Superintendent's Weekly Update
We are working hard to plan for summer school for this June. Summer school will run Monday through Thursday the first two weeks of June, Monday through Wednesday the third week (June 16-18), and Monday through Friday the last week of June.
Summer school runs on campus from 8-1, and parents can also choose to have their elementary and intermediate school students attend at the Durham Parks and Recreation District from 1-6 pm everyday. As a side note, the DRPD program actually is available Monday through Friday nearly every week all summer.
DES teacher Morgan Alaways will be the Teacher in Charge for summer school, and the district started advertising for the remainder of the positions this week. Many of our great teachers have already expressed an interest in working during summer school!
WASC visit at DHS
Congratulations to the high school staff for working hard to prepare for and finish its midterm WASC (Western Association of School and Colleges) virtual visit this week. All high schools must be accredited by WASC. The best accreditation a school can receive is a six year accreditation with a midterm visit in year three. That is the accreditation Durham High most recently received and this was the visit in year three.
Special thank you to Emily Abshier for leading the process this year.
DHS Arts students shine
First-year Durham High School Art Teacher Mary Kenny wants to make sure we recognize the creative and hard work DHS arts students are doing.
Congratulations, Devin Cummins & Juliana Kaylor!
We are so proud to celebrate our talented students who were recognized at the Butte County Superintendent’s High School Art Exhibition!
Devin Cummins received the Award for Notable Evidence of Innovation for his incredible digital artwork, Owl Mech. Juliana Kaylor earned 3rd place for Emphasis on Exploration for her stunning collage. A huge shoutout to our other amazing participants: Kenneth Smith, Elsie Nessi, and Michah Dawson—your creativity and hard work inspire us all!
Updates from Principals
DES (from Samantha Brown)
This week we celebrated Read Across America Week with school spirit days, guest readers, and a Masked Reader Assembly today. Our 5th Grade classes are rehearsing for their upcoming evening VAPA performances of "Dancing Through The Decades." Kindergarten and First Grade had meetings this week to look at making changes to our report cards as we prepare to move from the illuminate platform to the Aeries platform and work on developing schedules that embed intervention time within the school day for the 2025-2026 school year. We had minimum release days on Thursday and Friday for 2nd trimester report card Parent-Teacher Conferences. Today, staff was treated to lunch by our friends at Golden Apple Insurance Company.
Tiger Spotlight of the Week: Gianna Noonan, Third Grade Teacher
1) Why did you become a teacher? I find so much meaning in helping to educate future generations. Kids have ways of viewing life that are inspiring, passionate, hopeful, and hilarious!
2) What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? I have far too many hobbies for the amount of time there is in a day! I love riding my horses, running, playing guitar, cooking and baking (to offset the running..) and spending time with my wonderful friends and family.
3) A fun fact about yourself or unique talent you possess, if any? I am very good at doing handstands!
4) Favorite book, movie, or music (pick only one to share) and why is it your favorite? Very unsurprisingly, I have to admit that I am a "Swifty" through and through!
5) Favorite part about working at Durham Elementary School? The staff at DES is unlike any that I have experienced. They are a supportive, helpful, encouraging and fun crew who I am so grateful to be able to rely on. The feeling of community is prevalent in every aspect of this school, and I am so lucky to be a part of it!
Our 8th graders completed their projects and turned them in on Thursday. The PEG is one of the most memorable projects of the students' middle school experience. The project began in December with our students choosing their topics. The project took most of the 3rd quarter and the students are now creating and finishing their presentations. Tuesday and Wednesday, our students will be giving their presentations, and we are looking for volunteers to be judges. Please feel free to sign up.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CA9A82AA6FFC34-55390574-8thgrade#/
Thursday and Friday of this week, DIS had minimum days and we do this so that our staff can read and grade the students' papers. It's a collaborative experience for our staff as we read the projects, discuss them with the students' coach and give the paper a score. There is a rubric that is followed, and each paper is read twice. We appreciate the entire staff for reading, discussing, and scoring over 70 projects. A big shoutout to Erika Montgomery who took this project on and has put hours of her time to make sure the staff, students and parents were aware of all of the deadlines and parameters of the projects. A HUGE shoutout to our 8th grade students for your accomplishments in this project.
Seventh grade science has started their unit on Animals. Learning all about the structure and function of different classifications of animals.
Integrated Math 1 is finishing up triangle proofs and creating posters to show their knowledge of how to classify shapes on a coordinate grid.
Seventh/eighth grade Art students have been studying Fauvist Landscapes, and are finishing up their last big project for the quarter.
Sixth Grade leaves for Shady Creek Monday morning. Our students are so excited, there is a bit of trepidation in them as this may be their first time away from home, but we all know they're in for a week filled with fun, science, laughter, singing, friendship and memories to last a lifetime.
DHS (From Marty Wilkes)
Student of the Month:
March’s Student of the Month is Parker Thomas. Parker has a 4.1 GPA and is on Durham’s swim team. Parker will be going to Butte College in the fall. Ms. Thomas would like to major in child development. She is currently taking, Physics, SOU English and math, and AP government. Parker has been attending Durham schools since Kindergarten.
Counseling:
This week’s To Be Challenge: Be Inclusive. Encourage your child to practice being inclusive by sitting with someone new at lunch or in class whom they haven’t sat with before. Discuss other ways you and your family can be inclusive toward others too.
The Butte College Scholarship application is due this Sunday, March 9th. All seniors who plan to attend Butte next year should apply.
The DHS Common Scholarship Application opens on Monday, March 10th. ALL seniors should complete this single application which covers a variety of local scholarships with a range of qualifications. We are grateful for our local community partners who are extremely generous in recognizing our students and supporting their pursuits of higher education. Please encourage your senior to apply.
Applications for Camp Royal and Camp Venture are now open for all interested juniors. If your child is interested in attending either of these incredible camps this summer to hone their leadership or entrepreneurial skills, they should apply. Contact Ms. Spade or Mrs. Ladd for more information and applications.
The AG Department:
Congratulations to Jack Johansson, who was selected for Superior Region president, and Ashley Spence, who was selected for Superior Region secretary. Both these students will compete at the regional meeting for their place on the 2025-2026 Superior Region Officer team.
Upcoming events:
March 7 - UC Davis Parli-Pro Contest
March 12 - Chapter Meeting @6:30pm
March 12 - Student/Parent State Conference Meeting
March 13 - Regional Meeting
March 14 - Superior Region LDE Contest
- Ryley Vanella: Extemporaneous Public Speaking
- Karla Rangel: El Credo de FFA
- Parliamentary Procedure Team
Athletics:
The Girls basketball got a big win in the first round of the state payoff defeating West Valley 59-42.
Senior Kyleigh Flux led the team with 27 points. Unfortunately the girls lost in the second round to Head-Royce of Oakland. I look forward to next season for the girls who will return with 4 starters.
The Boys basketball team lost in the first round of the state playoffs to defending Division 4 champions U-Prep 51-49. This closes a great run for the five senior boys that have been playing varsity basketball since their sophomore year. Perry, Jack, Luke, Coby, and Brady, you guys leave some big shoes to fill.
Ski and Snowboard Team: Marcus Montgomery took 3rd place in Giant Slalom in snowboarding and Lily Larrabee took 9th in ski. In the Slalom, Marcus took 8th place in Snowboarding. Ryley Vanella placed 15th in the Slalom for ski.
That is a wrap for Winter sports.
Student Services and Supports (from Marilyn Bertolucci)
Did you know that……. Student use of social media has been linked to health and wellness issues such as anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, social isolation and loneliness, low self esteem and body issues, cyberbullying, harassment, and addiction to online platforms and games. Parental controls help manage what your students can access online, set time limits, and ensure a safe digital environment. See the helpful tips below on how to use parental control tools on different devices and platforms.
Setting Up Parental Controls on Devices
Smartphones & Tablets
iPhone & iPad (Apple Screen Time)
Go to Settings > Screen Time.
Tap Turn on Screen Time and follow the prompts.
Set App Limits, Content & Privacy Restrictions, and Downtime.
Use Family Sharing to manage settings across multiple Apple devices.
For More Information CLICK HERE
Android Devices (Google Family Link)
Download Google Family Link from the Play Store.
Create a Google account for your child.
Set app approvals, screen time limits, and content filters.
Monitor activity through the Family Link app.
For More Information CLICK HERE
Parental Controls for Gaming Consoles
Xbox
Go to Settings > Account > Family settings.
Create child accounts and manage screen time.
Set content filters for age-appropriate games.
Enable restrictions on online interactions.
For More Information CLICK HERE
PlayStation
Go to Settings > Family & Parental Controls.
Create a child profile and adjust screen time, spending limits, and communication settings.
Restrict age-inappropriate games and content.
For More Information CLICK HERE
Nintendo Switch
Download the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app.
Link your Nintendo account and set play-time limits.
Restrict communication and online interactions.
For More Information
Internet & Wi-Fi Parental Controls
Home Wi-Fi Routers
Log into your router’s settings (typically via a web browser).
Enable Parental Controls or set up a guest network for children.
Use filters to block inappropriate websites.
Internet Service Provider (ISP) Controls
Many ISPs (e.g., Xfinity, AT&T, Spectrum) offer parental control settings. Check with your provider.
Parental Controls for Streaming & Social Media
YouTube (Restricted Mode)
Open YouTube, go to Settings.
Enable Restricted Mode to block mature content.
Use YouTube Kids for a safer experience.
Netflix, Disney+, Hulu
Set up Kids Profiles to filter age-appropriate content.
Use PIN protection to restrict access to mature content.
Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok)
Set accounts to private.
Use supervised features available on TikTok and Instagram.
Restrict direct messages and time limits where available.
Pro Tips for Parents and Guardians
Have Open Conversations – Discuss online safety with your student.
Use Strong Passwords – Protect your accounts with unique passwords and don’t share them with your student.
Monitor Activity – Regularly review your student's online interactions.
Set Clear Rules – Define screen time limits, appropriate content and social media interactions.