Monthly Archives: September 2016

Denair Students Can Reap the Rewards of Positive Behavior

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PAWS - Obed Gonzalez

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Most students appreciate it when teachers and others compliment their behavior, whether that’s quietly completing an assignment in class, showing respect for others or even helping to clean up the campus by picking up litter at lunchtime.

But back up those positive verbal strokes with a tangible reward and watch those many of those same students ramp up their good behavior.

That’s the thrust behind a new effort launched this year at two campuses in the Denair Unified School District. It’s called Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, and it’s intended to enhance student success and reduce discipline problems by proactively focusing schoolwide attention on what children are doing right.

Teachers and staff at Denair Middle School and Denair Elementary Charter Academy spent much of the 2015-16 school year identifying the standards that would be expected of every student on their campuses. Employees went through extensive training, in part to ensure consistency in what behaviors would be recognized and rewarded.

“Each school will be different because each builds their program from the ground up,” said DMS Principal Kelly Beard.

At DMS, that evolved into what is called PAWS – an acronym that reflects youngsters who have a “positive” attitude, “act” responsibly, make “wise” decisions and “show respect.” PAWS print coupons are handed out by all staff members when they see students displaying those traits. When students collect at least five PAWS prints, they can redeem them for a range of prizes of different values – pencils, notebooks, extensions on homework assignments, passes on PE warmup laps, lunch with teachers. The big reward – worth 35 PAWS prints — is a half-hour with a friend in the “VIP room” playing video games, ping pong, foosball, indoor basketball and other games. Continue reading “Denair Students Can Reap the Rewards of Positive Behavior” »

Denair Loses 35-14 to Much Bigger Gustine Team

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DHS Coyotes Football

Submitted by Denair High School

In football, bigger, stronger, faster players often have an advantage. It’s as true in the Southern League as it is on Sundays in the NFL. Denair knows all too well the difference size can make after its 35-14 loss Friday night to Gustine.

Gustine trotted out 12 players who weigh at least 200 pounds against the Coyotes. That’s nearly half the Reds’ 26-member team. Four of them tip the scales at 250 pounds or more. They’re big boys. Compare that to Denair’s 16 players, only one of whom weighs more than 200 (Joe Brasil at 230).

More than anything else, the physical mismatch explains Friday’s result in the Southern League opener for both schools.

“Their size was a big issue,” admitted Denair Coach Anthony Armas. “They had a big offensive line and that gave us some problems.

Rather than trying to beat blockers straight up, the Coyote defenders shot gaps and tried to use their speed to slow down the Gustine offense. And though it made some good plays, especially in the second half, Denair’s defense was gouged for too many big runs and big passes in the first half as Gustine raced to a 28-6 lead.

The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, but the early deficit and a few key penalties that negated big plays by the Denair offense were too much to overcome.

“It was just one of those nights. Everything went their way,” said Armas, whose team dropped to 2-2 overall. “They were a lot better than we thought, but like I told the kids after the game, ‘That team was better than us, but not 35-14 better than us.’ ”

Junior varsity game: Denair won 22-8. It is 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the Southern League. Continue reading “Denair Loses 35-14 to Much Bigger Gustine Team” »

Class Act! 10 questions for Lori Quillen

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lori-quillen-pic

Submitted by Denair Charter Academy

Name: Lori Quillen

Family: Married with two little boys

School: Denair Charter Academy

Subject taught: Sixth- and seventh-grade home-school independent studies

Experience and education: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Azusa Pacific University. I have taught kindergarten in Southern California, second grade in the Turlock Unified School District and have home-schooled middle school for a local charter family. I also have been a youth ministry leader for 10 years.

What most inspires you about teaching? I’m inspired when students realize that they’re capable of more than they realized.  This might be academically, but could also be socially or emotionally.

What are your biggest challenges as a teacher? My biggest challenge is convincing students that their education is a priority when they have personal or family challenges outside of the classroom that are, understandably, distracting them from learning.

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? My favorite teaching strategy is called Power Teaching.  It’s a method of instruction that engages students with visual, auditory and kinesthetic interaction to maximize their learning potential.  Not only is it a fun way of learning, it’s a fun way to teach!

How has Common Core affected your classroom strategy? The biggest switch has been moving from teaching to the test, where student would regurgitate memorized answers, to teaching students to justify their thinking.  Students are now being challenged to provide evidence for their answers.  For example, this last week in math I asked students to become math lawyers and defend their answers by providing each other with a visual to demonstrate their thinking. Continue reading “Class Act! 10 questions for Lori Quillen” »

Denair Charter Academy’s New Office Opens Up Space for First-ever Student Center

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dca-office

Submitted by Denair Charter Academy

Denair Charter Academy has a new office for Principal Brian LaFountain and his staff. And within the next month, the old office space will be renovated and remodeled into a much-needed student center for the independent study campus.

The shift is the latest domino to fall in a series of moves that began in the summer of 2015 with the relocation of the Denair Unified School District administrative office from a modular building on the east side of Lester Road to a refurbished former classroom just a few short steps across the parking lot. That project included an upgraded meeting space for the district’s Board of Trustees.

For many years, the board held its meetings in the building that now is home to the DCA office. Before it was the board room, it was a band practice area. Last year, it was used once again for music instruction. Given its proximity to the DCA classrooms, it made sense to give it a new purpose.

Walls were added to create offices, cubicles for staff, a reception area, meeting spaces and closets. A bathroom is waiting to be plumbed. Though there still are boxes to be unpacked and photos to be hung, everything is humming in the new building.

La Fountain took over as principal in July, so he spent only a few months in the old DCA office. And as much as he enjoys his new accommodations, what really excites him is what’s yet to come.

DCA prides itself on providing “personalized education opportunities” for its more than 300 students, but most of them spend only a day or two a week on campus working one-on-one with their teachers. The rest of their education takes place elsewhere. Parents use lesson plans created in tandem with DCA instructors to home school K-8 students; independent study plans are developed for high school students away from campus. Continue reading “Denair Charter Academy’s New Office Opens Up Space for First-ever Student Center” »