The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is moving forward with a plan to build a middle and high school on one campus in Doraville for $200 million.
Construction on the school property is slated to begin this fall with the middle school opening in 2027, followed by the high school in 2028. The new dual campus is designed to help relieve overcrowding at Cross Keys High School and Sequoyah Middle School.
The new campus will be built on the site of the former Cary Reynolds Elementary School, which has temporarily moved to Brookhaven while an expanded Dresden Elementary is completed, and Sequoyah Middle School.
Sequoyah Middle students will remain in the current building until the new school is built. When construction finishes, DCSD will relocate the middle school students to the new building and demolish the existing buildings to construct athletic fields and parking.
The opening of the new campus means DCSD will have to redistrict students from Cross Keys High School, according to Doraville City Councilmember Andy Yeoman.
According to a project report, GMC Architects and Gilbane Building Company have been hired by DCSD to start the design development phase.
The high school is being designed as a five-story building. “The team will continue to update the estimates as the design progresses,” the report states.
The school is planning for a shared kitchen with separate dining for each school, two learning courtyards, an auditorium and black box theater, three gyms, and two media centers.
Recreation facilities include a football and soccer field with bleachers, an eight-lane track, a baseball/softball field, four tennis courts and a concessions building with storage, team lockers, and restrooms.
DCSD is forming a selection committee to recommend a new school name, mascot, and school colors.
Doraville City Councilmember Stephe Koontz said the school plan is what the city needs to “turn the corner.”
Funding for the project is being drawn from E-SPLOST, a 2021 voter-approved education tax to approve a list of schools including a new Cross Keys Middle School, modernization of Druid Hills High School, updated IT systems and security, busses, new roofing, and HVAC system upgrades.
Rough Draft has reached out to DCSD for comment. Please check back for updates.