Tiger Spotlight of the Week: Dayna Gibbs, aka "Ms. Dayna," DUSD Food Services Manager
1) What made you decide to work in Food Services? I have worked in food service for all of my adult life. The rewarding experiences came from elderly customers at a diner, until I came to DUSD. After leaving the private sector of food service, I found much appreciation for the love of food and food creation. Although the little people don't tip in money they sure do tip with smiles and love. I appreciate being able to try new food, and creative ways of making it for them. Bringing back nutritious options to our students was very important to me when I was granted this opportunity as a food service manager. In this exciting time in food service going back to scratch, quick scratch and fresh foods, I am proud of being able to provide a non pre packaged meal to our students daily.
2) What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? If you know me, you know! I volunteer a bit, so my spare time is filled with helping concessions, exchange students (I have 2 this year) or anything else that needs help. I also love to golf a short course.
3) A fun fact about yourself or a unique talent you possess, if any? I LOVE LEGO!
4) Favorite book, movie, or music (pick only one to share) and why is it your favorite? My favorite book is The Giraffe and a Half. It is close and dear to my heart. I used to read it to my kids every night, and no matter how old they are or got, they would all end up in the room I was reading it in. That's what keeps it special to me. I was honored to be able to read it to Mr. Coffee's class last year on read around day.
5) Favorite part about working at Durham Elementary School?
DUH!!! The amazing kids, Staff and Parents!! This exceptional group of people who all come together everyday in some way, to make our end goals about how much we can make it better for our kids, simply leaves me speechless.
Tiger Spotlight of the Week: Mrs. Cassie Halley, TK Teacher
1) Why did you become a teacher? It wasn't until half way through college that I wanted to become a teacher. I started working at an After School Program and realized how working with children brought me joy. There's something empowering about reminding children that they were meant to do great things. Most children have families that believe in them, but there are many who don't. I became a teacher because all children deserve to have someone in their corner.
2) What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? Outside of school you can find me at a dance competition or a baseball field. Watching my own children pursue their passions is one of my favorite activities. Other than dance and baseball, you can find me reading, exercising or traveling :)
3) A fun fact about yourself or unique talent you possess, if any? A fun fact about me is that I have my motorcycle license. My dad is a big Harley Davidson fan so I got my license when I was in high school and have kept it renewed ever since.
4) Favorite book, movie, or music (pick only one to share) and why is it your favorite? I have too many favorites! One of my favorite books is "The Secret Garden". I remember falling in love with the idea of a hidden garden, as if life has hidden secrets everywhere for us to discover. Plus the beauty behind friendships and how they can heal you.
5) Favorite part about working at Durham Elementary School? My favorite part about working at Durham is the community! When I say community, I mean EVERYONE; the staff, the students, the families. This is our home away from home, and I am so grateful to be part of such an amazing group of people.
This is a friendly reminder that school will be closed tomorrow and Monday, January 17, 2025. Enjoy the time off!
Durham Intermediate School is kicking off a scholarship donation fundraiser for this year's trip to Shady Creek Outdoor School.
Tiger Spotlight of the Week: Lesleigh Brunelle, First Grade Teacher
1) Why did you become a teacher? Kids are so fun and I enjoy how inquisitive they are. I love being part of helping students learn and grow.
2) What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? Spending time with my family, crafting and taking photos.
3) A fun fact about yourself or unique talent you possess, if any? I enjoy reading and writing poetry.
4) Favorite book, movie, or music (pick only one to share), and why is it your favorite? A few of my favorite modern day poets are Beau Taplin and Tyler Knott Gregson.
5) Favorite part about working at Durham Elementary School? I appreciate the inspiring people I work with, the sweet students, and the loving community. My favorite part of working at DES is having the opportunity to teach students, and learning from them along the way.
Durham Community
Just a friendly reminder that our basketball tournament continues today and tomorrow! Come out and support our basketball team. Go Panters!
Caterina Flores is a graduate of Durham High School, class of 2019. After high school, Caterina pursued her education at Sonoma State University, earning her B.A. in Psychology a semester early in 2022.
Caterina decided to continue her education and recently obtained a Paralegal Certificate from the University of San Diego. We are so proud of you, Caterina.
February’s Student of the Month is Dylan Rabo. Dylan has a 4.14 GPA and is on Durham’s baseball team. Dylan has applied to several colleges this year, including UC Berkeley, Cal Poly, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, and Chico State. Mr. Rabo would like to major in Ag Science. He is currently taking Advanced Ag Science, SOU English and math, and AP government. Dylan has been attending Durham since his preschool years.
This week at DIS, 7th Grade History kicked off a fun tradition of creating African animal masks. On Thursday, the students got their hands dirty, making the plaster base for their masks. We can't wait to see how they decorate them next week.
We have two of the best wrestling programs going head-to-head as the Trojans host Chico High. The girls kick things off at 6:00 PM, followed by the boys at 7:00 PM. It's also Senior Night, and we want to send our Master Champions off in style with a loud, packed house. Best of luck to all our wrestlers tonight. Go Trojans!
Today at DIS, DHS counselor Christy Spade visited 8th grade classes to review course request forms for next year's classes. The students gained important insights into what to expect in high school, explored the course catalog, and learned about various opportunities and activities available to them. The session was informative, and students asked many questions.
A message from food service:
It’s a fantastic day for our Durham community. We have two amazing home sporting events happening today. Join us in celebrating our boys and girls senior soccer players during senior night, and don’t miss the excitement of our home basketball game, too. Let’s pack the stands and show our support for both teams! Good luck, and Go, Durham!
Jo Ann Stewart Aydt graduated from Durham in 1966. Looking back, she is amazed at the high quality of education she received at this small, rural school. With the help of Maurice Balaam and Joyce Dorsey, she obtained scholarships to the University of California, where she graduated in 1970. After moving to Alabama, she began working for Boeing as a quality engineer on the space program. Throughout her career, she worked on the Delta II, Delta IV, and Atlas V before retiring. Jo Ann feels that she was well prepared by the Durham Unified School District. We are proud of you, Jo Ann Stewart Aydt.
We have an exciting home girls basketball game tonight. Come and cheer on our amazing team. It's senior night, and we'll be celebrating our incredible seniors. Let's pack the stands one last time for our seniors and show our support. Good luck, and Go Trojans!
Tiger Spotlight of the Week: Dina Buttitta, Kindergarten Teacher
1) Why did you become a teacher? I always loved school, learning new things, and working with kids. I wanted to be able to share that with the students in my classes. I love the excitement and curiosity that all the little ones in my class have everyday.
2) What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? I enjoy reading and spending time with my family.
3) A fun fact about yourself or a unique talent you possess, if any? N/A
4) Favorite book, movie, or music (pick only one to share) and why is it your favorite? I have so many favorite books; it is hard to choose just one.
5) Favorite part about working at Durham Elementary School? My favorite part of working at Durham Elementary School are the people. We have such a strong sense of community and family here - it was the first thing I noticed when I started working in Durham.
This week, DES hosted its third Family S.T.E.A.M. Night. Families came together for an evening filled with learning activities. Alongside this event, the Music Boosters organized a fundraiser hamburger dinner for all the guests. Everyone had a great time connecting and enjoying the activities.
Good luck to our amazing ski team at their second slalom race of the season at Alpine Meadows! Go Trojans!
It's the 50th Anniversary of Block D!
The stage is set for a great show at the 2025 Block D performance on Feb. 8th.
Doors open at 7, and the show will start at 7:30. Our students have been rehearsing what is sure to be a lineup of star performances.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the door, cash or check only. Community members, alumni, and DHS students are welcome and encouraged to attend. Block D is Durham's Athletic Club. The dance consists of student performances, contests, and group dances. Bill Wells started the club in 1975. This will be our 50th anniversary, and we will have more performances than ever before.
We look forward to seeing you there!
We are looking for alumni to work the door and concessions. If you'd like to volunteer, please reach out to Kinsey Coughenour at kcoughenour@durhamunified.org.
Kira Montgomery was the DHS class of 2022 salutatorian, and she attended Durham schools from kindergarten through graduation. She currently attends the University of California, Irvine as a double major in Dance Performance and Education Sciences. She grew up in the competitive dance scene and has trained in various styles including hip hop, tap, jazz, contemporary, ballet, and modern. Kira has trained with prominent industry choreographers such as Chloe and Maud Arnold, Kent Boyd, Brooke Lipton, Kevin Maher, Ryan Lohoff, and more. She currently tours the US with Hollywood Vibe Dance Convention as a choreographer's assistant and event coordinator and is a member of UCI's Kaba Modern Hip Hop Crew. Within the past few years, she has grown her passion for choreographing and creating pieces for studio showcases, UCI's Barebones Dance Theater, and Kaba Modern. She is looking forward to finishing her degrees to begin industry and professional work in LA and surrounding areas.
Kira, we are so proud of you and love seeing you pursue your dream! Keep inspiring others to go after their dreams, too. Your passion and determination are truly motivating
