Submitted by Denair Municipal Advisory Council
The Denair Municipal Advisory Council has posted the agenda for their November meeting, scheduled for November 4, 2014. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held in the DUSD Leadership/Board Room.
Submitted by Denair Unified School District
The excitement of an afternoon homecoming celebration gave way to the harsh reality of a tough football season Friday night for the Denair High team.
Outmanned and physically overmatched, the Coyotes quietly were beaten 31-0 by Ripon Christian before an enthusiastic crowd at Jack W. Lytton Stadium.
A week after nearly upsetting Orestimba on the road, Denair saw the accumulation of injuries and roster attrition undermine its chances against Ripon Christian. The Coyotes suited up just 19 players, five of whom were nursing various aches and pains that kept them from contributing to the fullest.
Despite another gritty effort, the outcome wasn’t in doubt after the first quarter. Denair trailed 31-0 at halftime after RC quarterback Billy Marr threw four touchdown passes. With a running clock the entire second half, neither team found the end zone again.
The loss dropped the Coyotes to 0-5 in the Southern League and 2-6 overall with two games left in the season – this week at league-leading Le Grand (6-2, 5-0), followed by a home game against Waterford (1-7, 0-5).
“Le Grand is a quality team with quality athletes,” assessed first-year Denair coach Ted Howze. “We’ve got our hands full.”
Though the on-field results haven’t always reflected it, Howze said the program has improved this season after going winless a year ago.
“We continue to work on getting better. We continue to prepare our underclassmen for next year. And we tell our seniors to have fun these last two games,” said Howze.
The junior varsity team, in particular, offers realistic hope for future. The Coyotes defeated Ripon Christian 12-7 Friday night, raising their record to 3-1-1 in the Southern League and 5-2-1 overall. Since Waterford does not have a JV team, Howze plans to promote all the sophomores to the varsity for the final game of the season.
“It’s coming,” he said of another victory at the varsity level. “The work ethic is there; you can see it.”
Follow the Denair football team on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Denairhighschoolfootball/
Submitted by Denair Unified School District
Stanislaus County’s top education official walked away impressed after his quick visit Monday to three campuses in the Denair Unified School District.
Tom Changnon, Stanislaus county superintendent of schools, used words like “amazing,” “excellent” and “terrific” to describe his hourlong tour. He popped in to classrooms at Denair High School and Denair Middle School as well as Denair Charter Academy, observing lessons and talking with students as well as teachers.
“Boy, am I impressed. There are a lot of good things happening out here,” said Changnon, who tries to visit each of the county’s 25 school districts every few years. He estimated it had been at least three years since his last trip to Denair, which is in the midst of a remarkable financial and academic recovery under new Superintendent Aaron Rosander.
“It’s night and day difference here now,”Changnon marveled. “The level of enthusiasm among the students and staff is obvious.”
Changnon was accompanied on his walking tour by Rosander as well as Aaron Delworth, the principal of the high school and middle school. Changnon generated plenty of reaction with his San Francisco Giants pullover and orange-and-black tie. A former minor league baseball pitcher, it was clear which team he’s pulling for in the World Series.
“Go Giants,” was a familiar response when Changnon entered science, history and social studies classes at the middle school or was spotted by high school students during their lunch period.
He interacted with sixth-graders learning about energy convection in the ocean and others studying Greek mythology. At Denair Charter Academy, he talked with Principal Michelle Bush as well as a student and staff involved in the very popular independent study program. He saw the high school band area and cafeteria, and was especially impressed by the four student-built floats that appeared in Friday’s homecoming parade.
“This is really something. Amazing,” Changnon said while art teacher John Stavrianoudakis explained how the projects came together.
Changnon listened intently as Rosander and Delworth described plans to form partnerships with nearby California State University, Stanislaus, to bring in professors to lecture about science and language arts or offer advanced placement and college-level classes to Denair students.
“That’s excellent,” said Changnon. “You get a really good feeling walking around this campus. These are good kids. They’re open, they’re friendly, they shake your hand. Denair is such a nice place. The people who live here have a lot to be proud of with this school district.”
Submitted by Denair Unified School District
Beautiful queens accompanied by brothers who became kings. An entertaining marching band and energetic cheerleaders. Stylishly decorated floats, tricked out trucks and shiny convertibles.
And purple. Lots and lots of purple. Plus, plenty of smiling faces.
The annual Denair High School homecoming parade had it all Friday afternoon, marking a fun-filled and memorable beginning to a day that concluded with the varsity and junior varsity football games against Ripon Christian.
Hundreds of people lined the parade route, which began outside the high school on Lester Road, turned east on Main Street and followed a roundabout path before returning to campus.
Even a brief delay at Main Street and Sante Fe caused by back-to-back Amtrak and freight trains didn’t dampen the enthusiasm. The band kept up the beat, the students on the floats waved and waved, and the crowd cheered.
The festivities began in the gym with the crowning of varsity and junior varsity royalty.
Seniors Stephanie Gazcon and Pepe Fuentes were chosen as queen and king, generating a roar of approval from the hundreds of students in the bleachers.
Freshmen Litzy De La Cruz and Luis Fuentes (Pepe’s brother) were honored for the junior varsity, again sparking an enthusiastic reaction.
Other varsity nominees for queen were Savannah Dixon, Samantha McVeigh, Macie Hughes, Alyssa Lopez and Destiny Silva. Austin Hughes, Noah Melrose, Edwin Flores, Carter Lawson and David Sweeten were in the running for king.
Among the junior varsity, the queen’s court included Abby Helnore, Kelsey Park, Eva Varni, Hannah Knox and Bryanna Suarez. The other nominees for king were Brenden Curnow, Ethan Lei, Seth Snider, Dylan Mann and Chase Pritt.
Each of the high school grade levels created a float. The theme was “Super Heroes” and the students clearly took that to heart, each using a Coyote with special powers to defeat or dominate a Knight, which is Ripon Christian’s mascot.
The senior float featured a muscular and purple-clad Captain Coyote with his mighty shield bursting through a red, white and blue background. The “Defender of the Goal Line” was too much for a meek knight.
The junior float sported a Batman theme, with a caped crusader in a black Coyote-mobile running over a helpless knight under the backdrop of a metropolitan sky.
The sophomore float had a hulking giant green Coyote with purple pants crashing through a knight’s fortress, burying him under a pile of broken bricks.
The freshmen float drew inspiration from Superman. A powerful Coyote-man in the familiar blue tights and red cape towered fearlessly over a sword-bearing soldier in armor, declaring, “You’re no Krypto-knight.”
Submitted by Denair Unified School District
Students from Denair Middle School will host a special Book Fair from Scholastic on October 20 -23, 2014 from 7:35 am to 3:45 pm. and on Oct. 24th 7:35 am-12:00 p.m. to help raise funds for to purchase new books for the library and classrooms.
The Book Fair will be open each day from 7:35 am to 3:45 pm and feature a wide range of books for young teens and adults, including mystery and adventure novels, fantasy series, sports guides, graphic novels, and the latest best sellers from more than 100 publishers. Parents, children, teachers, and the community are invited to attend. On October 22nd from 4:30 to 7:30, the Book Fair will feature an evening event.
Student volunteers, called the Crew, helped to plan the Fair and will also help run it. From creating special promotions and merchandising displays, to managing inventory and assisting shoppers with their selections, Crew members learn real-life skills while helping to make reading for pleasure a cool activity at their school.
“Our Student Crew is working very hard to put on a great Book Fair event – one that promotes literacy and reading, while at the same time raising money for much-needed school resources,” said Ms. Schell, Librarian at Denair Middle School.
Fair attendees can also help build classroom libraries by purchasing books for teachers through the Classroom Wish List program.
Proceeds from the Fair will also be used to purchase essential classroom and library books at Denair Middle School. If we reach our goal, our principal has agreed to wear a crown for a day. For more information contact Ms. Schell at (209) 632-2510, ext. 3210.