Dunwoody Christian School is relocating to the campus of First Baptist Church Atlanta at the beginning of its 2024-25 academic year.
The K-8th school is attributing the partnership to both a “God story” and a “good story.”
According to Rob Weaver, who is the president of the DCS’s school board, a 2022 article in the Dunwoody Reporter sparked the idea of establishing a partnership between the school and the church.
On July 8, Weaver picked up the Reporter at Mellow Mushroom on Chamblee Dunwoody Road, hoping to find a car for his son, and started reading a story about First Baptist Church celebrating the fact that the city was dropping its attempt to establish eminent domain over property owned by First Baptist. Weaver said he was struck by a comment in the story that FBC was discussing, amongst other possibilities, building a school on that land.
“It reminded me in the Bible of James:4, where Jesus says, ‘You do not have, because you do not ask God,’” Weaver said. “I felt like I had to ask, and that God had put that newspaper in my hands for a reason.”
Within 15 minutes of Weaver sending an email that evening, he received a reply that opened the door to discussion.
“This is a God story – I really believe that,” he said.
That initial contact “resulted in several months of constructive dialogue between the two organizations,” a statement by DCS said. “It became apparent that the school’s success and desire for expansion aligned perfectly with FBA’s vision to establish a private Christian school on their 50+ acre campus.”
According to the statement, FBA will fully adopt DCS and relocate the school to its campus. DCS will conclude its current 2023-2024 school year at its existing location at Dunwoody Baptist Church.
“The move to FBA is a great step for DCS as it continues its vision and mission within Dunwoody and the surrounding communities,” Dr. Allen Jackson, Senior Pastor of Dunwoody Baptist Church, said. “DCS has been a blessing to the DBC community.”
In 2018, DCS opened its doors to students in grades K-2. After strategically expanding by one grade per year, it outgrew its original home at Dunwoody Community Church, relocated to DBC in 2021, and added grades into middle school.
Weaver said currently the school has about 90 students but is poised for expansion next year.