About Us

Welcome message from the Principal, Mrs. Brown

Dear DES Families,

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year. I am honored to lead a school with such persevering students, an extremely dedicated staff, and a supportive school community.  I feel very fortunate to be part of this school and to support the students and families.  I look forward to our continued partnership to ensure all children are celebrated and supported, and continuing to maintain our tradition of excellence and community that makes Durham Elementary such a special place.

I look forward to continuing to build strong relationships with the staff, students, and families I serve, and listening to your ideas and vision for our school and collaborating with each of you to support our community here at Durham Elementary. I will strive to ensure that all families feel welcome and connected to our school family. Information about joining our amazing and supportive Parent/Teacher/Student (PTS) organization is included in the DES Parent Information Guide and on the PTS bulletin board in our main hallway. Please take the time to read over this Parent Information Guide and check out the DES webpage for more school information: https://des.durhamunified.org/.

The Durham Elementary School office will be open beginning on Monday, August 7, from 7:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. daily. The school office number is (530) 895-4695. Durham Elementary School has opted not to hold Kindergarten Round-Up this year. TK and Kindergarten teachers will send out welcome letters via email on the 7th of August. Parents of children in grades 1st-5th can find their child’s class assignment on your parent portal on Monday, August 14th after 4:00 P.M, as long as all areas have been updated for the current school year, and those teachers will email welcome letters on Tuesday, August 15th.

First Day of School:  Wednesday, August 16, 2023

School Start Time: 8:15 A.M. for all students TK-AM and K-5; 11:10 A.M. for TK-PM

Dismissal: TK-AM: 11:45 A.M. Monday-Friday; TK-PM: 2:40 P.M. Monday-Friday

                   K*-5th: 1:40 P.M. Monday; 2:40 P.M. Tuesday-Friday; and, 12:20 P.M. Minimum Day

Back to School Night: Wednesday, August 23, 2022 (TK-2: 6:00-6:30 P.M., 3-5: 6:30-7:00 P.M.)                                                       

Our drop off and pick up will remain the same as last year: TK and K will be in the front circle, 1st grade in the parking lot near the kindergarten playground, 2nd and 3rd grade on Durham-Dayton Highway, and 4th and 5th grade will be in the high parking lot near the DES garden. Older siblings are asked to walk to the pick-up area of their youngest sibling. Students who attend the After School Program at Durham Park and Recreation District will meet on the K/1 playground. Please feel free to contact me by email at sbrown@durhamunified.org or by calling our school office at (530) 895-4695. I welcome any questions or ideas you would like to share.

I look forward to another wonderful year and seeing our Tigers on the first day of school!

With Tiger Pride,

Samantha Brown, Principal