This week the state of California released the 2026 version of the California State Dashboard. 

This is the accountability tool the state uses to measure the success of school districts and schools across the state in Chronic Absenteeism, Suspension Rate, English Learner Progress, Graduation Rate, College/Career Indicator, English Language Arts, Mathematics and Science. 

The state assigns colors to each category (Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange or Red) based on scores and growth. The goal for every district and school is to have all Blue and Green indicators. 

Overall, Durham Unified’s results are solid with all Blue and Green except for one indicator - see the scores at this link. (https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/04614320000000/2026)

We need to applaud our staff, students and parents for the hard work to achieve these results, and we need to know that we can be even better!

As Veterans Day approaches, the California Department of Education shared the 2026 Veterans Day Teachers Resource Guide with educators across the state. The guide, produced by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Veterans Day National Committee, offers historical background, classroom‑ready lessons, age‑appropriate activities, scholarship information, and community engagement ideas to support meaningful instruction around the November 11 observance.

Please visit the VA’s Veterans Day resource page for teachers to access the guide.

There is another opportunity to support many of our talented Durham students as they bring a beautiful ballet inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia to life! 

Travel through the wardrobe and into a magical holiday world filled with incredible talent, artistry, and countless hours of hard work. This is a show you won’t want to miss!

Into the Wardrobe! 

Paradise Performing Arts Center
November 27, 28 & 29 — the weekend after Thanksgiving!
Tickets go on sale November 1st at 9:00 AM! Ticket Link

Durham dancers:

• Ayden Teague — Graduated May 2026

• Emma Drake — 10th Grade

• Kate Vanella — 9th Grade

• Maggie Rappa — 7th Grade

• Riley McCain — 6th Grade

• Lacey Brown — 5th Grade

• AlexAndra Halley — 5th Grade

• Capri Bradley — 4th Grade

• Blayke Walters — 4th Grade

• Bella Brown — 1st Grade

It has come to my attention that there are questions about the process happening at next week’s board meeting to appoint two board members.

First some background; The four year terms for Trustees Buzz Landon and Jennie DeBose end this November, but both trustees had every intention of filing to run for re-election by the deadline in August. 

A misunderstanding about the filing deadline caused both trustees to miss the deadline to file for the Nov. 3 election. 

As it turned out, no one else filed to run for election to the Durham Unified trustee positions either. 

When this happens, the law allows for the current board of trustees to create a process for people to apply to be appointed to the open board seats.

Buzz and Jennie applied to be appointed by the deadline, and the three other trustees will vote to finalize the appointment process at next Wednesday’s board meeting. The appointment process must happen prior to election day, and the appointed trustees will be sworn in at the December meeting as if they had been elected.

DES (from Samantha Brown)

This week at Durham Elementary was filled with professional growth, enriching student field trips, important health and safety benchmarks, and a high-energy end-of-week assembly as we celebrated National School Lunch Week!

We kicked off the week on Monday, October 12th with a minimum release day, providing dedicated professional development time for our teachers. Our 1st–5th grade teachers engaged in NWEA MAP learning at the DHS Library, while our TK and Kindergarten educators focused on their scope and sequence update alongside introductions to the OxEd Language Screener and NELI intervention curriculum. On Tuesday, our campus showed off its pride for Tiger Gear Tuesday, our Kindergarteners completed vision and hearing testing, and our DHH students enjoyed an exciting morning field trip to TJ Farms in Chico. We also hosted another great session of Reading Pals.

Mid-week, we held DUSD Picture Retake Day on Wednesday, October 14th, followed by our energetic afternoon DES Walk and Squack. On Thursday, we wrapped up the evening with our DELAC Meeting in the MPR.

We capped off the week with our TK classes attending a wonderful fall outing to Patrick’s Ranch Pumpkin Patch, and our DHH students participated in Adaptive PE Day at CSU, Chico. Campus safety was front and center as our entire school participated in the Great American Shakeout Safety Drill at 9:15 AM. Finally, our 2nd through 5th graders brought incredible enthusiasm to the playground to finish the week with an unforgettable BMX Assembly!

Upcoming Events at DES: October 19 – October 24, 2026 *National School Bus Safety Week * ASB Spooky Gram Sales Before & After School *Trimester 1 Report Card Assessments

Monday, October 19

• NO SCHOOL — Fall Three-Day Weekend for Students and Staff

Tuesday, October 20

• Tiger Gear Tuesday — Show your Durham Tiger pride!

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

• Reading Pals: DES Room 34 (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM)

• Probationary Teacher’s Meeting: DES MPR (2:55 PM – 3:25 PM)

• Durham Rotary Club: DES MPR (5:30 PM – 8:00 PM)

Wednesday, October 21

• First Grade Color & Vision Screening (8:00 AM – 2:00 PM)

• DES Walk and Squack (2:50 PM – 3:10 PM)

• School Site Council Meeting: DES Room 4 (3:00 PM – 4:00 PM)

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

Thursday, October 22

• Reading Pals: DES Room 34 (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM)

• Popsicles with the Principal: DES Courtyard (2:15 PM – 2:30 PM)

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

Friday, October 23

• All Kindergarten Classes Field Trip to Book Family Farms Pumpkin Patch (8:30 AM – 11:30 AM)

Saturday, October 24

• DUSD GALA Fundraiser: Durham Memorial Hall (5:00 PM – 10:00 PM)

DIS (From Josh Rowe)
No School Monday
Just a friendly reminder that there is no school on Monday, October 19. We hope everyone is able to enjoy the three-day weekend, and we look forward to seeing all of our students back on campus Tuesday morning!

First Quarter
We are officially one quarter of the way through the school year! Over the last few days, I have been meeting with students who earned D’s or F’s on their first-quarter report cards. My hope is that these students will take advantage of the academic support we offer after school each week.

If your student is struggling in a class, needs some extra help, or simply needs a quiet place to get some work done, we encourage them to take advantage of our after-school academic support:

• Tuesday: Mrs. Hering’s Room

• Wednesday: Mrs. Comer’s Room

• Thursday: Mr. Richards’ Room

All three teachers are great resources and are available to help students get caught up, better understand their assignments, and start the second quarter strong.

Short-Term Independent Study Reminder
If you have a vacation planned or know your student will be out of school for several days, we ask that you utilize Short-Term Independent Study. This allows students to keep up with their schoolwork while they are away.

Per our handbook, Short-Term Independent Study must be requested at least 14 days in advance. Once approved, students can pick up their work on their last day of school before leaving. When students return, it is very important that they first check in with Mrs. Holly in the front office and turn in their completed work before submitting assignments to their teachers.

If you have questions about the process or need to request Short-Term Independent Study, please contact the front office. We are happy to help.

Girls Basketball
Girls basketball is here! Our 7th and 8th grade teams kick off their season this week, including their first home game on Wednesday, October 21, against C.K. Price. Come out and cheer on our Lady Panthers as they get their season underway!

Attendance Matters: Every Minute Counts
Regular, on-time attendance is one of the simplest ways we can help our students be successful. Missing a few minutes or a few days may not seem like much, but lost instructional time adds up quickly.

Did You Know?

• 5 minutes late each day = 15 hours of lost instruction over a 180-day school year.

• That's roughly 18 full class periods of missed learning.

• 10 minutes late each day = 30 hours of lost instructional time.

• Missing just 2 days per month = about 18 days per year, enough to be considered chronically absent.

• In California, students who miss 10% or more of the school year are considered chronically absent.

At DIS, we know there are times when students are sick or an absence simply cannot be avoided. This isn't about expecting students to have perfect attendance. It is about recognizing how important it is for students to be at school, on time, and ready to learn whenever possible.

Every class period provides opportunities for direct instruction, discussion, collaboration, intervention, and support that can be difficult to recreate when a student isn't there.

Five minutes matters. One class period matters. One day matters. Every day at DIS is an opportunity to learn.

Upcoming Events
October 19 — No School
October 26–30 — Red Ribbon Week
November 10 — Medieval Feast
November 11 — No School in Observance of Veterans Day

DHS (From Marty Wilkes)
Man the year has moved fast. We are officially mid way through October and the first semester.  Please check Aeries for an update of your students grades and attendance.  Over the years I have found a high correlation between student attendance  (number of tardies and absences)  and student success in school and after.   We are developing habits every day whether you know it or not. 

Fall Ball is Saturday at the Patrick Ranch from 8:00-11:00

Counseling:
This week 13 students took the SAT and 35 took the PSAT. 

A Chico State Upward Bound representative visited all 9th and 10th grade English classes to tell students about the program and how they can apply.

Our favorite Butte College recruiter, Nic, visited all seniors in Civics to talk about the different certificates, degrees and programs offered out there. Next month he’ll be back to help seniors apply to Butte.

Next Friday, Chico State will be on campus presenting to all juniors about the importance of CAASPP testing and how it can impact their future.

Athletics:
Football: Well it was a great game for a half.  But in the end, the injuries and lack of depth was just too much  as the Trojans went down to East Nicolaus 36-19.  The Trojans are now 1-1 in the Sacramento Valley League (SVL) and 4-2 overall with Paradise coming to town tonight.

Volleyball:  The volleyball team is currently 27-3 and 9-1 in the Sac Valley League.  With a big week coming up.  If the girls play well and take down Colusa and East Nicolaus they will clinch the SVL championship for the second straight year.

Tennis:  Senior Ashley Spence is still alive in the individual division for tennis while the team tournament starts next week. 

Swimming: Swim has now won their 6th straight league meet.  They will  host the league finals on Thursday. 

Volleyball: 
Oct. 20 vs Colusa
Oct. 22 at East Nicolaus
Oct. 24 Section playoff bracket comes out

Football:
Oct. 16 vs Paradise
Oct. 23 at Pierce
Oct. 30 vs Winters

AG:
Next week:
Oct. 18-25: National FFA Convention

Student Services and Supports (from Marilyn Bertolucci)

Weekly Update Archive