There was a lot to take note of this year as we closed out 2021, but one thing I kept coming back to was how we use language during the season of giving that reinforces limited conceptions of our neighbors. When we put adjectives in front of nouns, those nouns can feel one-dimensional. Think of terms like, “my messy daughter” or “my hippie brother.” These can define a person by something that is just one part of who they are. …
For the group of DHS students who enrolled in college classes at Georgia State University (GSU), the course material should be the most challenging aspect of taking these classes, not finding transportation to the nearby college. GSU offers an Early College Program that provides dual enrollment opportunities for minority groups, specifically students of color, low income students, and first-generation college students. While dozens of DHS students are a part of this program, their participation was limited by transportation barriers. Career…
What started as a way to show a little extra support to the school’s varsity football team when they moved from division 3A to 5A a few years ago has blossomed into a “support squad” of 113 faculty and staff who sponsor 123 student athletes. These adult sponsors include a wide range of positions at CSD – from the School Superintendent to the entire cafeteria staff, as well as custodians, the SRO officer and our teachers. The Squad has expanded…
Everyone could use a little extra help sometimes. In response to the needs of our students as a result of virtual learning, DEF established the Virtual Pals Tutoring program to provide that help. We pair 2nd-8th grade students with an adult volunteer tutor. One hour per week, the pairs meet virtually to work on homework, organization, or practice skills like reading and math problems. The program has been successful, and even though City Schools of Decatur has returned to in-person…
We are excited to announce our district’s participation in a national program to foster safety and support in our schools! City Schools of Decatur (CSD) is one of only two school districts in the Southeast and the only district in Georgia that was selected to participate in the National Safe Supportive Schools (NS3) Learning Collaborative. This two-year program brings 15 school district teams from around the country to collaborate to accelerate innovation and the best practices needed to promote safe…
DEF is celebrating 20 years of supporting Decatur’s kids! For 20 years, we have worked closely with parents, teachers and City Schools of Decatur to bring our students the tools they need to learn and thrive. There have been a lot of changes across 20 years, but DEF has remained steadfast in its mission of solving the problems our kids face by connecting people, resources and ideas. Throughout the coming months, we’ll be taking a look back at our growth…
DEF has partnered with Look for Kind, an initiative established by Decatur resident Marnie Grodzin of Gathered and Grounded. Look for Kind is the perfect antidote to our fractured world – who doesn’t need more kindness in their life? The partnership’s tag line is: See Kind. Be Kind. Do Kind. which perfectly captures what the Decatur community is all about. More details about the initiative are coming soon.
Anyone who works with DHA will tell you, Corey Bivens is the heart of that organization. He oversees all of the youth and family programs at DHS – more than 100 different programs in a given year! He knows every family in DHA who has kids, and knows everyone by name. To them, he’s Mr. Corey. He’s been in the position for more than 6 years, but has worked in that role for over 25 years, and has watched many…
DEAM (Decatur Area Emergency Assistance Ministries) is an independent ministry established in 1973 by Decatur Cooperative Ministry (DCM) and is supported by 22 area churches to meet the emergency needs of the local community. They serve more than 250 local families a month, providing food and clothing, as well as assistance with utility service and prescription payments. They stock a food pantry and a clothing closet and distribute bagged lunches weekly. When Decatur locked down in March 2020, DEF established…
Forgotten Story of the Civil Rights Leader’s Time in Decatur Comes to Light On October 16, 1960, Martin Luther King, Jr. was illegally sentenced to a prison chain gang after participating in various student sit-ins to desegregate Atlanta restaurants. In the summer of 2019, Decatur High School students Genesis Reddicks, Daxton Pettus, Liza Watson, Adi Taylor, Halle Gordon, Emma Callicutt, and Alonzo Labiosa began to research Dr. King using various county archives and by interviewing multiple individuals who played prominent…