Official newsletter of Durham School of the Arts

Mon, Nov 24: Teacher Workday

Tues - Fri, Nov 25-28: Holiday Break

Wed, Dec 10: Early Release (1pm)

Mon, Dec 22: Teacher Workday  

Please view the 2025-26 Calendar for future teacher workdays, holidays, and other important dates.

To reach the main office: Please email dist.frontoffice.323-DSA@dpsnc.net Your message will reach most of the front office staff.

Please send ALL attendance matters to: attendance@DSALMC.net

If you purchase your DSA Yearbook between now and January 30th, you get it at the discounted price of $50. After January 30th, the book costs $60.

Attention Senior Families: Senior Ads are also now available. This is a great opportunity to celebrate your graduating Senior with pictures and messages of encouragement. Ordering details below. 

The yearbook staff is very excited to capture the memories of DSA’s 2025-2026 school year. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Mr. Donaldson at Alphonso_Donaldson@dpsnc.net.

 Yearbook Ordering Link

Senior Ad Ordering Link

Scholars to College is a free, four-year program that helps students prepare for high school, college, and future careers. Starting in 9th grade, students receive academic support, college and career exploration, mentoring, and family workshops, throughout high school, all to help them stay on track for success after graduation. We’re now recruiting upcoming 9th graders! Applications open in January 2026! Learn more here!

It’s that time of year! Portraits In Ink submissions are now open! We welcome you to submit your art and writing to the DSA literary magazine by scanning the posters around school. Submissions are open to both middle and high school. The last chance to submit is December 19th!”

MS Cheer clinics will be  Tuesday,  November 18th and Wednesday, November 19th.  TRYOUTS will take place on Thursday, November 20th. Clinics are from 3:45-5:45. Tryouts will start at 3:45 and cheerleaders can leave once they tryout. Please note tryout day lasts a little longer than clinic days. 

Hey DSA! Tickets for the Decades Dance cost $10 and go on sale to all high schoolers this Thursday and Friday during A and B lunches in the cafeteria. Don’t forget—the theme is Olympus Ball!

The Paws for a Cause club will be having its next meeting next Tuesday, November 18th, after school from 3:30 to 4:00 PM in Room S203 (Ms. Kaspar’s room). Come join us as we continue planning ways to support animals in need and make a positive impact in our community! All are welcome , we hope to see you there!

Hey DSA! The giving season has begun and Drive for Change is calling on you to be a giver. For our first drive of the year we will be collecting gently used children's books for Book Harvest. We know many of you probably have lots of kids books just sitting on the shelf, so why not harvest them and donate to a good cause! The drive will run until November 30th. To donate, look for the red boxes around school. 

Learn about upcoming games, tryouts, and more at the official DSA Athletics website https://dsaathleticzone.com/. You can show your team spirit and get your team swag at the New DSA Athletic Store.   https://www.dpsathleticzone.com/durham-school-of-arts/

• MS Cheer clinics will be  Tuesday,  November 18th and Wednesday, November 19th.  TRYOUTS will take place on Thursday, November 20th. Clinics are from 3:45-5:45. Tryouts will start at 3:45 and cheerleaders can leave once they tryout. Please note tryout day lasts a little longer than clinic days. 
• Save money by buying your High School All Sports Season Pass today for just $60 on GoFan. This pass gets you unlimited access to all high school athletic regular season home contests for the year. Come out and support your fellow Bulldogs!

• If you have not ordered yet, please use one of the links below to order your graduation gear:

  Graduation Packages - https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/catalogBrowse/1025644/DURHAM-SCHOOL-OF-THE-ARTS/Graduation/2958999196/CATALOG_REPOSITORY?abspec=ROUTE_PACKAGEBROWSE_TO_CATALOG

  Cap and Gown Only - https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productDetail/1025644/DURHAM-SCHOOL-OF-THE-ARTS/Cap-and-Gown/2958999196/CATALOG_REPOSITORY/Cap-Gown-Tassel-and-Custom-Stole/3009946503

  Reach out to Ms. Schepp (marykatherine_schep@dpsnc.net) if you have any questions!

   

• Attention Senior Families: Senior Ads are also now available. This is a great opportunity to celebrate your graduating Senior with pictures and messages of encouragement. Ordering details are linked below. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Mr. Donaldson at Alphonso_Donaldson@dpsnc.net.

•  Yearbook Ordering Link

  Senior Ad Ordering Link

• Our next prom committee meeting will be held today Wednesday December 3rd in room D115 from 3:30 to 4:15. If you are unable to attend, please email Ms. Thibodeaux.

• Senior Portrait make ups  will be in Weaver Auditorium on November 12th. Seniors who did not take portraits over the summer will take their photos on the 12th through their English classes. 

Note in the Pocket is a non-profit based in Durham and Raleigh. They have provided high-quality wardrobes to children and their families in need in the area for over 10 years. Note in the Pocket offers a relaxed, air-conditioned environment year-round for volunteers. There are several ways for students to get involved for those who need service hours or who are looking to give back. Students can come in for a volunteer shift where they will assist in sorting through donations, fold and label wardrobe items, or many other tasks around the facility. Students need to be age 16 and up to volunteer without a chaperone. Students can also run clothing drives to generate donations for Note in the Pocket.

If students are passionate about Note in the Pocket’s mission and want to commit more time to participating, they can apply for Teen Board. In this program, students will work with Note in the Pocket’s leadership on various projects to gain hands-on leadership development experience, guided by mentors that provide insight into the functions and demands of running a nonprofit organization.

Volunteer shifts run from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Saturdays. Clothing drives can be done on students' own time. Teen Board accepts applications each summer for a year-round program. 

For volunteering, sign up for a shift here, or contact Stephanie Schaben at Stephanie@noteinthepocket.org. For clothing drives, contact Karol Turner at karol@noteinthepocket.org, and for the Teen Board, contact Kristina Isaac at kristina@noteinthepocket.org.

Please take a few minutes to share your feedback about the PTSA. You can take the survey in English at https://forms.gle/jHLwGKoHDsg5UZ8n7 or in Spanish at https://forms.gle/Harviu9nEZpAnFtX8

Learn more at the Durham School of the Arts PTSA website: https://dsaptsa.givebacks.com/

Please join us at an upcoming PTSA general body meeting:

• Nov. 13

• Jan. 22

• March 19

All are welcome! Stay tuned for zoom links for virtual attendance. The September and March meetings will also be held in person.

Welcome back to school! It's time to join or re-join the PTSA for the 2025-26 school year. Please visit our giveback page for memberships bit.ly/joindsaptsa. We would love your support.

Our 2025-26 board members are:

President: Stephanie Hawver
Vice President 1: Brittney McGraw
Vice President 2: Ashanti Smith-Watson
Treasurer: Maryann Ruiz-Heard
Secretary: Dr. Danielle Sutton

We look forward to continuing to support DSA this year!

Rather than host multiple fundraisers throughout the year, we do one annual campaign. This year, our campaign goal is to raise $20,000. If each family made a gift of $25, we could easily exceed our goal! (You, of course, can give more.)

NO amount is too small, as anything we raise directly benefits the students of DSA. Please consider making a donation to help to ensure that current and future students have a great experience at DSA. There are two ways to make your tax-deductible donation:

• Make a donation online at: https://www.givebacks.com/donate/dsaptsa

• Send a check payable to DSA PTSA and mail it to the school:

400 N. Duke St.
Durham, NC 27701

Our next Drivers ed class will be December 1st- December 20th.  You are required to attend every class, so don't sign up if you have a dress rehearsal, a performance, dance or athletic event.  Payment will be required during registration now, so make sure you have debit or credit card available.  Registration is this Saturday November 15th starting at 9:00 a.m.   You can get the registration info and link on the DSA Web page under drivers ed.

Any DSA student who is requesting an N.C. Driving Eligibility Certificate must pass 5 of their 7 classes and submit their Drivers Ed certificate to the main office before school, during lunch or after school before 4 p.m. Once the office receives the Drivers Ed certificate, the student will receive the N.C. Eligibility form within 48 hours. Please note that the certificate is only valid for 30 days. Please ensure that you have scheduled your appointment with the DMV.