As The School Year Gains Momentum, So Does Construction Work at Chamblee High

One of DeKalb County’s oldest high schools is receiving a much-needed facelift.  An all-around makeover for Chamblee Charter High School has been on the school system’s docket for several months now, and the construction for a completely new school began at the end of the summer. 

Today, rows of modules line the Steve Westby baseball field and other parts of the school’s Ashford-Dunwoody campus in an effort to accommodate some 1,400 students, their teachers, and school administrators. 

Rodney Jenkins, Communications Director at DeKalb County School Schools, said the improvements to Chamblee’s campus will total approximately $58.7 million dollars. 

Thursday night, county operations staff were on hand at the Chamblee Civic Center to discuss with community members issues pertaining to the project, one that includes additional learning labs, an updated media center, and an expanded parking lot.  The school system discussed design plans, a proposed timeline, and land acquisition relative to the construction work.

Meanwhile, construction is taking place in phases, as students have returned this fall to a campus dotted with construction workers, outdoor modules, and orange construction barriers. Parts of the school’s main campus are continuing to be utilized, while some classes are being taught outside.

Next Tuesday night the council is expected to vote on some of the recommendations on some or all of the district's recommendations of improvements.

Until now, Chamblee Charter High School's growth has far outpaced the school’s expansion and maintenance efforts. In addition to its residential students, Chamblee hosts a Magnet program, and boasts some of the state’s finest academic and athletic programs. Last year, to ease overcrowding, the school was forced to begin bussing some students to a Stone Mountain annex some fifteen miles away.