Office of Student Achievement^[8]
2010-2017: Ranked in the top 700 US high school by the Washington Post High School Challenge^[9]
2005-2013: Ranked in the top 10 high schools in metro Atlanta by Atlanta Magazine in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013
2010: The Georgia Public Policy Foundation ranked DSA as #2 of the best high schools in Georgia
2009: DSA is named a National Blue Ribbon School^[10]
2009: The Woodruff Arts Center named DSA as a Leader in Education
2007: Received a GRAMMY Foundation GRAMMY Signature School award ^[11]

Notable alumni

DeKalb Center for the Performing Arts 1985-1999

1991: Stacey Abrams – politician, lawyer, voting rights activist and author
1994: Omar Dorsey – movie actor

DeKalb School of the Arts 2000–present

2002: Donald Glover – writer, director, comedian, actor, rapper, record producer under the name Childish Gambino
2004: Lloyd – R&B singer
2007: Shonica Gooden – Broadway actress
2007: Myles Grier – TV actor, producer, writer
2014: Yung Baby Tate – rapper, singer, and record producer