Hello, I’m Jeff Harris, Superintendent of Schools for Del Norte, and this is the update for the week of January 5, 2026.

Dates to Remember
Mark your calendars. This week, there are District and County Board meetings on Thursday, January 8. The County meeting starts at 3:00 PM, and the District meeting begins at 3:30 PM. You can find the board meeting agendas by visiting dnusd.org/agenda

Coming up on Thursday, January 15, we will be hosting our next Budget Forum Committee meeting starting at 5:30 PM in the District Office Board Room. Join us for this opportunity to learn more about how finances work in our single-county school district.

2026 Building Bridges Family Summit
I’d like to remind everyone about our upcoming 2nd Annual Building Bridges Family Summit, taking place on Friday, February 28, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Crescent Elk Middle School. We had a great turnout last year and are looking forward to welcoming families again this February.

This free, family-focused event is hosted by the Del Norte County Office of Education and will feature workshops on supporting students in schools, using technology, child safety, grade-level transitions, and more. Lunch, refreshments, childcare, and opportunities to win prizes will also be provided. Please keep an eye out for additional details as we get closer to the event.

Standard Response Protocol Rollout
As part of our ongoing commitment to safety, Del Norte Unified School District and the Del Norte County Office of Education will be rolling out the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) across all schools. SRP is a nationally recognized framework developed by the I Love U Guys Foundation and used by schools and public safety agencies nationwide. It provides clear, consistent, plain-language communication during emergencies so students, staff, families, and first responders share a common understanding of the actions being taken.

In emergency situations, information can change rapidly. The Standard Response Protocol allows schools to communicate efficiently by clearly identifying the response in place. When families receive a message that references an SRP action, understanding what that means helps reduce confusion, limit misinformation, and clarify when family action is—or is not—needed. In the coming weeks, schools will be sharing additional information with families to help build familiarity with SRP and ensure our community is well-informed and prepared. Learn more by going to dnusd.org/srp. You can also find this information on your school’s website, under the Our School tab.

Sports Update
Warrior athletics are back in action this week with a mix of home competitions and road matchups. On Tuesday, January 6, Boys’ Basketball will host Arcata at Del Norte High School, with Freshman tipping off at 4:30 PM, followed by JV at 6:00 PM and Varsity at 7:30 PM. Also on Tuesday, Warrior Wrestling will be on the road competing in a dual at Hoopa, with match times to be determined.

On Wednesday, January 7, Girls’ Basketball returns home to Del Norte High to take on Arcata, again with Freshman at 4:30 PM, JV at 6:00 PM, and Varsity at 7:30 PM. On Friday, January 9, Girls’ Basketball will travel to McKinleyville, with JV beginning at 6:00 PM and Varsity at 7:30 PM.

The weekend brings additional competition, as Varsity Boys’ Wrestling heads to Sacramento for the Tim Brown Memorial Tournament on Friday and Saturday, January 9–10. On Saturday, January 10, JV Boys’ Wrestling will compete in the North Coast Classic in Eureka, while JV Boys’ Basketball travels to Grants Pass to take on Grants Pass High. Good luck this week, Warriors!

That’s it for this update. Have a great week, and we’ll see you next Monday.

Thank you!