Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Be someone who matters for someone who matters.

That is the main thrust behind a mentorship program set to begin early next year in the Denair Unified School District.

Trustees were briefed about it by Superintendent Terry Metzger at Thursday night’s board meeting.

The goal, Metzger explained, is to identify community volunteers willing to meet one-on-one for an hour each week with a student. The program will be overseen by Sierra Vista Child & Family Services, a nonprofit based in Modesto that operates a similar system with the 30,000-student Modesto City Schools District.

Informational meetings for potential mentors are scheduled for Jan. 10 at noon and Jan. 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the Denair administration office. They will be a chance for those interested to learn more about the mentoring program from Sierra Vista officials.

“We’re very excited,” Metzger said. “We feel like we have a number of students who can benefit from another caring adult in their lives.”

She already has reached out to local service clubs and said the response has been positive. All mentors will undergo a background check and screening conducted by Sierra Vista, which also will provide training.

The weekly meetings will be held during school hours on the child’s campus. Students from all grade levels and mentors will be matched based on teacher referrals and Sierra Vista’s expertise.

“It could be a conversation in the library or shooting hoops outside,” Metzger explained. “Most often, these students just need someone to be there to listen. They need an adult. Sometimes they’re being raised by their grandparents or caring for their younger siblings. They need someone who can be there for them.”

The partnership is an extension of a larger mental health pilot program that began this fall, also in collaboration with Sierra Vista. A full-time mental health clinician is stationed at Denair Middle School to work with students and their families from all DUSD campuses.

The program is funded by the Legacy Health Endowment, whose mission is to provide financial and technical support to improve the health of people living in Stanislaus and Merced counties. The nonprofit was created in 2014 as part of Tenet Healthcare’s acquisition of Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock.

One of Legacy Health’s grants funds a program directed by Sierra Vista that focuses on the mental health of people living in southeastern Stanislaus County. Research by Sierra Vista shows that some children and teens in the area can be adversely affected by their socioeconomic status or rural living conditions.

“That can lead to greater risk of anxiety, depression and self-harm, including drug or alcohol use,” Metzger said.

With that in mind, Sierra Vista Executive Director Judy Kindle – who lives near Denair – suggested that the school district become an incubator for the pilot program. Metzger quickly agreed.

The mental health clinician provides services not just for Denair students, but also their families, Metzger explained. Referrals come from the students themselves as well as teachers, principals or even family members.

“Our goal is to help families in crisis who have long-term needs,” she said. “If our students can be assisted by our counseling staff, that’s what happens. But this opens up Sierra Vista resources for the students and their families.”

Metzger used a hypothetical example to describe how the mentoring program and mental health access might overlap.

“A high school student suffering from depression might see the clinician, but his or her siblings who need someone to talk to might see the mentors,” she said.

In other action Thursday, trustees:

• Heard the first interim budget report from Chief Business Officer Linda Covello. Attendance across the district is 1.9% higher than expected, including an increase of 12 students at the middle and high school level. If that continues through the end of the school year, it will mean an additional $200,000 in revenue to the district, Covello said. Multi-year projections anticipate continued growth, with the elimination of deficit spending in the 2020-21 school year. “We remain cautiously optimistic,” Metzger said.
• Reviewed the updated California School Dashboard results. Areas of strength include the district’s high graduation rate and the middle school’s low chronic absenteeism. The district will continue to focus on academic achievement, particularly in math.
• Honored the state championship football team and coach Anthony Armas. The Coyotes thrilled local fans by winning the Division VII title Dec. 1, beating Santee of Los Angeles 42-14 at Jack Lytton Stadium.
• Approved the addition of a college course at Denair High School. Beginning in January, an American sign language course taught by Modesto Junior College instructor Pam Martinez will be offered for up to 30 high school students each Thursday from 4:30 to 7:35 p.m. Students who pass the course will receive college credit.
• Elected Trustee Reggie Gomes to be the board president for 2019. Crystal Souza was chosen as clerk. Board meetings will continue to be the second Thursday of each month.

Submitted by Denair High School

Expectations have risen for the Denair High School boys basketball team.

The Coyotes have two all-league players returning from a squad that finished second in the Southern League last winter and qualified for the playoffs. They also have an athletic roster, including four players who still are riding high from winning a state football championship, plus a precocious freshman who already has flashed playmaking potential.

Seventh-year coach R.J. Henderson knows full well that expectations, potential and lofty goals are just empty talk in mid-December. The true measure of success will play out on the court between now and the end of February.

The Coyotes stand at 4-5 as they prepare to host their 20^th annual Denair Holiday Classic Tournament this week. They will face Turlock Christian (a team that beat Denair 60-48 three weeks ago) at 8 p.m. Thursday, Big Valley Christian at 8 p.m. Friday and Escalon at 2 p.m. Saturday.

“The effort and athleticism on this team are by far the best of my seven years here,” assessed Henderson after Tuesday’s practice.

The Coyotes didn’t reach full strength until last week – after the football team’s amazing run that earned it a state title on Dec. 1.

Steffin Winston, Drew Pritchard, Elvis Silva, and Hunter Musgrave were all key members of the football team who only started practicing basketball last week. Henderson said they were on a minutes restriction as their bodies adjusted to a different sport, but that ended with Tuesday night’s 52-48 win over Livingston.

The two returning all-league seniors – Winston and Pritchard – led the way with 16 and 12 points, respectively. Mario Plasencia, only a freshman, sealed the win with an offensive rebound and left-handed put back off a missed free throw in the final minute.

“He’s ambidextrous,” marveled Henderson.

Winston and Plasencia also dominated inside – racking up 29 rebounds and nine blocked shots between them, though both are only about 6 feet tall.

“They’re both quick jumpers who play like they’re 6-4 or 6-5,” Henderson said. “They’re going to surprise some guys this year.”

Junior shooting guard Austin Upfold also has improved his game. He averaged nearly 17 points a game before the football players joined the team and presents another threat on offense.

Henderson is high on two other juniors – wing Elvis Silva (the football quarterback) and Turlock High transfer Hayden Feldman (the first big man off the bench).

“Elvis is just one of those glue guys every team needs,” the coach said. “He can guard three or four positions in the Southern League. And he’s very low maintenance. Just a super special kid.”

After this week’s tournament, Denair plays only two more non-league games – Dec. 20 at Soquel in Santa Cruz and Dec. 28 at home against Pacheco of Los Banos. The preseason schedule and tournaments all are geared to prepare the Coyotes for the start of the Southern League season Jan. 3.

Henderson says defending SL champion Mariposa still is the team to beat, but he expects the Coyotes to try and repeat their success of last season when they steadily improved and qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoffs. They lost in the first round to Summerville.

“We haven’t beaten Mariposa in my six years here,” Henderson said. “That’s got to change.”

Tip-ins: Henderson said the first Cajun Crab Boil fundraiser in November netted the team nearly $10,000. … The Denair Youth League basketball clinic begins on Jan. 12 and continues with games the next four Saturdays. The clinic is open to any boy and girl in grades kindergarten through sixth grade who lives in the Denair Unified School District.