Update to the Community 9/18/2023

Good afternoon. I'm Jeff Harris, Superintendent of Schools for Del Norte County, and here are the updates for the week of Sep 18, 2023.

I’d like to start by addressing two issues that occurred last week regarding Del Norte High.

Social Media Threat

First, last Friday evening, after students and staff had left school, the high school principal and Crescent City Police Department, like many agencies across California and the nation, were alerted to a social media post referencing a threat to schools. Our School Resource Officer, Officer Sanders, in collaboration with school administrators, quickly investigated the potential threat and determined it was not credible, and Humboldt County Sheriff's Office later verified that the same message was a viral post nationwide. Officer Sanders is continuing to work closely with District Administrators. We’d like to thank the parents and students who brought this message to our attention and encourage the community to continue to report any suspicious activity or social media content they come across regarding our schools.

Structure Fire Near DNHS

Also, last Friday, there was a structure fire that occurred near Del Norte High School. This fire was unrelated to any of our school district facilities, and while the school was unaffected, traffic near the school increased due to first responder activities. Ensuring the safety of our students and the broader community is, and will always be, our primary concern. As always, we will try our best to notify families and the community of any situation that affects our students and schools.

Recapping the First Week of School - Podcast

I also want to let everyone know that we have restarted our podcast series. Many community members like staying informed regarding and hearing candid conversations about our school district, and podcasts are a way of providing that information and awareness. Last week, we posted the second episode of the Coffee & Conversation Podcast, and I had the pleasure of being joined by Paige Swan, Principal at Crescent Elk, Tony Fabricius, Principal at Sunset High, and Theresa Slayton, Principal at Redwood Elementary. We discussed the events of the first week of school and talked about challenges and obstacles, both expected and unexpected, facing our schools. More importantly, we highlighted the successes that have made the start of this year special. It's a conversation worth hearing, and I encourage everyone to tune in by going to dnusd.org/podcast.

Sports Update

Finally, in Warrior Sports, it’s shaping up to be an exciting week. On Tuesday, our Girls’ Golf Team will face St. Bernard’s Academy at 3:30 PM, followed by our Girls’ Soccer Team taking on Fortuna at 4:00 PM at Del Norte High. Rounding out Tuesday's lineup, the Warriors Volleyball Teams are set for matches against McKinleyville at 5:30 PM at home. On Thursday, Warriors Volleyball will challenge Brookings at 5:30 PM at Del Norte High. At the end of the week, the Warriors football teams will face off against McKinleyville at home starting at 5:00 PM. If you are interested in the complete upcoming sports schedule, including away games, please visit dnhigh.org, click on “Athletics” and scroll to the bottom of the page.

That’s all for this week’s update. We will see you next Monday. Thank you.