DJUSD Special Education Department

Dear Families and Community Members,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 School Year! I am excited to extend my warmest welcome back to each of you and wish everyone a smooth start. Over the past week, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting many of our campuses, and I’ve been truly inspired by the excitement and joy of our students. Our special education teachers, providers and staff have been hard at work, ensuring that supportive learning environments and resources are in place. I will continue to visit campuses and look forward to working together to make this year an extraordinary one for all our students. Please know that my door is always open. Whether you have questions, concerns, or ideas, I am here to listen and assist in any way I can. Additionally, should you have any suggestions for our Community Newsletter content this year, such as staff recognition or community resources, please share these with Shannon Harkless at Sharkless@djusd.net. I look forward to collaborating and connecting with you on a fabulous new year.

In Partnership,

Sarah Dhah | Director, Special Education

AB 2173 was signed by Governor Newsom! This bill was authored by Assemblymember Addis and sponsored by the SELPA Association of California. This allows us to replace the special education qualifying category of “emotional disturbance” with “emotional disability”. This is a huge victory for students and families who will no longer have to endure the label of emotional disturbance – 22,000 students who were qualified for special education services in this category last year in the state of California.

Our monthly SACSE meetings will be held on the 1st Wednesday of every month from 4:30pm-6:00pm. Meetings will be held through Microsoft Teams. Please click the link below to join the meetings at the scheduled time.

Join via: Microsoft Teams

Meeting ID: 238 893 269 371

Passcode: umv4Gg

The Special Education Department is delighted to announce the appointment of Katrina Williams as the new Program Specialist for the Davis Joint Unified School District's Special Education Department. With over 20 years of teaching experience, including 15 years dedicated to special education, Katrina brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to our team. Since moving to Davis in 2012, Katrina has been an integral part of our community, serving as an education specialist at Cesar Chavez Elementary for the past 12 years. Her dedication extends beyond the classroom as she has been actively involved as a parent at various schools within our district, including CCE, North Davis, Holmes, and currently at Davis Senior High School. Her collaborative approach and dedication to teamwork will undoubtedly enhance our efforts to support students with disabilities and their families. Please join me in warmly welcoming Katrina to our team. We are excited about the positive impact she will have on our community.

Special Education Department Website

Special Education Department Address:

526 B Street

Davis, CA 95616

Phone:

(530)757-5300 ext. 113