Dougherty County School System staff has presented a recommendation to the Dougherty County Board of Education that would realign schools across the district to better allow students to progress along a track that supports and fosters academic success, improves school climate and culture.

The move is expected to create a true elementary-to-middle-to-high feeder system where school principals can work together in clusters to address their similar needs and opportunities in an effort to create new student opportunities and grow students inside the classroom and out.

The plan will also repurpose Albany High School into a multi-purpose facility that will house the offices currently at Walter Judge Academy, the GLRS facility and ESP Center.

The decision to realign the schools and move to a three-high-school model was made when student enrollment data showed that current and projected student levels couldn't support four high schools. Albany High’s enrollment remains far behind that of the other schools.

Repurposing that building will allow the district to consolidate programs and offices into one, centralized facility that will maximize efficiencies to the district, while strengthening both academic and extracurricular programs at the remaining three high schools.