Davis Stories

The Davis Academy has been an amazing environment for our boys. At the end of the year, our son was asked, "What are you grateful for?" He answered, "That my parents sent me to the Davis Academy!"  I can think of no better testament to a school than that.

We initially chose The Davis Academy for Michael (2nd grade) and Zoey (Kindergarten) because of its small classroom environment, personalized education curriculum, and strong Jewish foundation. Over the past three years, we’ve quickly learned it’s so much more!

We have enjoyed and greatly appreciated being a part of the Davis family for the last two years. With our oldest son in 1st grade and our daughter in Mechina, we have experienced the true magic that Davis holds.

We chose The Davis Academy based on three key factors: strong Jewish values with a deep connection to Israel, a vibrant and welcoming community, and a commitment to educational excellence. From the very beginning, Davis has exceeded our expectations in every one of these areas.

We feel so lucky to have found our home, our people and our kehillah (community) at The Davis Academy. Being non-Atlanta natives, we were nervous about finding the right Jewish day school for our children. As our family went through the admissions process, we felt a sense of warmth and belonging that is hard to describe. We felt like we were part of the family immediately and continue to have these feelings every time we walk through the doors.
 

We chose Davis because of their combination of educational excellence, emphasis on family and community, and collection of the most exceptional teachers, faculty and staff that support both students and parents alike along the journey. The moment we walked into Davis...

When we chose to send our daughter to the Davis Academy, we knew we were making a strong investment in her future, but little did we know that in the short time she has attended, she would already be blossoming into the strong, Jewish woman that she is meant to be.

Davis has become such a big part of our lives. We never imagined our son would be this excited about school—his teachers, friends, the school bus, spirit day, the play, even the lunch—whatever it is, if it’s happening at Davis, he’s all in. His excitement is contagious and makes us so happy to see him thrive. He’s so proud of his school that he tells everyone—from the dentist to the mail carrier.

Over 30 years ago, a task force began discussing the possibility of creating a Reform Jewish Day School in Atlanta.  Ann, along with Carol Nemo, Jan Epstein, Rabbi Alvin Sugarman, Harriet Zoller, and others, served on the committee. After one of the meetings, it was decided to form an interim board, and the participants would be asked to contribute financially to seed the project.

Momentum around the idea of a Reform Jewish Day School in Atlanta was gaining, and our family had the opportunity to help make it a reality. My wife Dulcy and I joined with her brother Jay Davis and his wife Ann, in making a gift and honoring Dulcy and Jay's beloved parents, Alfred & Adele, by naming the school. We could never have imagined what the next thirty years would bring.

From Kindergarten all the way through 8th grade, Davis developed Harris’s character, self-confidence, resilience, work ethic, curiosity, enthusiasm, and love for learning. Harris had multiple informal and formal leadership opportunities in the classroom as well as extracurriculars in the arts, sports, and clubs that cultivated a sense of ownership, accountability, and responsibility to himself, our family, and the greater community.

72,000 miles. It all started with a 20-mile drive back in 2013 and will end with 72,000 miles traveled ten years later.
 

Twenty-six years ago, I walked into the hallways of this amazing school as a new teacher - “hallways” that consisted of one floor of classrooms and a lunchroom in a trailer. There was no playground, however, the spirit and energy of The Davis Academy were then, as they are today, alive and palpable.

The Davis Academy will always be our home. Our family’s story at Davis began back in 2009 when we chose Davis for our oldest daughter, Emily. At the time, we considered several private schools in the Atlanta area and just felt that 

My Davis journey began in August of 2010. That was when my oldest child, Ella, started kindergarten at The Davis Academy. I held it together while I dropped her off in the morning carpool, and then the tears poured out. Had Justin and I chosen the right school for her?

My Davis story began in the summer of 2007 when I was hired as the lower school media specialist. I came on board prior to the official post-summer “return to campus” date in order to familiarize myself with the school’s library collection. 

Our Davis story begins with a lesson that no matter the plans you make and believe will happen, life will unfold and suggest a better way! Both of our children (Jacob now 8th grade and Hannah 5th grade) grew up attending...

I can’t believe it has been 6 years since I’ve graduated from the Davis Academy. Having started in kindergarten, I’ve spent almost half of my life at Davis, and it honestly feels like I was just there not long ago, wearing my Davis shirt and khaki shorts, carrying my binder from class to class.

Our Davis story began when our oldest daughter’s PreK teachers recommended that we “must look at The Davis Academy” during Parent-Teacher conferences, sharing “it provides just the right balance of structure and nurturing that Alexa thrives on.” So...

This is our story. A story that began over 30 years ago with a vision for a new Reform Jewish day school in Atlanta. It’s our story as founders, and it’s our collective story of The Davis Academy...