SHARE:  

Ver este boletín en español

Dec. 5, 2023



J.D. Clement Early College High School student Daniel Perkins and Hillside High School student Yasmine Hightower have been named Semifinalists for the 2024 class of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program. They are among only 1,514 high school seniors selected as Semifinalists from a pool of over 103,800 submitted applications from across the country based on their academic excellence, leadership, and service demonstrated in school and community activities. The Semifinalists are in the running for 150 college scholarships worth $20,000.

Learn More

New Issue of the Spark Insider Available Now

The latest issue of the DPS Spark Insider magazine is now available, featuring Riverside High School volleyball seniors Megan Rehder and Genesis Crawford on the cover! Dive into several inspiring stories and learn about the latest developments across the district. Don't miss out on the greatness – click, read, and be inspired!

Read the Issue

DPS Excellence: Eight Students Attain a Perfect Score on the ACT Exam


Eight Durham Public Schools students achieved a perfect score of 36 on the ACT exam in the spring, putting them in the top percentage of students to take the exam in the country. Six of the students were from Riverside High School, and two were from the Durham School of the Arts.


The ACT is a college entrance exam that many students across the country take in the spring of their junior year or the fall of their senior year. The higher students score on the test, the better college admissions committees assess them to be prepared for college coursework.


There are four sections on the ACT: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each section receives a score of 1-36, and those sections are averaged together to create a composite score. Students who receive a composite score between 33 and 36 qualify to get into top colleges like Harvard, Columbia, Yale, and Princeton.


Read More

Sign Up for Open Houses and School Tours

There’s still time to learn about your assigned school and application program choices under the new 2024-25 Elementary Student Assignment Plan. Schools are holding open houses through December and January, where you can visit and learn more about our district-wide STEM by Design at every school, year-round learning, Montessori programs, International Baccalaureate programs and Dual Language Immersion.



Open House Schedule

DPS Game of the Week: Northern vs. Wakefield


The Northern Knights will play the Wakefield Wolverines in a boys' varsity basketball game at Northern High School, 4622 N. Roxboro Road, on Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. The game will also be available for live streaming on the NFHS network.



School Spotlight: Jordan High School


Congratulations are in order for Anastasia Smith (front row, third from left), a senior at Jordan High School and the vice president of the school's Future Farmers of America CTSO, who was part of the NC 4-H Communications Team that won champion team honors in the State Communications Team contest at the Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup. She also won individual awards at the Quater Horse Congress and the Eastern Nationals. Her teacher, Tyler D'Angelo, says "Her Animal Science classes at Jordan were key to her success at the contest!" Read more here.



Congratulations are also in order for Dr. Michelle Hicks who received the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) Beulah Padgett Whichard Honored Educator Scholarship to attend an NCCAT seminar of her choice. The scholarship provides for attendance at a five-day seminar, including lodging, transportation, food, materials, and a substitute teacher. The scholarship also provides a $250 stipend for use in the classroom. Click here for more on this NCCAT program.

Upcoming Events

Dec. 5

6-7:30 p.m.

DPS Board of Education LGBTQIA+ Task Force Meeting

511 Cleveland St.


Dec. 7

4:30-7:30 p.m.

Multi-Cultural Festival

School for Creative Studies

5001 Red Mill Road


Dec. 14

6:30-9:30 p.m.

Board of Education Monthly Meeting

511 Cleveland St.



Dec. 25-27

All schools and administrative offices closed in observance of the Christmas holiday

Durham Public Schools has a mobile app designed specifically to keep families better informed and connected to what's going on in our schools.


The app features:

  • The latest district and school news
  • Push notifications about breaking news, closures, weather, events, and more
  • Easy access to lunch menus and calendars
  • School and staff directory
  • Parent log-in to access grades, fees, and bus information


The app is FREE and available for download today!


Learn How to Customize Your Feeds

To share story tips, event announcements, or feedback about the newsletter, please contact the Office of Public Affairs.

Facebook        Twitter        Instagram        YouTube        Web

511 Cleveland St., P.O. Box 30002

Durham, NC 27702

(919) 560-2000

Contact Us
LinkedIn Share This Email