Commencement ceremonies for this year’s graduating class in the DeKalb County School District will be hosted at the Georgia State University Convocation Center.
In recent years, the district has hosted most of its ceremonies at the James R. Hallford Stadium in Clarkston — but parents and students said in surveys they would prefer an indoor venue.
“Our goal is to continue indoor graduation ceremonies,” said Superintendent Devon Horton at Monday’s school board meeting, when asked about future plans. He hopes the district will be able to decide on a venue for next year’s ceremonies before the school year begins in August.
The district will pay $323,330 to rent the facilities in downtown Atlanta for five days of ceremonies, according to a contract the school board approved Monday. The price tag includes the cost of security, equipment rentals and custodial services. The facility opened in 2022, and can host 7,500 people for graduation ceremonies.
In years past, DeKalb hosted graduation ceremonies at the Georgia World Congress Center. But to host ceremonies there would have cost roughly double what it will cost at the Georgia State facility, district staff told school board members.
The ceremonies at the center will begin on May 11, 2024. Each ceremony will be livestreamed. All guests attending the ceremonies will be required to enter through weapons detections devices. Roughly 6,000 students usually graduate each year in the district.
DeKalb high school graduation schedule
Unless otherwise noted, all ceremonies will be hosted at the Georgia State University Convocation Center at 455 Capitol Ave., Atlanta.
• Elizabeth Andrews High: May 14, 4:30 p.m.
• Arabia Mountain High: May 16, 9 a.m.
• Cedar Grove High: May 11, 2 p.m.
• Chamblee High: May 11, 9 a.m.
• Clarkston High: May 15, 11:30 a.m.
• Columbia High: May 15, 9 a.m.
• Cross Keys High: May 14, 11:30 a.m.
• DeKalb Early College Academy: May 16, 7 p.m.
• DeKalb School of the Arts: May 15, 7 p.m.
• Druid Hills High: May 19, 7 p.m.
• Dunwoody High: May 11, 7 p.m.
• Lakeside High: May 19, 4:30 p.m.
• Lithonia High: May 15, 4:30 p.m.
• Margaret Harris Comprehensive School: May 10, 9 a.m. (hosted at the school)
• Martin Luther King Jr. High: May 16, 11:30 a.m.
• McNair High: May 19, 11 a.m.
• Miller Grove High: May 16, 4:30 p.m.
• Redan High: May 15, 2 p.m.
• Southwest DeKalb High: May 16, 2 p.m.
• Stephenson High: May 14, 7 p.m.
• Stone Mountain High: May 14, 2 p.m.
• Tapestry High: May 11, 11:30 a.m.
• Towers High: May 11, 4:30 p.m.
• Tucker High: May 19, 1:30 p.m.
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