We, the undersigned parents, guardians, students, staff, alumni, and concerned members of the Champion Theme Middle School community, are asking DeKalb County School District leadership to formally review the current leadership and school climate at Champion Theme Middle School and consider the reassignment of Principal Dr. Angel Rivers.

Champion has long been a school built on high expectations, structure, academic achievement, school pride, and strong family involvement. We understand and support the structured environment that comes with choosing a traditional theme school. Our concern is not with structure, accountability, or appropriate discipline.

Our concern is that since the beginning of the 2026–2027 school year, many families believe the balance between structure and a positive, supportive school environment has been lost.

Concerns raised by members of the Champion community include:

Elimination or restriction of school traditions and community-building activities, including Homecoming Spirit Week and the PTA’s traditional Family Game Night.

Elimination of student locker access.

New restrictions on jackets and outerwear, with limited notice to families and questions about how coats will be accommodated during colder weather without lockers.

Changes to mandatory parent volunteer requirements, including eliminating donation alternatives for families unable to volunteer in person and the refusal to continue the long standing option of allowing parents to split volunteer hours between elementary theme schools when there are multiple children in the family.

Replacement of the online volunteer-hour tracking system with manual recordkeeping that parents report has been inaccurate.

Reduced opportunities for PTA and parent-led involvement.

Concerns regarding school-wide communication and responsiveness to parent feedback.

These concerns extend beyond one family. In a recent Champion PTSA feedback survey completed by 31 parents, 48.4% rated the current school culture and climate as Fair or Poor, and 51.6% reported being Dissatisfied or Very Dissatisfied with school communication. When asked whether parents and families feel heard and their concerns are addressed, only 25.8% answered Yes.

The survey also contained positive feedback, particularly regarding individual teachers, curriculum, and classroom-level communication. While 31 responses do not represent every Champion family, we believe the concerns raised deserve meaningful review.

This is not simply about lockers, jackets, Spirit Week, volunteer hours, or one canceled event. It is about the cumulative effect these changes are having on the culture of our school.

Champion families chose a traditional theme school knowing that it would be structured and academically rigorous. We believe those standards can coexist with school spirit, meaningful family involvement, transparent communication, reasonable student privileges, and an environment where students and staff feel supported and valued.

By signing this petition, we are asking DeKalb County School District leadership to hear directly from Champion students, parents, teachers, staff, and PTSA leadership; review the changes implemented during the 2026–2027 school year and their impact on the school community; and consider whether reassignment of the current principal is appropriate.

Signing does not mean that every family has experienced every concern listed above. It means you believe the concerns being raised by members of the Champion community deserve a formal review and meaningful response from district leadership.

We want Champion to remain a school known for high expectations and academic achievement without losing the community, school pride, family partnership, and positive student experience that have made families proud to call Champion home.

If you believe these concerns deserve to be heard, please sign and share this petition.