A storied Durham tradition hits the stage in the high school multipurpose room this Saturday with the return of the Block D dance. For more than 50 years, the Block D dance has entertained high school students and the community.

This year’s event begins at 7 pm this Saturday. There are sure to be some great band performances and competitions.

You know it is a popular event when you can go to Youtube and search “Durham High School Block D Dance” and get many, many videos from past dances.

If you just can’t wait for Saturday, go check out past performances on YouTube.

Construction project Updates

Work continues on the project at the Durham High School Football stadium. Keep an eye out for the exciting changes each week.

The elementary project will get underway over the next week plus. This weekend the construction office will be placed on campus, and demolition work will begin next

DES (from Samantha Brown)
March has arrived, and we celebrated Read Across America week with daily school spirit days, guest readers in the classrooms, and a guest reader assembly on Tuesday afternoon. Tier 2 Reading Discovery Groups resumed this week following trimester 2 assessments, and Summative ELPAC assessments began for our ELD students in grades K-5 and will continue until completed, so ELD groups will not be held until assessments are complete. Report cards were sent home with students at the end of the school day on Tuesday, March 3rd. Teachers also met after school on Tuesday for our monthly staff meeting, and we kicked off a month-long calendar of fun activities for staff (and students) to participate in during what feels like a very long month without any holidays. We had minimum release days on Thursday, March 5th and Friday, March 6th at 12:20PM for spring parent-teacher conferences. Thanks to PTS for treats in the staff room on Thursday afternoon to help our teachers get through their parent-teacher conferences.Today is Maintenance/Grounds Worker Appreciation Day, and Golden Apple Insurance Services provided lunch to DES staff. Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 8; don't forget to "spring forward," which means you lose one hour of sleep but gain more daylight in the evenings.

Next week at DES, the Chess Club will meet in the Library after school on Monday. DES PTS will hold their March monthly meeting at the Durham Memorial at 8:30 AM on Tuesday, March 10th to discuss upcoming PTS events. On Friday, Mr. Martin's 4th grade class will take a field trip to the Butte Ecological Preserve (rescheduled from November), and we will hold our monthly safety drill on Friday afternoon. Our 5th grade classes will continue to practice for their upcoming evening VAPA Performances.

DIS (From Josh Rowe)

DIS Basketball All Stars!
Durham Intermediate School is excited to celebrate two of our own: Braiden Baker (8th grade) and Hank Garrity (7th grade), who have been nominated to participate in the Northern Section Jr. High North State All-Star Boys Basketball Game! This event highlights the best junior high players across the North State and is a well earned recognition of their talent, effort, and character.

The All-Star Games will be held on Saturday, March 15th at Chico Jr. High School, with the 7th grade game tipping off at 1:00 PM and the 8th grade game at 3:00 PM. 

We are proud of Braiden and Hank for representing our school. Let’s show up and support our Panther Pride!

Dress Code Reminder as the Weather Warms Up
As we move into warmer weather, we want to take a moment to remind students and families about staying within the dress code outlined in our student handbook on pages 7 and 8.

We understand that temperatures are rising and clothing choices naturally shift this time of year. Our goal is not to be overly restrictive, but to ensure that all students are dressed in a way that is appropriate for a school setting and allows us to maintain a focused and respectful learning environment.

A few helpful reminders:

• Clothing should provide appropriate coverage.

• Tops, bottoms, and dresses should meet length and fit guidelines outlined in the handbook.

• Clothing should not display inappropriate language, images, or messages.

• Pajamas and slippers are not considered school attire.

If a student arrives at school out of dress code, we will work with them to correct it, which may include calling home for a change of clothes. We appreciate your partnership in reviewing school-appropriate attire before students leave home each morning.

Thank you for helping us maintain a positive and respectful campus environment as we head into the final stretch of the school year.

8th Grade PEG Presentations
Thank you to everyone who has signed up to serve as an evaluator for our Project Eighth Grade (PEG) presentations. We are incredibly appreciative of your willingness to give your time and support our students. Your involvement helps make this meaningful DIS tradition possible.

This year, 8th Grade PEG presentations will take place in two locations: the DIS Library and the DUSD Board Room.

• If you signed up to evaluate in the DUSD Board Room, please check in with Alex at the District Office upon arrival.

• If you are evaluating in the DIS Library, please check in with Holly in the DIS Office before heading to the library.
  

Thank you again for partnering with us and investing in our students. We look forward to seeing you next week!

Soccer signups
DRPD will have 6th-8th Grade Soccer teams this Spring. See the attached flyer for more information. Coach Shorter and Alaways will be returning from fall soccer to coach the boy and girls soccer teams respectively. 

Important Dates

• March 10 & 11 – PEG Presentation Days

• April 6-10: No School - Spring Break

DHS (From Marty Wilkes)

Counseling:
On March 3rd, we took the majority of our seniors (52) to Butte College for Reg2Go. Students that are planning on going to Butte in the fall were able to get registered for next year.  
DSP from Butte to talk to some of our students.
Thanks to  Mrs. Ladd for talking to our juniors regarding Financial Aid.
The Durham Common Scholarship application is now open to all seniors.  Applications are due April 3rd.

Athletics:
Basketball:
The  girls basketball team rebounded from the loss in the section finals and beat Castilleja 46-34 in the first round of the state playoffs.  The girls traveled to Escalon on Thursday to play in the second round of the state tournament. 

Rowan Turnquist earned a 7th place finish in the state in the combined snowboard state championship event this week.  Congrats Rowan!

Block D Dance is this Saturday at 7:00!  
You can get your tickets at the door for the low low price of $25.00.  If you have never been to a Block D dance you are missing out!  

AG:
The welding fabrication team has back to back competitions this week. Their first at Nevada Union on Thursday the second in Hollister on Friday.  Coach Deaton is putting on the miles!

Congrats to Jack Johansson on making it through the first round of the state officer interviews!  We are pulling for you, JACK!!

Student Services and Supports (from Marilyn Bertolucci)
According to the most recent data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the youth suicide rate for individuals aged 10–25 was 6.6 per 100,000 between 2020 and 2023. Specifically, Butte County has significant challenges and consistently reports higher rates of youth mental health struggles and suicide compared to the California state average.

The 2023 Butte County Community Health Assessment (CHA) and local health reports from 2024-2025, here are the key findings:

Youth Suicide and Ideation Statistics
While the California average for suicide is approximately 10.5 per 100,000, Butte County’s rate is nearly double that, hovering around 16 to 22.5 per 100,000. For youth specifically:

• Seriously Considered Suicide: In recent surveys, 19% of 9th graders and 18% of 11th graders in Butte County reported seriously considering suicide in the past year, both are higher than the state average.

• Chronic Sadness: Roughly 30% of 7th graders and 29% of 9th graders reported feeling so sad or hopeless for at least two weeks that they stopped their usual activities.

• Young Adults: The highest rate of suicidal ideation in the county is among young adults (ages 18–24), at 45.2%.

Risk Factors and Demographics

• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Butte County has the highest percentage of residents (76.5%) reporting one or more ACEs in California. These traumatic early-life events (such as abuse, neglect, or household instability) are strongly linked to later mental health struggles.

• LGBTQ+ Youth: 61.4% reported seriously considering suicide.

• Hospitalizations:  Butte County has a lower rate of mental health hospitalizations for youth, 5.4 per 1,000, than the state average ,9.1, which attribute to a lack of local inpatient beds rather than a lower need for care.

Current Efforts
The county has identified Behavioral Health as one of its top three priorities in the 2024–2027 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). Programs like the Butte County Suicide Prevention Program and school-based "Public Health Specialists" are actively working to lower these rates through peer-to-peer support and increased access to care.

Butte County Youth Support Resources

 IMMEDIATE CRISIS (24/7)

• 988 Lifeline: Call or Text 988

• Local Mobile Crisis: 530-891-2810 (They come to you)

• Crisis Walk-In: 560 Cohasset Rd, Suite 100, Chico (Open 24/7)

• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

• The CARE Team: (Suicide prevention & coaching) Text/Call 530-783-2273

• 6th Street Center: (Ages 14-24) 530-894-8008

• Butte County Behavioral Health’s Mobile Crisis Response Team is available 24/7 to provide immediate mental health support. No matter where you are in Butte County, they come to you. Trained professionals will assess the situation, provide crisis intervention, and dispatch the Mobile Crisis Response Team if needed. (530) 891-2810 | Toll-Free (800) 334-6622

• Stonewall Alliance: 530-893-3336

• Trevor Project: Text START to 678-678

• Hmong Talk-Line: 530-403-3978

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