DESA/DSA Parents,
After hearing parental concerns and with careful thought, we are making one adjustment to the DESA/DSA 8th Grade Re-Alignment Plan. The rising DESA 8th grade students have been working hard to prepare their portfolio for upcoming auditions through the school choice lottery process. We need to support the students in those efforts. To that end, for the 2020-2021 school year only, the rising DESA 8th graders who have applied to DSA and receive acceptance, will be allowed to attend DSA for 8th grade. For those rising DESA 8th graders that do not get acceptance by DSA or do not apply for DSA will remain at DESA for their 8th grade year if they choose to do so. This will be a one-time condition for the transition year for SY2020-2021. Starting with SY2021-2022, DESA will house 8th grade and DSA will be a 9-12 school.
Additionally, this also applies to any rising 8th grade students district-wide who apply for DSA through school choice. If they are accepted through the traditional lottery process for DSA, they will be allowed to attend DSA as an 8th grader for SY2020-2021.
We will send a hard copy letter to parents through the school principal on Monday, January 27, 2020.
Kindest Regards,
Ramona Tyson, Interim Superintendent