One of DeKalb’s oldest high school facilities has been approved for a multi-million dollar modernization.
In a 5-2 vote, the DeKalb County Board of Education approved plans to revamp Druid Hills High School, which has portions of its building dating back 98 years, according to a board of education report.
Druid Hills, built in 1919, requires improvements that would address its aging infrastructure, improve safety, upgrade learning facilities, and ensure compliance with current educational, accessibility, and building standards. The 29 classrooms will remain at the Haygood Drive property, and additional instructional units will be added to the site to house capacity for 1,600 students.
The project revitalization entails adding a four-story building and a two-level parking garage to the property. Currently, the recommendation is to place ninth grade students at the former Avondale High School during the project and keep 10th through 12th graders on campus.
The planning and pre-construction for the project will come through E-SPLOST VI funding around $10 million, Erick Hofstetter, chief operating officer, shared during the meeting. The complete construction project will not exceed $185 million, funded through E-SPLOST VII, pending approval in November 2026.
The plan to revitalize the school has been in the works for several years.
In 2022, State Superintendent Richard Woods ordered the board to take immediate action on the dilapidated building. However, the board removed the high school from its modernization and rebuilding plan, which led to students shooting a viral video showing water-damaged ceilings and walls, electrical hazards, and plumbing issues and no stall doors in some student bathrooms.
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• DeKalb board votes to name expanded Dunwoody High School stadium after Ryan Seacrest and his family
At that time and in the Dec. 8 vote, Diijon DaCosta, District 6 board member, rejected the plan to revitalize the campus. DaCosta told Rough Draft Atlanta that his goal is to have a unified board on such topics. He would like to see the same efforts made in other parts of the district, so that modernization plans are “equitable across the board.”
Other board meeting updates:
– The board approved up to a $900,000 contract with vendor Cartwheel, a comprehensive mental health provider, to offer mental health services to staff and students in the DeKalb County School District via a state grant.
– DeKalb County Board of Education approved in a 5-2 vote the naming of the Dunwoody High School stadium after “Wheel of Fortune” host and Dunwoody native Ryan Seacrest. Diijon DaCosta and Tiffany Hogan voted against the measure.
– In Interim Superintendent Norman Sauce’s culture and climate update, it was reported that DCSD has 1,812 fewer out-of-school suspensions than at the same time last year. In-school suspensions also decreased by 640 during the same time period.
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