If you spent any time at the elementary school near the front of the elementary school this week, you may have noticed some yellow hazard signs and some loud cement saws working near the middle entrance to the school.

This is not technically part of the construction project. However, during the construction project a water leak was discovered. We now believe that leak to be under the cement in front of this entrance to the building. 

We are not working to find and fix the leak. This entrance to the school will be closed until the project is complete. We hope to have it complete this weekend or next.

All forms of electronic transportation have become popular especially among young people. The explosion of electronic transportation options can leave many of us with a lack of information and a lot of questions.

I have included links to three different resources for parents to help us better understand all that is out there and the laws that guide these items.

All of these items from E-Bikes to E-Scooters to Motorized Bicycles/Mopeds to E-Moto off highway electric motorcycles have different laws associated with them.

These laws limit who can ride them, where they can ride them and what must be worn while riding them.

As an example, the E-Moto items are legal off-road only. They are not legal on roads and the rider must have a motorcycle license to ride them.

This link All things Electric Laws will take you to an overview of electric transportation items and laws that apply to them, This is not a complete list. For more complete information, go here CHP Electric Bicycle Safety.

This link California Law is a Civic Code that explains how parents can be fined or face citations if their underage students are found not following the law, including laws related to electronic transportation items.

We encourage parents to work with their children to follow all laws related to these transportation devices. A reminder that helmets are legally required for all of these items, including regular bicycles, for anyone under 18. 

Also, none of these items can be operated on Durham Unified campuses.

DES (from Samantha Brown)
This week at Durham Elementary was filled with connection, celebration, and positive energy! We kicked off the week enjoying a well-deserved Labor Day break with our families before diving back into our school routines. On Wednesday, our health team successfully conducted Oral Health Screenings for our TK and Kindergarten students.

We capped off a wonderful week on Friday with our Bucketfilling Assemblies, where we celebrated Tigers across all grade levels for spreading kindness and showing character. We ended the afternoon on a sweet note with Popsicles with the Principal in the DES Courtyard!

Upcoming Events at DES: September 14 – September 18, 2026

• Monday, September 14

  • Minimum Day Release: 12:20 PM

  • Staff Professional Learning in DES MPR:

    • TK: Frog Street, Assessments, and Aeries Report Card Alignment (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM)

    • K–5: Grade Level Collaboration (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM) & CA Math & You Lesson Walk-Through (2:30 PM – 4:00 PM)

• Tuesday, September 15

  • National IT Professionals Appreciation Day — Thank an IT pro for keeping us connected!

  • Tiger Gear Tuesday — Wear your Durham Tiger colors and show your school pride!

  • DES PTS Meeting — DRPD Blue Room (8:30 AM)

• Wednesday, September 16

  • Mexico’s Independence Day

  • DUSD Board Meeting — DUSD Board Room (6:00 PM)

• Thursday, September 17

  • PTS Cookie Dough & Gifts FUNdraiser Ends — Final day to sell!

  • 30-Minute Math Huddle (2:55 PM – 3:25 PM)

  • DELAC Mexican Independence Day Dinner Meeting — DES MPR (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM) Rescheduled to Thursday, September 24th - DES MPR (6:00 - 8:00 PM)

• Friday, September 18

  • PTS Cookie Dough & Gifts Orders & Monies Due to the DES Office in the AM

  • Secure Safety Drill (Shelter in Place) at 1:50 PM

    
    

DIS (From Josh Rowe)
Back to School Dance
Our annual Back to School Dance was held last Friday, September 4, and it was a great way to kick off the school year! More than 150 students attended and enjoyed an evening of spending time with friends, dancing, and even learning how to lasso.

A big thank you to our PTS and all of the parents and staff who volunteered their time to put together such a fun and memorable event for our students. We greatly appreciate their continued support of DIS!

Picture Day Is Coming
Picture Day is right around the corner! DIS Picture Day is Wednesday, September 16.

Picture packets were sent home with students last week. If your student did not bring one home, additional packets are available in the DIS front office.

Progress Reports
Our first progress report period of the school year is here! Families will be able to view student progress report grades in Aeries beginning September 16.

If your student's grades are not where you or your student would like them to be, DIS offers several opportunities for additional academic support after school. Homework Help is available Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Math Help is available Wednesdays from 3:10–3:40 p.m.

We encourage students to take advantage of these opportunities early in the year to get extra help, complete missing assignments, and stay on track academically.

Minimum Day — Monday, September 14
Next Monday, September 14, is a Minimum Day, with all DIS students released at 12:10 p.m. Please plan ahead if you need to make different arrangements for your student to get home.

While students enjoy an early release, DIS staff will be hard at work participating in professional development and collaboration focused on strengthening instruction and continuing to make DIS an even better place for our students.

Durham Gala — Parent Sign-Ups
The Durham Gala is coming up on Saturday, October 24, at Durham Memorial Hall! This annual event raises funds for all three Durham school campuses and provides principals with opportunities to purchase items and make campus improvements that are not covered through regular school funding.

DIS has directly benefited from the generosity of the Gala and our Durham community. Last year, Gala funds helped pay for the new mural on the DIG, which has been a wonderful addition to our campus. Gala funds have also supported projects throughout the district, including scoreboards, gym equipment, technology upgrades, and more.

As we prepare for this year's Gala, we would greatly appreciate the help of our DIS families. One of our biggest needs is for parents to help organize and put together grade-level baskets for the silent auction. These baskets are an important part of the Gala, and we would love to have DIS well represented.

There are many ways to support the Gala. Whether you attend, donate an auction item, help create a grade-level basket, become a sponsor, join the Gala Committee, or volunteer to work the event, every contribution makes a difference.

The Gala is truly a community effort, and the money raised comes right back to supporting our students and schools. Thank you to our DIS families and the Durham community for continuing to provide opportunities for our students that would not otherwise be possible. Be sure to scan the QR code for additional information and opportunities to get involved.

Upcoming Events
September 14 — Minimum Day
September 16 — Picture Day
September 18 — Cardboard Boat Races
September 25 — Jog-A-Thon
September 25 —  Minimum Day
October 9 — 1st Quarter Ends
October 12 — Minimum Day
October 19 — No School

DHS (From Marty Wilkes)
The first grading period ends today.  Grades will be available on Wednesday.  This is just a progress report and does not impact athletic eligibility and is not part of your student transcript.  Mr. Wilkes will be meeting with all the freshmen to check in with them about their academic progress.

Counseling:
Upcoming events and activities to be aware of:
Sept. 15 - Chico State Tour
Sept. 18 - Chico State College of Business Tour
Sept. 22 - ASVAB
Sept. 22 - Seniors & Parents Information Night
Sept. 24 - Chico State College of Natural Sciences Tour
Sept. 30 - UC Santa Cruz Presentation on the PIQs @ 11:55 (Parents are welcome to attend)
Oct. 1 - Butte College Transfer Day (All Seniors will attend)
Oct. 1 - UC and CSU Applications Open
Oct. 2 - UC Santa Barbara Presentation @ 10:00 (Parents are welcome to attend)

Athletics:
Volleyball has run their record to 14-2 by the way of winning their first two league games.  Swimming has won their first two meets. Tennis is 1-1 in league and has a 5-1 overall record.  Football is coming off its first bye week and plays at Oroville tonight. The junior varsity game kicks off at 5:30.

Volleyball: 
Sept. 15 - Home vs Pierce
Sept. 17 - Home vs Willows

Football:
Sept. 11 - at Oroville
Sept. 18 - at Biggs
Oct. 2 -  Homecoming vs Colusa

AG:
Durham FFA had a successful week at the Butte County Fair, with students competing in poultry, swine, goats, sheep, steers, heifers, and rabbits.

Student Exhibitors:
• Poultry: Meaka Ketcham, Julie Felix, Michael Moss & Karla Rangel
• Swine: Emma & Brayden Waggoner
• Goats: Kate Vanella
• Sheep & Rabbits: Lolo Gore
• Steers & Heifers: Ellie Tiffany & Gage Horn

Overall Grand Champion Market Steer: Ellie Tiffany
FFA Champion Poultry Showman: Karla Rangel
FFA Champion Goat Showman: Kate Vanella
FFA Reserve Champion Poultry Meat Pen: Julie Felix
FFA Reserve Champion Rabbit Pen: Lolo Gore
FFA Reserve Champion Steer Showman: Ellie Tiffany
FFA Reserve Champion Market Goat: Kate Vanella

We are incredibly proud of our students for their hard work and dedication and for representing Durham FFA and Durham High School so well!

Durham FFA Floral Program is selling their Annual Floral Subscription please contact Mrs. Kann with any questions! 

Student Services and Supports (from Marilyn Bertolucci)
Support Saves Lives: Connecting People to Crisis Support and Resources 

• 988 is there for anyone who is struggling, not only for people in a full crisis. Feeling overwhelmed or in emotional pain is reason enough to reach out.

• A real person answers every call, text, and chat to 988. The support is free, confidential, and available any time of day or night.

• 988 is available in Spanish, for Veterans, for deaf and hard of hearing callers via ASL Videophone and chat, and in more than 150 languages. Help is there for everyone.

• Knowing about 988 before you need it, and sharing it with the people in your life, is one of the most important things any of us can do.

• Crisis care goes beyond 988. Mobile crisis teams, stabilization centers, and community behavioral health clinics are part of a network that helps people through their hardest moments.

• Reaching out early, to a trusted person, a provider, or 988, before things reach a breaking point leads to better outcomes and more paths forward. 

Reading Universe Check out the Video Library!

Maxim 2

Language development begins in utero. Therefore, literacy development is rooted in early social interactions and experiences that include regular exposure to oral language and print. Strong roots tend to produce strong readers.

Thank you to Mrs. Perkins, Ms. Luce and Mrs. Halley for attending and being an important and legal part of student meetings this week! 

Have a great weekend all!!

Weekly Update Archive