Decatur High School | |
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Address | |
1011 Prospect Drive Decatur, Alabama 35601 United States |
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Coordinates | 34°35′38″N 86°58′26″W / 34.594°N 86.974°WCoordinates: 34°35′38″N 86°58′26″W / 34.594°N 86.974°W |
Information | |
School type | Public |
Motto | Pride, Tradition, Excellence. |
Established | 1950 |
School district | Decatur City Schools |
Principal | Dr. Johnny Berry |
Grades | 9-12 |
Enrollment | 958 |
Color(s) | Red and Black |
Nickname | Red Raiders |
Decatur High School is a public high school in Decatur, Alabama, United States. It is one of two high schools in the Decatur City School District. Decatur High offers technical, academic, and International Baccalaureate programs, as well as dual enrollment with the John C. Calhoun Community College System.
Decatur High, along with southwestern Decatur's Austin High School, were the first International Baccalaureate schools in Alabama north of Birmingham, Alabama. Starting the 2017-2018 school year, Decatur High will no longer continue the IB program.
Decatur High's football and soccer programs play at the 9,000 seat Ogle Stadium at the southern end of the campus. The stadium is named for a former Decatur High coach, "Shorty" Ogle. The high school's sports teams often use the field as a practice field.
Decatur has produced many players that went on to play in the Collegiate and Professional leagues, including Jerraud Powers and Roland McClain.
Decatur High School has had one boys' state championship under coach Earl Morris and five girls' state championships under coach Mike Smith. The 1948 basketball team was the first Decatur team to go to the state tournament, but did not win the county tournament.
The Decatur High School girls' soccer team defeated Briarwood Christian in the class 5A Alabama State Championship game on May 10, 2008.
Decatur High School's Visual Arts department offers a wide range of art courses that include Drawing and Painting (Art I – IB/AP Studio Art), Ceramics, Graphic Design, and Photography. A scaffolded curriculum is in place to prepare students for portfolio coursework in IB (International Baccalaureate) Visual Art or AP Studio Art classes. In addition to ongoing competition exhibitions, student work is exhibited throughout the year at Decatur General Hospital, in the fall at the All City Music and Art Festival, and at Decatur High during their spring art exhibit. Students in the IB and AP Art courses have scored above the world average for the past two years.