Superintendent's Weekly Update

This time of year is unique for everyone, filled with individual traditions and well-earned rest. For my wife and me, the season isn't complete without watching the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. As I thought about watching it this year, I couldn't help but see a striking parallel between George Bailey and the incredible people working in our schools.

By the middle of the movie, George is hit with a "perfect storm" of stress. He has spent his life pouring himself into others, and in a moment of exhaustion, he begins to question if his sacrifices even matter.

Does this sound familiar?

By mid-December, I know many of you are feeling that same weight. The "hallway hustle," the endless grading, and the emotional energy you give to our students can leave you feeling depleted. When we are tired, it’s easy to lose sight of the "big picture" and wonder if the impact is truly there.

But we know how the story ends. George gets to see the world as it would be without him, and he realizes that he is the "richest man in town" because of the lives he touched. When he finally runs through the snowy streets of Bedford Falls, he isn't just happy—he is reinvigorated. He is thrilled to see his friends, his family, and even his drafty old house because he finally understands his value. (You can watch that high-energy return scene here: It's A Wonderful Life HD Scene 17 - Ending Scene (1946) In Color

As we head into Christmas and this winter break, my hope for you is simple:

  1. Disconnect: Leave the stress of the "Building & Loan" behind.

  2. Recognize: Take a moment to realize that, like George, this community would be a much darker place without your dedication.

  3. Return: I hope you come back in January with that same "George Bailey energy"—excited to see your colleagues and students, knowing that the work you do is vital.

Thank you for everything you give to this district. Enjoy your traditions, your families, and this well-deserved rest. It really is a pretty wonderful life!

Updates from Principals

DES (from Samantha Brown)
As we head into our winter break, we want to celebrate the wonderful events from this past week and provide important updates regarding the exciting transformation starting on our campus.

This Week at DES was filled with spirit and performance! Congratulations to the students in Mrs. Benson’s and Mrs. Bischel’s classes for their fantastic evening performances of "A Tale of The Gingerbread Man" in the MPR on Monday and Tuesday. Our PTS met on Tuesday, December 16th, to plan and discuss fun events for the second half of the school year. Sweet surprises were delivered to classrooms this Thursday, bringing lots of smiles to our students. We ended the week today with a cozy Pajama Day and a minimum day release to kick off the holiday season!

Over the winter break, we continue making changes in preparation for beginning the first phase of our campus modernization project. These changes are to prepare for the construction of six new TK and Kindergarten classrooms, a brand-new playground, and the modernization of Room 32 into our new school office.

Key changes starting January 5th:

  • TK Classroom Moves: Miss Dean and Mrs. Halley’s TK classes are moving to the North Hallway (Rooms 10 and 11).

  • New Playground Procedures: TK, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade students will now use the new TK-1st Playground (formerly the 2nd/3rd grade playground) on the southwest side of the school near Durham-Dayton Highway.

We wish all of our students, staff, and families a happy and healthy holiday season. We hope you enjoy this time to rest and recharge with loved ones. School Resumes on Monday, January 5, 2026. We look forward to welcoming everyone back, rested and ready for an incredible second half of the school year!

Tiger Spotlight of the Week: Mr. Brian Glover, Physical Education Teacher

DES

DIS (From Josh Rowe)
8th Grade Science
Our 8th grade students have been diving into engineering and motion by designing cars intended to keep an egg safe during impact. Yesterday, Mr. Richards' class bravely put their designs to the test!

While some eggs met an unfortunate (and messy) fate, students gained valuable hands-on experience in engineering, problem-solving, and physics—and shared plenty of laughs along the way. Rest assured, no eggs were harmed without an important lesson being learned!

DIS Winter Wonderland Dance

Our Winter Wonderland Dance was a huge success and truly a night to remember! A big thank you to our outstanding ASB students for planning, organizing, and bringing the event to life. Our students had a blast showing off all of the dances they have learned in PE over the past few weeks. Great job teaching our students their great moves - Mrs. Juanarena, Miss Canalia, Mrs. Cougenhour and Mr. Richards!

We also extend our sincere appreciation to the parent volunteers who generously gave their time to help decorate, supervise, and support throughout the evening. Their teamwork and dedication created a fun, safe, and festive experience for our students. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the night so special.

Happy Winter Break

As we wrap up the fall season, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our entire Panther Family for making this semester so successful. Your continued support and engagement mean so much, and it has been a joy watching the growth and progress our students have made over the past few months.

I hope everyone enjoys a restful, relaxing, and joyful winter break filled with special moments with friends and loved ones. We look forward to welcoming students back refreshed and ready for a great start to the new year on January 5th.

Upcoming Dates

  • December 22 – January 2: Winter Break — No School

  • January 5: First Day Back to School

  • January 19: No School — Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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DHS (From Marty Wilkes)
Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to all of us forgotten late December birthday people. Can you believe the semester is over?  100 days until graduation.  Remember these semester grades are the ones that go on your official transcript.  Grades will go out the first week back in January,  and yes here's to a great 2026!   

Counseling:
Congratulations to Carter Schmid who has been awarded the United States Marine ROTC scholarship.  Charter will receive a full ride to any school that he gets into that has a ROTC program.  Upon earning his bachelor's degree Carter will also be commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps

Athletics:
Basketball
The Girls Basketball team went 3-0 at their home tournament with a win over Lower Lake, Princeton and Central Valley.  The girls also picked up a win over Oroville on Tuesday which improved their record to 7-2 on the season.  The girls play in the Orland tournament this weekend and picked up another win on Thursday night improving their record to 8-2.

The Boys team  will try to get back in the win column this weekend at the Anderson Tournament but dropped their first game on Thursday.

Upcoming basketball games
Dec. 30  - Boys versus  Hamilton 5 and 6:30
Jan. 2 -  Girls at the West Valley Tournament
Wrestling
Wrestling season is still going strong, the girls and boys team both won their dual meet on Wednesday.  Durham will be hosting their annual tournament this Saturday.  

Soccer
The Girls Soccer team picked up their first win of the season with a 2-1 win over Oroville on Wednesday

Student Services and Supports (from Marilyn Bertolucci)

It is "the most wonderful time of the year," but for many it feels like a high-speed chase involving gift wrap, sugar crashes, and overbooked calendars. If you're feeling the "holiday hustle" more than the "holiday cheer," you’re not alone. Here is a guide to protecting your peace and keeping your family’s sanity intact this season.

 The Power of "No" (and "Not This Year") We often feel pressured to attend every party, bake every cookie, and visit every relative. This leads to decision fatigue and burnout.

  • Prioritize the "Big Three": Ask each family member to pick their top three favorite holiday activities. Focus on those, and give yourself permission to skip the rest.

  • Create "White Space": Block out at least two evenings a week on your calendar as "Home Sanctuary" nights—no guests, no errands, just pajamas and rest.

Managing the "Gimme" Gremlins

Holiday consumerism can trigger stress for parents (budgets) and entitlement for kids.

  • The Four-Gift Rule: To simplify shopping, try the "Want, Need, Wear, Read" method.

    1. Something they want.

    2. Something they need.

    3. Something to wear.

    4. Something to read.

  • Focus on Presence, Not Presents: Shift the narrative by scheduling a "Service Day," like donating old toys or baking for a neighbor, to ground the family in gratitude.

Realistic Expectations vs. Reality

Social media often presents a "Pinterest-perfect" holiday. Remember: A messy kitchen and a burnt batch of cookies are memories, not failures. Lower the bar on perfection so you can raise the bar on connection.

A Quick Tip for the Moment: If you feel your stress levels rising during a family gathering, try the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique: Acknowledge 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste. It resets the nervous system in under 60 seconds.

A Polite Decline

The key to a polite decline is to be warm, firm, and brief—without over-explaining your reasons.

The "Priority Shift"

"Thank you so much for the kind invitation! While we’d love to see everyone, our family has decided to keep things very low-key this year to focus on some much-needed downtime. We’re sorry to miss it, but we hope you have a wonderful celebration!"

The "Schedule Conflict"

"That sounds like such a lovely event! Unfortunately, we already have a commitment that day and won't be able to make it. Wishing you a fantastic time and a very happy holiday season!"

The "Raincheck"

"We are so touched you thought of us! We’re actually taking a 'hibernation' break from big gatherings this month to recharge. We can't make the party, but we’d love to grab a quiet coffee or do a park playdate with the kids once the January dust settles!"

The "Short & Sweet" 

"Thanks for the invite! We won’t be able to join this time around, but we're sending lots of love to the group. Have a blast! “

Three Rules for a Stress-Free Decline:

  1. Don’t apologize too much: Saying "I'm sorry" once is polite; saying it three times makes it sound like you're doing something wrong. You aren't!

  2. Avoid "Maybe": If you know you aren't going, say "no" now. "Maybe" creates mental clutter for you and planning stress for the host.

  3. The "JOMO" Mindset: Remind yourself of the Joy Of Missing Out. Every "no" to an external event is a "yes" to a quiet evening with your family.

For many people, the holidays can trigger or exacerbate pre-existing mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety. Below are resources for you or your loved ones. 

Immediate Help and Resources for Mental Health Needs

The most important step is reaching out. Help is always available.

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: The 988 Lifeline is a free, confidential, and 24/7 service for anyone in distress. You can connect with a trained crisis counselor for support for suicidal thoughts, mental health issues, substance use, or any kind of emotional distress.

    • Call or Text: 988

    • Chat: 988lifeline.org/chat

    • For Adults: The 988 Lifeline is also a critical resource for parents and staff who are concerned about a young person and need guidance on how to help.

Butte County Local Resources

For more information, visit buttecounty.net/youth.

A member of BSSP?

Mental Health Support - Butte Schools Self-Funded Programs