DJUSD Staff Insights

• March 18 - End of Ramadan
• March 23 - 27 - Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
• March 31 - César Chávez Day
• April 1 - Passover Begins
• April 1 - Autism Acceptance Month
• April 1 - Child Abuse Awareness Month
• April 5 - Easter
• April 20 - 24 - School Volunteer Week
• April 24 - NO SCHOOL
• May 1 - 31 - Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• May 1 - 31 - Jewish American Heritage Month
• May 1 - 31 - Mental Health Awareness Month
• May 22 - Harvey Milk Day
• May 25 - Memorial Day - NO SCHOOL
• May 27 - Eid al-Adha

April and May bring many opportunities to celebrate the incredible staff who support our schools every day. Please join us in thanking these dedicated professionals for the care, expertise and commitment they bring to our students and school communities daily.

• April 1 - Paraprofessionals Day
• April 4 - School Librarian Day
• April 22 - Administrative Assistants Day
• May 1 - School Nutrition Employee Appreciation Day
• May 1 - School Principals' Day
• May 4 - 8 - Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 5 - Teacher Appreciation Day
• May 6 - School Nurse Day
• May 18 - Speech Pathologist Appreciation Day
• May 18 - 22 - Classified School Employee Appreciation Week

The Second Interim Budget Report will be presented to the School Board for approval on March 12, 2026. This report provides an update on the district’s current budget and financial outlook and helps guide planning for the remainder of the school year. At the same time, the district will begin working with school and department staff to develop the budget for the upcoming school year.

Once approved, the report—along with past budget reports—will be available on the DJUSD Budget webpage. If you have any questions, please contact the Business Office (busservices@djusd.net). Thank you for your continued support.

If you’re a district employee who owns and lives in your home in Davis, you may qualify for a property tax exemption under Measure G. Forms are available on Informed K12, and the deadline to submit is June 15, 2026.

Eligibility Requirements:
✔ You must be a temporary, probationary, or permanent employee of the district.
✔ You must have a half-time or greater assignment for the following school year.
✔ Your home must be your primary residence.

The district will determine if you qualify, and exemptions remain valid as long as you continue to meet the requirements.

We are currently preparing our P-2 attendance report, an important milestone in California’s school funding process. The P-2 report captures average daily attendance (ADA) data through April and is used by the state to calculate Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) funding—one of the primary sources of financial support for our schools.

Because school funding is directly connected to student attendance, every day counts. Strong attendance helps ensure that DJUSD receives the resources needed to support student learning, staffing and programs across the district. Thank you for continuing to support regular attendance and helping our students show up ready to learn each day.

DJUSD will proudly celebrate the Values in Action Awards recipients at the March 5 Board of Education meeting, honoring individuals whose daily actions reflect the District's shared values. Please visit the DJUSD Values in Action Award website to view the March award recipients and to submit nominations for the next award cycle.

Elementary summer school will be held from June 22–July 31 at Willett Elementary School. The program provides additional learning opportunities and support for elementary students during the summer months.

More details and program information will be shared in a summer school memo from Instructional Services, which will be emailed to all elementary staff in the coming weeks.

Calling all Kindergarten-2nd grade teachers! Be on the lookout for an email from our Literacy Coordinator, Kelly Valdepeña, regarding a voluntary, upcoming collaboration day. We will provide a sub for interested grade-alike staff to meet and plan/calibrate on best practices and instructional strategies related to early literacy, specifically around the implementation of UFLI and Estrellita, as well as using the results of our Multitudes screener to support students. More information to come!

Thank you to the many elementary educators who have joined the UC Davis Math Project professional learning series and volunteered to help pilot and evaluate potential new math instructional materials. The first two sessions were well attended and sparked thoughtful collaboration around strengthening math instruction for our students. We appreciate the dedication of this team and look forward to the continued work ahead as we prepare for the upcoming math curriculum pilot and adoption process.

Over 40 DJUSD educators, ranging in grade level K-12, participated in Day 1 of a 5-part professional development series in partnership with the UC Davis Math Project on February 19, 2026. The goal of this PD series is in preparation for a K-8th grade Math curriculum pilot and adoption process beginning in the Fall of 2026. This spring the team will build a common understanding of the CA Math Framework, develop a vision for the future of math instruction in DJUSD, calibrate the components of math curriculum that will best serve all our students and develop an evaluation rubric for pilot materials. The timeline for formal adoption of curriculum is December, 2026, followed by training and support in the new program, and full implementation in the Fall of 2027.

Ciudad del Sol, the Davis Migrant Camp, will reopen on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, welcoming new and returning families for the season. DJUSD staff will be on site to support families with school enrollment, connect them with district services and help ensure students have a smooth transition into our schools.

As in previous years, transportation will be provided for migrant students residing at or near Ciudad del Sol so they can attend their assigned DJUSD schools. The district looks forward to continuing its support of students’ success throughout the school year.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are just around the corner! The Language Justice and Family Partnership Coordinators will once again arrange interpreter services to ensure all families can fully participate in these important conversations. To request an interpreter for your conferences, please complete the 2025–26 Interpreter Request Form. Due to high demand, we ask that requests be submitted at least five business days in advance. Please note that vendors will charge a fee for changes or cancellations made with fewer than 72 hours notice.

For questions or support, please contact:

• Ximena Diez-Jackson – xjackson@djusd.net | 530-205-3163

• Maria Leyva – mleyva@djusd.net | 530-207-0420

The UC/CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity and Learning is excited to host Heather DiFede for their next webinar on March 26, 2026, from 3:30-4:30pm.

March 26 - for Administrative Designees and General Educators - Link to register

Can't attend? All sessions are recorded and available at arrayalearning.org.

The Superintendent’s Advisory Committee for Special Education (SACSE) invites you to join our next virtual meeting. SACSE provides an important space to learn, share perspectives and support inclusive practices across DJUSD.

📅 Wednesday, March 4

🕓 4:30–6:00 p.m.

🖥️ Virtual via Microsoft Teams

Meeting ID: 276 321 842 771 3

Passcode: Xw3bi9zg

We welcome your voice and participation and we hope you can join us and be part of the conversation!

Join UC Davis partners on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 (3:00–5:00 pm) at the UC Davis International Center for a collaborative workshop on inclusive book clubs and university–community partnerships. Hear from Redwood SEED Scholars students and leaders in inclusive library services, and connect with colleagues to share ideas. Contact Megan R. Macklin (mrmacklin@ucdavis.edu) and Kate Snow (ksnow@djusd.net) to get involved.

📚 Trainings from the SELPA: All sessions are free and qualify toward salary advancement through professional growth credit. 👉 Register via the Yolo County SELPA website and in the Perform system to ensure credit.

• March 12: Developing Resilience in our Youth

• April 14: Autism and Mental Health

Our Special Education colleagues are sharing practical tools to support inclusive classrooms, including Rethink Recess for Inclusion, Grading for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms, Dyslexia and Executive Functioning Padlets (with webinar recordings), and the HQ IEP Toolkit. Take a moment to explore and bookmark what will support your students and planning.

• Rethink Recess for Inclusion

• Grading for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms

• Dyslexia Padlet, Webinar Recordings

• Executive Functioning Padlet

• HQ IEP Toolkit

This presentation by CommunicareOLE clinicians Daley Glander, AMFT and Maria Sabino, ASW, PPSC provides parents and caregivers with trauma‑informed strategies to better understand and support their children in coping with news, media and community stressors. The PEP Talk will be held virtually on 📅 Wednesday, March 18 @ 🕓6:00-7:30 pm.

Click here for more information and to register.

Korematsu Elementary School has been selected as one of three recipients of the North Bay Schools Insurance Authority (NBSIA) Safety Grant. This competitive grant will provide $5,000 to support improvements to safety equipment on campus, helping strengthen a safe and supportive learning environment for students and staff. Congratulations to the Korematsu community on this recognition and investment in campus safety!

DJUSD’s Maintenance and Operations Department is currently hiring and we invite you to help spread the word! These important roles help keep our campuses safe, clean, and welcoming for students and staff.

Open Positions:

Maintenance & Operations

• Groundskeeper (two positions available)

• Grounds Specialist III – Irrigation

• Maintenance Specialist III – General

Facilities Operations

• Custodian – Day Floater

For full job descriptions and to apply, please visit EdJoin. Join our team and help support the spaces where our students learn and grow!

Congratulations to Capital Operations staff members Laura Cody, Magdalena Meza and Malik Hameed, who have been recognized with the DJUSD Values in Action Award. Their outstanding efforts celebrate the cultural contributions and identities within our school communities while advancing DJUSD’s goals for student success.

Please join us in celebrating these amazing staff members at the Values in Action Award Ceremony on March 5 at 6:30 p.m. during the DJUSD Board of Education Meeting at City Chambers.

Thank you for your dedication to supporting our students, staff, community members, and facilities.

Student Nutrition Services (SNS) is pleased to welcome Andrew Herrera, Food Prep II at Patwin Elementary and Miles Colter, Food Prep II at Davis Senior High School. We’re excited to have them join the team and look forward to their contributions.

SNS also helped host visiting educators from Taiwan at César Chávez Elementary, where guests enjoyed a school lunch prepared by Rashda Malik, Dominique Ayers, Stacy Clark and John Mills. The menu featured Tinga Chicken Tostadas, Bean and Cheese Burritos and fresh fruits and vegetables, giving our visitors a delicious taste of DJUSD school meals.

The next regular meeting of the Board of Education will be in-person on Thursday, March 5, 2026. This regular meeting can be viewed on DJUSD Education Channel 17 and by livestream, or you can watch archived recordings at djusd.tv.

• Employee Assistance Program
• Mental Health and Wellness Resources
• DJUSD Strategic Plan
• Office of the Superintendent
• More Ways to Stay Connected
• Share your thoughts and concerns at communications@djusd.net

DJUSD Staff Insights e-newsletter is designed to keep our employees up to speed on the latest news and need to knows coming from various departments in this very challenging time. We hope you find this resource helpful. You can find archived issues on our Staff Insights webpage.