To the David Douglas Community:

I want to express my deepest appreciation to our residents for rallying around the District in support of our bond measure. The overwhelming show of support in passing the bond clearly demonstrates how strongly David Douglas citizens believe in our schools and in providing support for our children.

This show of support for local schools and education will resonate with our students. They know without question that their community is behind them and wants them to succeed. You have told our students very clearly that education is critically important. Your message to our students can only motivate them to take advantage of the education you are helping provide.

Please join the High School Art Department and our wonderful students for opening night of the David Douglas High School Art Show on Thursday, May 17th from 5:00 - 7:00 pm in the District Office breezeway. The show will hang from May 14th through May 25th, so please stop by and see all the hard work our students have put into their projects. This year's student work will include winners from the Scholastic Arts Competition and the Mount Hood Art Show.

What does the David Douglas School District value?

We value community, diversity and a comprehensive academic environment that allows our students to embrace our motto: Learning Today for Living Tomorrow.

Full-day, free kindergarten for all, music and PE at every grade level, opportunities to pursue diverse interests, dedicated and highly qualified teachers and counselors offering rigorous academics and guidance. These are just a few of the offerings available in David Douglas that reflect our values.

Enjoy this brief video that highlights those values, explore our website for more information, and contact us with any questions. You can always send emails to david_douglas@ddouglas.k12.or.us

The David Douglas School District Budget Committee has approved a 2012-13 budget that includes a $93.5 million operating fund (click here to view). That represents a $1 million decline from last year, and is more than $7 million less than in 2009-10.

The procedure for identifying David Douglas Talented and Gifted (TAG) students (K-12) will begin in March 2012. The TAG identification procedure identifies students who are Intellectually Gifted (those who score 97% or above on a test of mental abilities, CogAT) and/or Academically Talented (those who score 97% or above on a test of academic achievement, (Oregon State testing).

Students identified as Talented and Gifted have certain unique characteristics and educational needs that distinguish them from other students. These characteristics include:

• An intense intellectual curiosity

• Ability to conceptualize broad issues, themes and concepts

• Demonstration of higher level thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, evaluation)

The David Douglas School District has made some important changes to this year’s calendar that every parent and student should be aware of.

Beginning Feb. 1, late-start Wednesdays start a half hour later at our three middle schools and at David Douglas High School. This means from now on, middle school and DDHS start times on Wednesdays will be 9:30 a.m.

There is no change in start times for elementary schools or for Fir Ridge Campus.