Update to the Community 1/23/2023
Good afternoon, I’m Jeff Harris, the Superintendent of Schools for Del Norte County. This is the update for Monday, January 23rd.
Dates to Remember
There are a few upcoming dates about which I want everyone to be aware. January 26th and 27th are minimum days for grades 9-12 to take finals as they reach the end of the semester. Also, while it’s a few weeks away, I want to remind everyone that there is a four-day weekend from February 17th through the 20th in observance of Presidents’ Day. You can find our academic calendar with all upcoming vacation, minimum, and important dates at dnusd.org/calendar.
Nick and Lisa Rail Donate Instruments at Winter Concert
In the event that you haven’t heard, during the Del Norte High Winter Concert which was held on January 11th, Nick and Lisa Rail donated $150,000 worth of musical instruments, including tubas, trumpets, saxophones, french horns, percussion, and bassoons to students of Del Norte County. This brings the total number of instruments donated by Nick and Lisa to approximately 300, over $350,000 in total donations so far. The donation is a part of the Rails' efforts to improve musical education for all elementary, middle, and high school music programs in the district.
Performing Arts Center– DNUSD Approves Contracts for Planning Phase
On a similar note, the District Board of Trustees recently approved taking a significant step towards beginning the construction of a new performing arts center, thanks to a $1 million grant from the Nick and Lisa Rail Foundation and $2.5 million in state funds secured by Senator Mike McGuire. $3.1 million of those funds will be paid to contractors to provide blueprints, topographical maps, and environmental permits needed to begin the project. The $42 million facility, will have a capacity of 1,000 seats and will provide a venue for students and the community to showcase its talents and serve as a place where Del Norte’s tribal, Hmong, and Hispanic communities can share their culture and art.
Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten Enrollment
February is Early Childhood Education Awareness Month and is an excellent time to focus on the importance of Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten. If you have a child who will be entering transitional kindergarten or kindergarten next school year, I’d encourage you to begin the school registration process. This year enrollment is especially important since the State of California implemented new staffing requirements for transitional kindergarten classes this upcoming year. To prepare for these changes and to ensure that your child has the best educational experience, we need to know how many students we’ll have for the upcoming school year in our TK and K programs. Registration packets for next year will be available at all of our district schools on February 1 and must be submitted to your child’s home school. For more information on registration or to find which school your child may attend, call us at 707-464-6141 or visit our website at dnusd.org/enrollment.
DNHS Sports Update
In DNHS Sports this week, Del Norte High Warriors boys’ basketball team has two home games. Tomorrow, they are playing Eureka starting at 4:30 pm, and on Saturday, they go up against McKinleyville with games starting at 1:00 pm. The Warriors Girls’ basketball team will be playing against Eureka at Eureka High on Wednesday. In Warriors Wrestling, the boys’ and girls’ teams will be at a dual meet tomorrow night in Arcata. This weekend, the boys’ and girls’ teams will be at tournaments, with the boys competing in Ukiah and the girls competing in Windsor. To stay up to date on all Del Norte High School sports, including away games and tournaments, please visit the Del Norte High sports calendar at dnhigh.org, under “Athletics,” or by going to dnusd.org/dnhssports.
That's all for this week's update. Have a great rest of your week.
Thank you!
