News

To top off a year marked by adaptability, the the 111 members of Durham Academy's Class of 2021 graduated in a ceremony that began on the K Family Outdoor Commons before a fast-moving storm forced it indoors.

This spring, DA engaged in a national search process for the Director of Diversity, Equity and Engagement to succeed Kemi Nonez. The search committee interviewed 13 semifinalist candidates culled from a pool of 115 applicants. More than 80 students, parents, faculty, staff, administrators and trustees then interviewed three candidates during on-campus finalist visits.

Before spring break, Head of School Michael Ulku-Steiner shared with faculty, staff and trustees news of six key appointments and positions for 2021–2022. Each will help move DA closer to the welcoming, student-focused, forward-looking school we want to be.

Feedback is critically important and serves as one of the best mechanisms for enhancing our school community. In early spring, DA surveyed students, parents/guardians, faculty, staff and a small sampling of alumni. Thanks to more than 600 respondents for participating in the DEE Climate Survey.  Your input is valued, heard and seen and will help shape DA’s strategic initiatives in developing the three-year DEE Action Plan.

In the realms of both public health and racial justice, this year has forced us to confront brutal realities and exhausting challenges. Doing so has forced all of us to learn quickly, reflect deeply and reconsider our personal and institutional habits and assumptions. 

Durham Academy’s Senior Challenge — a five-day backpacking, orienteering adventure in the North Carolina mountains — occurs at the beginning of the school year. At least that’s what usually happens. But in a year in which very few things took place as usual, members of the Class of 2021 went on Senior Challenge in late May, becoming the 42nd DA senior class to test their mettle hiking, rappelling, cooking over campfires and sleeping under the stars. 

Middle Schoolers in the Science In Action elective course have thoughtfully designed a rain garden to absorb stormwater runoff from the new Arts and World Languages Center parking lot, and now they are ready to install it — and you can help!

On Sunday night, 2021 spring sports seniors and their families gathered for the end-of-the-season awards assembly in the K Family Commons while their teammates tuned in via livestream. There was much to celebrate: four conference champion teams (boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse, boys tennis and girls track and field), three state semifinalist teams (boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse and boys tennis), 32 All-Conference selections across eight sports, three conference players of the year and one state champion. 

Durham Academy Upper Schoolers are getting a big taste of the business world thanks to a course held in collaboration with District C, a nonprofit that empowers high schoolers around North Carolina to solve real-world problems for businesses and organizations.

The spring sports postseason has been one for the record books, thanks to history-making performances in track and field and milestones reached in girls soccer and boys lacrosse.

Torsie Judkins has more than 20 years of experience working in independent school education, and the Durham Academy Class of 1991 graduate says he owes his career to a chance pairing thanks to his passion for golf. 

Durham Academy’s Class of 2022 has organized a fundraiser at Chipotle (Durham's Watkins Road location in the Gateway Terrace development) on Monday, May 17, 2021, from 5–9 p.m.

Parents of Middle and Upper School students are invited to attend a parent night with Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD), which works to help keep students drug-free during childhood and adolescence.

It is the first full week of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association state playoffs, and the Cavs have had a successful run so far. 

Durham Academy’s Welcoming Committee is looking for current DA students and their families who are interested in being mentors for incoming Lower School, Middle School and Upper School families.