Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year at Career Academies of Decatur!

We are thrilled to announce an exciting change: for the first time ever, we are offering a full-time option for students at Career Academies of Decatur. This new opportunity marks a significant milestone in Decatur City Schools in providing a non-traditional education that will prepare our students for successful futures.

As we start this journey together, we look forward to promoting innovation, growth and achievement in every student. Whether you're exploring new interests or honing in on your skills in a particular field, our faculty and staff are dedicated to support your academic and career goals.

Join us in embracing the possibilities of this new academic school year. Together, let's make it a year of discovery, achievement, and limitless potential.

Welcome to Career Academies of Decatur, where your future begins today!

Mark your calendars!

Civics Exam is Monday, December 9th at 8:30 am.

If you have any questions regarding your cap and gown order please email Ms. Maples. (angie.maples@dcs.k12.al.us)

Please see the exam schedule below. If you have any questions, please reach out to your teachers or admin.

CAD GALA is will be on April 4th. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Tickets go on sale January 13th! See more information below.

FAFSA IS OPEN!

Key Messages for Students

• FAFSA is FREE to complete.
• FAFSA is for technical certificates and academic degrees.
• Students may be eligible for up to $7395/year in Pell.
• Many non-federal grants and scholarships require FAFSA completion.
• Be aware of scholarship and FAFSA priority deadlines at the colleges where you are applying.

Key Messages for Parents

• FAFSA is safe and secure using studentaid.gov.
• Only used to determine your student's eligibility for financial aid.
• Your student needs your help getting key information from you to complete the application.
• Even if you think your family does not qualify for aid, it's good to have on file in case of the unexpected.

• Students will not be able to exempt any exams during the year (both semesters) if they are suspended out of school or assigned to CAS or CAE.

• Students will not be able to exempt any exams during the year (both semesters) if they are assigned to In-School Suspension for more than three separate incidents. On the fourth assignment to In-School Suspension, the student will be ineligible for exam exemption.

• Students will be declared ineligible for exemptions (in the semester it occurs) if they have been disciplined for truancy. (2.15 Code of Conduct) Students will not be able to exempt any exams during the year if they are in violation of Academic Misconduct (honor code – 2.21 - in the semester it occurs) as described by the Decatur City Schools Code of Student Conduct and the individual school’s handbook.

• A student cannot exempt a semester exam in the same subject area for two consecutive semesters in the same academic year.

• Students will not be allowed to exempt the exam in a course for which they are receiving dual credit.

• At the end of semester, senior students scheduled to graduate will be allowed to take a final exam a second time if they fail the first exam. This will only be allowed at the conclusion of the spring semester of the student’s senior year. A senior student scheduled to graduate could take each exam a maximum of two times by following this guideline.

• Any student who exceeds seven total absences in a semester in a semester, not to include school sponsored activities, will be ineligible for exam exemptions in that semester.

Any student who has any unexcused absences in a semester will be ineligible for exam exemptions in that semester. And no more than 7 absences total.

EXEMPTION I

Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior students may earn one Exam Exemption per semester by maintaining a 78 semester

EXEMPTION II

Sophomore, Junior, and Senior students may earn a second Exam Exemption per semester by maintaining an 83 semester average

EXEMPTION III

Senior students may earn a third Exam Exemption per semester by maintaining a 90 semester average

Congratulations to Jaidyn Wiley and Cindy Aceves Maldonado on receiving Student of the Month for Kindness. These students exhibit kindness in everything they do.

Our CAD ambassadors organized our care closet so it is ready to go for anyone in need!

Therapeutic Services studied wounds, basic wound care, wound assessment/documentation, & levels of burns before thanksgiving break! Check back next week to see the wounds they create using everyday household items!

These students have qualified for our HOSA state competition in February. We are so proud of them!

Mrs. King's class participated in a National Park Project. They all voted on the best one. The winners were Annalee Seale (1st Place) and Brihanna Albarran (2nd place).

Biology has worked through the cell unit completing cell cakes, sidewalk chalk cells, and a cellular transport lab.

Physical Science has worked through Newton's Laws, ending with an egg drop project and studying energy transfer, completed with an escape room activity as well as a roller coaster project that incorporated a lot of teamwork and problem solving skills!

STAFF DIRECTORY

https://cad.dcs.edu/o/cad/staff

First Priority is looking for student leaders who want to be a part of the club here at CAD.

If interested, please email or see Ms. Howse. (misty.howse@dcs.k12.al.us)

Contact Ms. Maples angie.maples@dcs.k12.al.us

Seniors can buy Personal Ads for the Yearbook

$100 full page

$75 half

$50 quarter page

Email Misty Howse for more information. (misty.howse@dcs.k12.al.us)

Please contact Mrs. Maples with questions regarding senior activities.

angie.maples@dcs.k12.al.us

Students requesting a transcript be sent to a college need to make the request through Parchment. The link is below. You will need to create an account to get started.

1229 Westmead St SW, Decatur, AL 35601

256-560-6821

https://cad.dcs.edu/