Welcome to a new school year! I’m Jeff Harris, Superintendent of Schools for Del Norte, and this is the update for the week of August 17, the first update for the 2026-2027 school year.

Family Summit
We had a wonderful turnout this past weekend for our 3rd Annual Building Bridges Family Summit. I want to start by thanking all of the families who joined us and to the staff and community partners who helped make this year’s Family Summit such a success. Hundreds of children and their family members joined us to get ready for the new school year. Students received school supplies, and family members had an opportunity to meet principals and school staff and to connect with programs and services from across the district, including transportation, nutrition services, Indian education, and many more.

It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces and, more importantly, to hear from families that having so many resources and people together in one place was genuinely helpful.

Dates to Remember
As we begin the final week before students return to school, I want to share a few important reminders to help everyone get ready for the start of the school year. The first day of school is Monday, August 24, and it will be a Minimum Day. Start and dismissal times vary slightly by school, so families are encouraged to visit dnusd.org, select the Families page, and find their school’s bell schedule along with other back-to-school resources. In addition, we have our popular calendar fridge magnets available at each school office. If your child doesn’t receive one of the magnets next week, feel free to stop by their school and grab one.

School Registration
There is still time to enroll your child for the new school year, if you haven’t already. Registration information is available online. Families enrolling a child in preschool or kindergarten can visit dnusd.org/register for registration dates and information about what is needed to enroll your child in school for the first time. Enrollment information for students entering 1st through 12th grade is available at dnusd.org/enrollment.

Free Vaccination Clinics for Students
For students who still need to complete required vaccinations before school begins, Del Norte County Public Health is holding free vaccination clinics this week for eligible students. A 7th-grade vaccination clinic will be held at Crescent Elk on Thursday, August 20, from 5–7 p.m.; kindergarten vaccinations will be available at Joe Hamilton on Friday, August 21, from 1–4 p.m.; and Pine Grove will host both kindergarten and 7th-grade vaccinations on Saturday, August 22, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Please see the accompanying flyer for eligibility requirements and additional information.

Bus Service Signups
Families who would like their child to ride the bus but have not yet registered for transportation can complete the application at dnusd.org/bus. We ask that you do so as soon as possible so that we can solidify stops, routes, and other planning efforts.
Free Meals for ALL Kids
I’m also happy to share that breakfast and lunch continue to be free for all students at Del Norte schools. Our Nutrition Services team served an incredible 668,000 meals over the past year through our breakfast, lunch, supper, and summer programs. We also invested around $225,000 in local beef and produce and provided fresh salad bars every day at every school site.

Even though meals are free, we need every family to complete the Educational Benefit Form regardless of household size or income. The information collected through this application helps our schools qualify for state and federal funding and resources that provide additional support for students. Families can complete the application at dnusd.org/food.

Care Closets
As students prepare for the first week, a water bottle and basic school supplies are helpful if you have them, but we also want families to know that support is available. Our school Care Closets provide school supplies, basic clothing, hygiene products, and other necessities for families who may need them. Simply contact the front office at your child’s school for assistance.

After-School Program
Families looking for after-school opportunities for their children can also register for our Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, or ELOP. Information about the program and registration is available at dnusd.org/elop.

Communication is Key
This year every school and department will be working to improve communications. To ensure that we are to provide meaningful and timely communication, we are asking for your help.
First, please make sure the contact information on file with your child’s school is current, including phone numbers and email addresses for guardians, emergency contacts, and anyone who may be authorized to pick up their child. Accurate information is especially important so we can reach families quickly when needed or in the case of an emergency.

Staying connected is one of the most important ways we can work together throughout the school year. Our schools regularly communicate through phone calls, text messages, and email, and we also share information through school websites and Facebook pages.

Second, we also encourage families to let their school office know as soon as possible whenever they know their child will be absent. The earlier we know, the better our staff can work with families around attendance and any available opportunities to recover missed days.

If you are not receiving district or school communications, please first verify your contact information with your school office. If your information is correct and you are still having trouble receiving messages, our Communications Department can help at 707-464-6143. You can also visit dnusd.org and select Schools to find your school’s website and additional information.

Sports Update
Finally, Warrior sports are back. This Thursday, the Girls Soccer team opens its season with a 4:00 p.m. matchup against St. Bernard’s, here at Del Norte High.

The action continues on Saturday as Warriors football travels to McKinleyville for a preseason scrimmage, with Varsity taking the field at 10:00 a.m. and JV following at 12:30 p.m. We’re excited to kick off another year of Warrior athletics and look forward to cheering on all of our student-athletes throughout the season.

That’s it for this week’s update, we are excited to welcome students back this coming Monday and look forward to a strong start to the new school year. Thank you.