Kira Montgomery was the DHS class of 2022 salutatorian, and she attended Durham schools from kindergarten through graduation. She currently attends the University of California, Irvine as a double major in Dance Performance and Education Sciences. She grew up in the competitive dance scene and has trained in various styles including hip hop, tap, jazz, contemporary, ballet, and modern. Kira has trained with prominent industry choreographers such as Chloe and Maud Arnold, Kent Boyd, Brooke Lipton, Kevin Maher, Ryan Lohoff, and more. She currently tours the US with Hollywood Vibe Dance Convention as a choreographer's assistant and event coordinator and is a member of UCI's Kaba Modern Hip Hop Crew. Within the past few years, she has grown her passion for choreographing and creating pieces for studio showcases, UCI's Barebones Dance Theater, and Kaba Modern. She is looking forward to finishing her degrees to begin industry and professional work in LA and surrounding areas.
Kira, we are so proud of you and love seeing you pursue your dream! Keep inspiring others to go after their dreams, too. Your passion and determination are truly motivating
The installation of fencing on the east side of the Durham Intermediate School campus has been ongoing. Please remember that the area, including the parking spots on the south side of the district office near the sixth grade classrooms, is not a dropoff or pick up location for students. It is not a safe place to drop off students in this location. When the fencing installation is complete, this entrance will not be open, and any student dropped off there will not be able to enter campus at this location. Please utilize the planned drop off area between the district office and Durham Intermediate School gym or drop your student off in the front of the school, where the new parking lot faces the high school parking lot. Thank you for helping to keep our students safe.
Mark your calendars! This year, the Boots and Bowties Dinner Fundraiser will be held at the Memorial Hall on February 20th. Tickets are available now by visiting our Eventbrite website. We are asking any parents willing to help with this dinner to please email Ms. Luce. This fundraiser would not be possible without the help and donations from our parents and community members. Thank you in advance for supporting our chapter.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-boots-and-bowties-dinner-fundraiser-tickets-1112054568149
Mark your calendars! This year the Boots and Bowties Dinner Fundraiser will be held at the Memorial Hall on February 20th. Tickets are available now by visiting our Eventbrite website. We are asking any parents willing to help with this dinner to please email Ms. Luce. This fundraiser would not be possible without the help and donations from our parents and community members. Thank you in advance for supporting our chapter!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-boots-and-bowties-dinner-fundraiser-tickets-1112054568149
Shane Buzza graduated from Durham High School in 1983 and participated in baseball and cross country. He served as Student Body President in his senior year. He showed a strong interest in math and physics and aimed to attend the Air Force Academy. Shane attended Chico State for a year before receiving nominations to West Point, Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy, ultimately choosing West Point.
Graduating in 1988 with a BS in Mathematics, Shane became a Second Lieutenant in Field Artillery and served in Operation Just Cause in Panama. He transitioned to the Army Reserve in 1991 to pursue physical therapy, earning two Master's degrees from CSU Fresno and a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College.
Shane settled in the Monterey Peninsula, raising two sons and running a small physical therapy business. Following 9/11, he served stateside and in multinational exercises, commanding at various levels before becoming a General Officer in 2016.
Currently, Shane is a Major General and Chief of Staff at the U.S. Army Forces Command. His military training includes numerous advanced courses, and he has received various awards, including the Legion of Merit. He has two adult sons and enjoys multisport racing. He holds a private pilot certificate and has recently taken up skydiving, hoping to serve one final assignment before semi-retirement.
We thank you for your service and for being a shining example of what it means to give back to our nation. We are very proud of you.
We are hiring an Intermediate School Principal to join our excellent team. If you’re ready to lead, inspire, and shape the future, we want to hear from you.
https://www.edjoin.org/Home/JobPosting/2030671
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT!
Rose Flores is a proud graduate of Durham High School, class of 2016. After high school, Rose pursued her education at Sonoma State, earning her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing in 2020. Rose then went on to graduate from Sonoma State again in 2022 with a Master’s in Business Administration
With a strong foundation in supply chain logistics and manufacturing, Rose has made an impact as a buyer/planner at Lundberg Family Farms for the past two years.
We are so proud of your accomplishments, Rose. Keep inspiring others.
Join our team! We are hiring a Utility/Bus Driver. Be part of our excellent team and a member of this incredible community.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT! Mark Davis, who graduated in 2023 and enlisted in the US Air Force. He officially graduated from basic training on March 6th and 7th, 2024.
One of our favorite stories about Mark is how he looked forward to lunchtime each day, eagerly anticipating the sweet surprise of candy from home for dessert. The surprise always brought a smile to his face.
Thank you for your service, Mark. We’re proud of you.
The District Office will be closed tomorrow, December 27, and reopen on December 30. Thank you, and have a great weekend.
Tiger Spotlight of the Week: Stacey Blake, Librarian
1) Why did you become a teacher? It's been a long and crazy journey to get to this position at DES, but being the school librarian is where I fit best. Reading to students and interacting with them daily truly fills my bucket. The joy and excitement they bring to each reading session is incredibly fulfilling. It's rewarding to see their curiosity spark and to be part of their learning journey. I truly love my job.
2) What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? Outside of DES, I enjoy reading, spending time with my family and friends, playing games, and taking weekend trips with my wonderful husband of 33 years. These moments of relaxation and connection are incredibly important to me, and I cherish the time I get to spend with loved ones, creating lasting memories. Whether it's exploring new places or simply enjoying a game night, these experiences bring joy and balance to my life.
3) A fun fact about yourself or unique talent you possess, if any? My children share a birthday. My son, Nicholas, was born on June 14, 1994, and my daughter, Madeleine, was born on June 14, 1996. It's always a special day for our family, celebrating both of them together!
4) Favorite book, movie, or music (pick only one to share), and why is it your favorite? I've watched many movies that I've loved, but my favorites will always be Disney movies. Many Thanksgivings have been spent watching a Disney movie with my whole family, laughing and crying together. These movies hold a special place in my heart, as they've created lasting memories and brought my family closer through shared moments of joy and emotion.
5) Favorite part about working at Durham Elementary School? Over the last 16 years, I've seen many changes in the Durham district. I've gained new friends, met many people, and watched students grow into wonderful human beings. The one thing that has remained constant, however, is the sense of community. The staff and students truly become a family here. It's a great place to live and work, and I'm grateful for the connections and experiences I've had along the way.
Just a reminder that tomorrow is a minimum day for all schools as we kick off winter break. We wish all our students and families a joyful holiday season filled with fun and relaxation. We'll be back to school on January 6, 2025.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT!
Jake Ilukowicz is a member of the 2023 graduation class and a Durham student from K-12. Not only did Jake excel in academics at Durham, but he was also a section champion in baseball and basketball.
Jake is attending Texas A&M, pursuing a Sports Management degree with a Marketing minor. Jake is on the path to achieving his dream of working for a professional sports team.
Congratulations, Jake. We're all so proud of you.
🍕🥤🥗It’s time for some MOD Pizza!!! Durham High School PTS is holding a TROJAN TAKEOVER at MOD PIZZA TODAY (all day long). DHS PTS will receive 25% of sales* during this fundraiser. Participate by ordering online using the code MODGIVES25 or by visiting MOD located at 851 East Avenue, Suite 150 in Chico, and show this fundraiser flyer or mention the fundraiser at checkout. 🥗🥤🍕PLEASE SHARE with your family, friends, and neighbors!!!
* Tax, gift cards, and retail sales are excluded from the donation.
Our pre-enrollment for new students is officially LIVE on our website. https://durhamunified.aeries.net/enrollment/Eligibility.aspx?step=year This is specifically for NEW TK or Kindergarten students, as well as any NEW students entering other grades. If you're new to the district or know someone who is, now is the perfect time to get started! Spread the word and visit our website for more information. https://www.durhamunified.org/
The weekly District updates are now live! Check out the news here:
https://www.durhamunified.org/o/dus/page/superintendents-weekly-update
Help Us Showcase Our Alumni!
Durham USD is thrilled to announce our new app for mobile phones! Stay up-to-date with access to events, documents, news, and announcements.
You can download the app for free on Google Play or Apple App Store.
Download for Android https://bit.ly/3tSYC7n
Download for iPhone https://apple.co/3wLOJu8
A few quick notes and helpful hints
1. SCHOOLS BUTTON: Located on the bottom right corner of the screen you can toggle between schools
2. MENU BUTTON: Located on the bottom left corner of the screen you can search through the menu options
a. The menu area holds many things including the breakfast and lunch menus, staff list, calendars for all schools, sports and FFA, notifications that are sent out via the website.
3. SETTINGS BUTTON: In the bottom left corner of the screen tap the MENU button. When the menu appears tap the SETTINGS button located on the bottom left corner of the screen.
a. LANGUAGE PREFERENCE: you can change your language preferences
b. DEFAULT ORGANIZATION: Choose your default school (Durham Unified, Durham Elementary, Durham Intermediate, or Durham High School)
c. SCHOOLS: You can choose which schools you want to view information from. (Please make sure that you mark DURHAM UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT as well as any other schools you wish to see information from.
d. PUSH NOTIFICATIONS: You can choose which schools you want to receive push notifications from. (Please make sure that you mark DURHAM UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT as well as any other schools you wish to receive push notifications from.
i. Push notifications will alert you instantly when items are posted to the website live feed.
4. CALENDARS: To view calendar events please use the calendars in the menu on any of the school sites. At this time clicking on “see more events” will not take you to all the events. It only takes you to that schools’ calendar of events.
Check out the video link below to learn about our new app!
https://drive.google.com/file/...
Exciting opportunity available at Durham Unified School District for a Bus Driver (Part-Time). Apply now and be part of our committed team at Durham Unified!
Email: cbartel@durhamunified.org
530-895-4675 ext5001
The weekly District updates are now live! Check out the news here:
https://www.durhamunified.org/o/dus/page/superintendents-weekly-update
