John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School

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John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School
Location
615 12th Street
Augusta, Georgia, 30901
Information
School district Richmond County School District
Principal Ms. Vicky Addison
Vice principal Renee Kelly
Enrollment

700
Gender coeducational
Type Public magnet school for the fine and performing arts
Grades 6th through 12th
Campus urban
Athletics swimming, golfing
Mascot Titans
Color(s) Burgundy and Black          
Established 1934 (as elementary school)
1981 (as magnet school)
Information 706-823-6924
Homepage http://www.davidsonfinearts.org

John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School is a public magnet school for the fine and performing arts in Downtown Augusta, Georgia, which draws students from grades six through twelve from all parts of the Richmond County Board of Education School district. In addition to a basic curriculum of college preparatory and Advanced Placement academic courses, Davidson offers academic and fine arts courses in areas such as visual arts, music, chorus, dance, and theatre.

In 1998, Davidson moved from its original structure to a new campus a block away between 12th Street and 13th Street, Walton Way and Telfair Street. Prior to this, the campus had been split across the original building, a converted police substation, several portable classrooms, and a renovated iron works building, spreading across three city blocks. At the time, it crossed the Augusta Canal's second level. Moving to the new location granted a nice view of the third level, which actually had water in it. The new location also has a large professionally fitted theater for art performances.

Due to student demand, the original stained glass windows created by the class of '83 were also moved to the new location.

The school is also within walking distance of several important historical landmarks in Augusta, including Sacred Heart Cultural Center and The Augusta Canal's First level.

Admission to Davidson is based upon school grades and an audition to determine interest and aptitude in the fine arts. Middle school students audition in a few of the fine arts areas and high school students are auditioned in up to two fine arts areas. Additionally, classes admitted to Davidson are admitted selectively so that the racial composition of the class reflects the racial composition of the county. The composition is equally balanced between minority and non-minority status: 45% African-American students, 45% Caucasian students, and 10% Asian, Hispanic, or Middle Eastern students. Overall, there are usually about 700 students total from 6th-12th grade.

Unlike many other public schools in the state of Georgia, Davidson created a world centered on academics and the arts. Initially, instead of having a mascot to represent the school every grade is deemed a color. When all the colors combine, some believe they form a rainbow that symbolizes the unification, diversity, and creativity of Davidson. The "rainbow" theme has caused many complications and conflicts between the student body and other students in Richmond County on what the rainbow symbolizes; some students used the term "Flaming Rainbows" in reference to the school's centering around the arts, which some deem as a property of homosexuals, thus the school transformed the unofficial rainbow theme for the mascot and changed it to the Davidson Fine Arts Titans. Although the official mascot theme is the Titans, each grade still has a class color. The colors for each grade are listed below in order of grade level:

6 - light green, 7 - light blue, 8 - orange, 9 - purple, 10 - green, 11 - blue, 12 - red


It should also be noted that the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students are members of sister classes to the 10th, 11th, and 12th graders respectively. The 9th graders' sister class were formally 5th graders, but since the school had 5th grade removed, they no longer have a sister class.

Contents

[edit] Awards and recognition

During the 2004-05 school year, John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education[1], the highest award an American school can receive.[2][3]

The school has consistently been named as one of the best in the state of Georgia, and was named the number one academic school in the state each year from 1996 to 2003.[1] The school is also known for its excellent musical program; the Davidson Concert Chorale has been consistently named among the best high school choral classes in the nation.[citation needed] In 2004, Davidson was selected by the Grammy Foundation as the National "Distinction" School which granted the program $25,000.[citation needed]

  • Davidson was recognized as the #1 School in the State of Georgia consecutively in the 1996 through 2003 school years.[citation needed]
  • Davidson was also recognized nationally as the 2004 National Grammy Signature School for their music programs.[citation needed]
  • Davidson has been recognized for the top SAT scores in the state of Georgia for the last ten years.[citation needed]
  • 2003-2004 Named a National Magnet School of Excellence.[citation needed]
  • Davidson won first place in the 2004 State of Georgia for the State Literary Competition.[citation needed]
  • Davidson won first place in the 2003 State of Georgia for the One Act Play Competition.[citation needed]
  • Ranked highest for excellence among magnet schools by the U.S. Department of Education for academic focus and integration of the fine arts.[citation needed]
  • Named a National Magnet School of Excellence for 2002-2003.[citation needed]
  • The April 1996 issue of Redbook Magazine cited Davidson Fine Arts School as one of the 155 of the Nation's Best Schools as part of the America's Best Schools project.[citation needed]
  • 8 National Merit Semifinalists & Finalist since 1996.[citation needed]
  • 22 Commended Merit Scholars since 1996.[citation needed]
  • 10 National Achievement Finalists and Semifinalists since 1996.[citation needed]
  • 25 Commended Achievement Scholars since 1996.[citation needed]
  • First place winner of the 2007 South Eastern Theater Conference.[citation needed]
  • First place Orchestra at the 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 Fiestaval Competitions.[citation needed]
  • Ranked among the top 1% of high schools by Newsweek.[4]
  • First place winner of the 2007 Georgia Theater Conference (1 of only two schools to win twice in a row).[citation needed]
  • Received a gold medal and was ranked 84th best high school in the nation by US News & World Report in 2007.[5]

[edit] Clubs

  • Drama Club
  • Chess Club
  • Japanese Interest Group
  • DFA Middle School Math Club
  • National Honor Society
  • National Junior Honor Society
  • Spectrum Players
  • International Thespian Society
  • Improv Troupe
  • DFA Golf Team
  • Tri-M
  • Yearbook Staff
  • National Art Honor Society
  • National Junior Art Honor Society
  • Rowing Team
  • Swim Team
  • Intramurals
  • Prom Commitee
  • Academic Bowl
  • Model United Nations
  • High School Science Club
  • Middle School Science Club
  • High School Math Club
  • Middle School Math Team
  • Mu Alpha Theta
  • Media Center Club
  • Poetry, Fiction, & Writing Club
  • Latin Club
  • French Club
  • Spanish Club
  • High School Student Council
  • Middle School Student Council
  • USITT

[edit] Alma Mater

(Sung to the tune of Brahms First symphony, 4th movement)

To Davidson Fine Arts School
Our Alma Mater dear
The gifts you have given
It's these we do revere

It's you we'll remember
You we will cherish
as we go on our way

For this we pledge
To always remain
Forever true to DFA.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 2003 to 2006 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed May 11, 2006.
  2. ^ CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department, Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
  3. ^ Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
  4. ^ America's Top Public High Schools | Newsweek Best High Schools | Newsweek.com
  5. ^ Education Center - US News Education