DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts

DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts was originally named Hooper Alexander Elementary School. The below excerpt is from the CrossRoadsNews, Inc. Article, published in 2002. Hooper Alexander Elementary will open its doors to students on August 12. It will be under a new name and a completely different school from the one it was last year. The school will only admit 580 students, all of whom will be magnet students. This school will be the second magnet elementary school in DeKalb and the first magnet elementary school for elementary arts in Metro Atlanta. The DeKalb County Board of Education has given us a fantastic opportunity to break new ground, said Principal Norma Rushing of the new school. We have no limitations to try to achieve our vision. With a name like DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts and Hooper Alexander, it is hard to believe that the school received 1400 applications. Rushing said there were 294 applicants for the second grade, but there was room for only two children to be admitted. In addition to the children, parents and teachers spent the summer ensuring that the school was an all-magnet school. The parents and teachers have gone through the uniforms, proposed a different name, and are in the process of forming a PTA. Parents and teachers voted for the school's uniforms of khaki, yellow, or navy bottoms during a meeting in June. The students can wear sweatpants on the days that they have dance. The school requires parents to volunteer 16 hours of their time per year, and parents are expected to meet the requirement.

At this school, there is a lot of praise for the supportive, friendly, and disciplined administrative staff. Parents and students believe the school is wonderful, and staff are helpful and welcoming. Several parents report that their children excel academically and emotionally at the school thanks to the positive learning environment, opportunities in the arts, and talented teachers. These parents believe that this is the finest school they have seen and that the care and culture there are exceptional and may lead to success. May users recommend the school to families and students who are interested in joining.