Students at Dunwoody High School, Chamblee Charter High School, and every other DeKalb County campus will walk through the doors Monday, August 3, giving families 10 days to finish registration, attend open house, and adjust to a new phone-free policy that kicks in on day one.
DeKalb's start date matches most of metro Atlanta's largest districts. Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County, Cobb County, Clayton County, and City Schools of Decatur all open Monday, August 3, according to a WSBTV district-by-district guide published Tuesday, July 15. Gwinnett County is the outlier, starting two days later on Wednesday, August 5.
Back-to-school rally: Saturday, July 25
The district's annual back-to-school rally runs Saturday, July 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Administrative and Instructional Complex, 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain. School supplies, health screenings, academic support, and entertainment are all on the schedule.
New this year: staggered time slots (9–11 a.m., 11 a.m.–1 p.m., or 1–3 p.m.) replace the old first-come, first-served crush. Registration is required at bit.ly/DCSDRally2026.
Open house: July 29–30
All DCSD high schools, including Dunwoody High and Chamblee Charter, hold open house Wednesday, July 29. Elementary and middle schools follow Thursday, July 30. The district posted the dates Friday, July 24, on its Facebook page and urged families to contact their child's school for specific times and any date changes.
At Chamblee Charter, new students can also meet with counselors by appointment on Wednesday, July 29, and Thursday, July 30, according to the school's Instagram page.
Registration still open
Four summer registration hubs remain open with staff assistance, computers, and multilingual support. Families can also complete enrollment online at dekalbschoolsga.org/divisions/access-and-opportunity/registration.
Your kindergartner will have a new paraprofessional in the classroom this fall. The FY2027 budget, approved by the Board of Education on Monday, June 29, funds one kindergarten paraprofessional at every elementary school serving kindergarten (76 total) and 75 state-funded literacy coaches for K–3 classrooms.
Phones away, bell to bell
Every DCSD school becomes a phone-free zone when classes begin. Under Georgia House Bill 1009, the Distraction-Free Education Act, students in kindergarten through eighth grade cannot access personal electronic devices during the school day starting this year. High schoolers at Dunwoody and Chamblee get one more year; the law's 9–12 mandate takes effect July 1, 2027.
But DCSD says it won't wait. The district announced on X on Sunday, July 12, that all schools will enforce phone-free expectations this fall as part of its "Disconnect to Reconnect" initiative, which began in 2024. Devices covered include cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, and recording glasses. Students with an IEP, Section 504 plan, or medical plan are exempt.
The next key date: open house, Wednesday, July 29, at Dunwoody High and Chamblee Charter. Contact your school for times.
