At the time, ADHS was the largest and most expensive high school built in North Carolina.

[3] In 1989, controversy surrounded the appointment of Paul J. Puryear, who was white, to replace Johnny Farmer, who was then one of two black high school principals in Wake County.

In 1991, after R. Walter Sherlin was chosen to replace Puryear as another white principal, board member Dr. Holland walked out of the room in protest.

In 2014 James "Jim" Hedrick, previously of Green Hope High School, became principal of Athens Drive.

[13] Many safety protocols were enforced including required masks excluding lunchtime and 'mask breaks', socially distance classroom/lunch seating, temperature screening at arrival, and staggered dismissal.

[15] Athens Drive kept the virtual academy for the 2021–22 school year, but the classes are no longer mixed with in-person students.

[18] With input from the school community, the Board of Education named Amanda Boshoff to be the new principal of Athens Drive beginning August 1, 2023.

Construction is then scheduled to begin July 2026, with students returning to occupy the building in September 2028.

[21] As of the 2023–2024 school year, there were 2,062 students, a combination of 848 White, 513 Black, 452 Hispanic, 158 Asian, and 4 American Indian as well as 87 who were two or more races.

[32] Athens Drive High School offers the following AP courses: Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Computer Science Principles, Computer Science, Environmental Science, European History, Human Geography, Language and Composition, Literature and Composition, Physics 1, Physics 2, Psychology, Spanish Language and Culture, Statistics, Studio Art: 2-D Design, Studio Art: 3-D Design, United States Government and Politics, and United States History.

It had a Child Development Center, which was called Baby Jags, served 3 and 4 year olds prior to their enrollment in kindergarten.

There are night classes for adults offered all year and a community library that is open to the public.

[33] Athens Drive offers a variety of instrumental, drama, vocal and visual art, as well as leadership development and community service.

In March 2014, the Wind Ensemble will travel to New York City and perform a concert at Carnegie Hall at the National Band and Orchestra Festival.

'[35][36][37] In the 2021-2022 School year, the ADHS theatre department put on Antigone Now & In Juliet's Garden in the fall of 2021, a play combining two popular productions.

In the 2022-2023 School year, the ADHS theatre department put on Grim and Gruesome Grimm in the fall of 2022, a play showcasing the dark stories written by the Grimm Brothers in the early 1800s that replicated famous fairy tales.