The Donoho School is a

private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

Anniston, Alabama Anniston is the county seat of Calhoun County in Alabama and is one of two urban centers/principal cities of and included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 23,106. Acco ...

that was honored by the

Blue Ribbon Schools Program The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...

in 2005. The Donoho School serves students in grades PK through 12.

History

The Anniston Academy was founded as a secondary institution in 1963 and renamed in 1976. The present Lower Division was founded as The Episcopal Day School in 1961 as an independent elementary school. Housed originally in the facilities of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (Anniston, Alabama), the school moved into Grace Episcopal Church in 1967. In 1970, headmaster Allan Strand attributed the school's growth to white parents fleeing racially integrated public schools. In 1976, Anniston Academy was primarily white but had several black students. In 1976 the name was changed to The Donoho School in recognition of Mrs. Harriet Wallis Donoho, a founder and benefactor of the school. In 1983, then headmaster Tom Potts said they the name change was also motivated by a desire to distance the school from similarly named all white

segregation academies Segregation academies are private schools in the Southern United States that were founded in the mid-20th century by white parents to avoid having their children attend desegregated public schools. They were founded between 1954, when the U.S. ...

that had opened in other Alabama cities In the summer of 1976, The Episcopal Day School merged with The Donoho School and became the Lower Division. In 1980 the Lower and Middle Divisions moved into a new facility constructed on the Donoho campus and The Donoho Upper School divided to become a Middle Division, containing grades seven and eight, and an Upper Division for grades nine through twelve. In 1981, the headmaster said the school was not a

segregation academy Segregation academies are private schools in the Southern United States that were founded in the mid-20th century by white parents to avoid having their children attend desegregated public schools. They were founded between 1954, when the U.S. ...

and would like to enroll more black students. In 1989, the Middle Division moved into a new facility constructed adjacent to the Upper Division. This expansion allowed the school to offer two sections per grade in kindergarten through grade twelve. Further additions in the early childhood department have brought the school to its current status of two sections in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve.

Facilities

The Donoho School campus is located in the foothills of the southern

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

is accessible with two exits on Interstate Route 20 approximately from

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, to the east, and from

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...

, to the west.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Donoho School Private elementary schools in Alabama Private middle schools in Alabama Private high schools in Alabama Buildings and structures in Anniston, Alabama Educational institutions established in 1963 Schools in Calhoun County, Alabama Preparatory schools in Alabama 1963 establishments in Alabama