Monthly Archives: May 2015

DHS Staffing Adjusted to Reflect Enrollment Decline

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DUSD Logo

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

No teachers are losing their jobs, but four instructors will have reduced class schedules in 2015-16 because of projected enrollment declines at Denair High School.

There are 305 students currently at the high school, but only 270 are expected on campus for the first day of the 2015-16 school year when it begins Aug. 12. That disappointing trend required Denair Unified School District trustees to vote unanimously Thursday night to pare back the number of classes offered. If enrollment picks up, some of the teaching hours and classes could be restored.

Superintendent Aaron Rosander stated, “While it’s unfortunate to layoff even partial teaching positions, this reduction is necessary due to a downtick in enrollment at the high school. Having said this, the overall enrollment trend for the District is beginning to show improvement. This should ultimately have a positive effect on Denair High School in future years”.

The district needed to reduce teaching hours by the equivalent of two full-time positions, or 12 classes, trustees were told. The resignation of a part-time Spanish teacher provided one period. The teaching loads of four other teachers were reduced by one, two or three periods each to make up the balance.

No subject was eliminated. Small reductions occurred in English, math and science, civics and economics, world history, PE, health, computer science and Spanish.

Denair High School continues to perform well overall. Its graduation rate is among the highest in Stanislaus County. And the school stood out in the California High School Exit Exam, or CAHSEE, results released this week. Continue reading “DHS Staffing Adjusted to Reflect Enrollment Decline” »

Last Call for Denair Youth Football Registration

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DYF LogoSubmitted by Denair Youth Football

Denair Youth Football registration is coming to an end with the last sign-up event taking place on May 13, 2015, 6:00-7:30 pm, at the Pizza Factory, in Denair. During this event, player jersey fittings will take place.

This will also be the last chance to get information on becoming a DYF cheerleader.  Make-up cheer fittings will take place on May 16, 2015, 4:00 pm, and the Denair Middle School Coyote Center.

Actual registration takes place online at the Denair Lions youth football web site. Children
ages 5-14 are invited to take part in football and cheerleading. You can download the flyer here.
For more information contact Robert Mann at (209) 404-7243 for football, and Tiffany Avara at (209) 484-6748 for cheerleading.

Brian Dudley Wins Southern League Tennis MVP

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Brian Dudley

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Denair’s Brian Dudley won the boys singles championship and was named the Southern League’s Most Valuable Player at the recent tennis tournament. Andrew Knapp and Abi Wilson brought the Coyotes a second title with their victory in mixed doubles.

Dudley, a senior, defeated Jake Van Vuren of Ripon Christian 6-2, 6-1 at the Merced College courts to extend his unbeaten record to 18-0 this season. He will be the Southern League’s top seed when the Sac-Joaquin Section individual tournament begins Thursday at Oak Park in Stockton.

Knapp, a senior, and Wilson, a sophomore, knocked off a team from Delhi to win their championship. The tournament was the first time this season the Denair duo had played mixed doubles this year. That came about after both suffered their first losses of the season in the semifinals of the singles tournament.

Like Dudley, Knapp and Wilson advanced to the Section tournament later this week in Stockton.

For the rest of the Coyotes, the season ended Monday with a 6-3 loss to Summerville in the first round of the Section team tournament. Dudley, Knapp and Wilson won their singles matches, but the Bears prevailed in all the other matches.

Denair (12-3) finished second behind Ripon Christian in the SL this spring.

‘An Evening in Paris’ Huge Hit For Elementary Students

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An Evening in Paris

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Even three days later, students, their families and staff members were buzzing about how much fun they had at Denair Elementary School’s first-ever dance event. Featuring “An Evening in Paris” theme, the May 1 event attracted more than 400 people to the school’s gym for three hours of Gaelic-inspired gaiety.

Many of the young boys donned nice shirts and ties, and the girls wore pretty pastel dresses. Their parents and older siblings also wore attire that would have been fashionable on the Champs de Elysees or at a restaurant overlooking the Seine River.

The gym was festively decorated with colored lights and small tables with miniature Eiffel Towers, transforming it into a faux Parisian nightclub.

The theme was chosen by the parents’ clubs that spearheaded and organized the dance, said Principal Sara Michelena.

“It was super cute and totally age appropriate,” she said, giving special thanks to parents Mary Prine, Kalee Lopes and Troy and Debbie Edwards for their hard work in making the night come to life.

Michelena estimated that two-thirds of the 300 families whose children attend the elementary school and adjacent Denair Academic Avenues participated in the party.

There was plenty of pizza and soft drinks, but the highlight clearly was the professional DJ and the dancing. He taught everyone how to line dance, the cha-cha slide and the chicken dance. And when he played “My Girl” by the Temptations, fathers danced with their daughters and mothers with their sons. Continue reading “‘An Evening in Paris’ Huge Hit For Elementary Students” »