Category Archives: News

Community Discussions Generate Many Good Ideas; Denair Trustees Take Next Steps Toward District Charter

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Terry Metzger is an optimist. But the new Denair Unified School District superintendent also is a realist. It will take a clear, credible, honest message to gain enough community support to pass a parcel tax next spring – the linchpin in the district’s two-part vision to restore salaries and recruit teachers to propel education forward.

The second piece of that vision involves transforming DUSD into a charter district, which would allow greater flexibility in programming and teacher assignments.

Earlier this month, Metzger held town hall meetings with community members and staff to explain how the concepts support the long-term goals of the district and to listen to questions and comments.

Thursday night, she reported on the meetings to the district’s Board of Trustees.

Part of the conversation, Metzger explained, was asking those in attendance to participate in “vision casting.” She asked her audiences to finish two open-ended sentences:

  • “When my child graduates …”
  • “A great school …”

Respondents used words and phrases like “competence,” “employable,” “prepared for a global world,” “community leaders,” “internally motivated,” and “passionate and compassionate” to complete the first sentence.

For the second, they said characteristics of a great school include “high expectations,” “accountability for everyone,” “are inviting and inclusive,” “prepare students for college and life,” “are safe and stable,” “have excellent staff,” “are innovative,” “support parents and families” and “have a sense of community voice.”

Potentially passing a parcel tax and adopting a districtwide charter are two ways to boost the quality of education in Denair.

Metzger describes the parcel tax as a way “launch the vision” by restoring salaries that were slashed in 2013. Though the district’s finances have since stabilized and overall enrollment has grown, longtime employees still are paid today about what they were 11 years ago.

“It would be a short-term community investment in DUSD that will bring long-term community benefits,” she explained at the Sept. 4 meeting.

A parcel tax would add between $85 to $96 per year to each property owner’s tax bill for no more than five years. The earliest community members could vote on the idea would be next March. Before that happens, trustees must hold a public hearing and then vote to move ahead with a special election, which could cost up to $50,000. Two-thirds of those voting would have to approve for it to pass.

Trustee Crystal Sousa, who attended one of the community meetings, said a parcel tax would be a challenge.

“There still seems to be some mistrust and fear (from the community),” she said. “We have to be extremely clear and extremely transparent. Our messaging has to be right on. We are committed to full salary restoration. We know how hard the staff works and we want to accomplish that.”

Writing a districtwide charter also is a key part of the district’s long-term vision. Thursday, trustees directed Metzger to begin drafting it.

Denair Elementary Charter Academy and Denair Charter Academy (for home-school and independent study students) already operate in such a manner. A new charter would extend to Denair Middle School and Denair High School.

Key to the charter concept, the leaders explained, is the creation of fully integrated “pathways” that begin in kindergarten and extend through high school. Parents and students could choose from career and technical education pathways that include not only core academics but music, Spanish and world languages, agriculture, and possibly law enforcement.

Exposure to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) concepts would be emphasized in each pathway, as would leadership activities.

The idea is to prepare students not just for college but to move from school into productive careers.

At least half of Denair’s teachers must sign off on the charter idea, but Metzger said “we want a bigger consensus than that.” Community input must be solicited and a committee formed to write the new charter, which ultimately needs approval from the state Board of Education. Like the parcel tax, that also could come early next year.

In other action Thursday, trustees:

  • Heard a presentation by high school Principal Kara Backman and Chief Budget Officer Linda Covello about the district’s application for a state Career Technical Education facilities grant to build a farm and technology center. The goal is to boost student skills, especially with agribusiness dominant in this region. The project is estimated to cost $3.9 million; the grant would cover half, with the district using bonds to pay its share. The project would be built on the basketball courts behind the middle school. The farm would have an amphitheater/outdoor classroom, room for livestock and land to grow plants. It could be the site for a farmers market on the weekend. The technology center would have six temperature controlled classrooms and a lab in the middle, providing many opportunities to use the most current technology in the Agriculture and Natural Resources industry sector.
  • Listened as Metzger explained the significance of and how to interpret the California Assessment of Student Progress and Performance (CAASPP). The tests in English and math are taken online over seven hours each spring by students in grades 3 through 8 as well as high school juniors. The results are reported statewide. Denair students in 2016-18 performed under state averages. “They are high profile and high stakes, but they are not what we are about,” Metzger cautioned. “They are often misinterpreted. They represent the cumulative effects of instruction.” The superintendent pledged to work with teachers to evaluate the results and identify what is working and what isn’t. “This is a starting point for us,” Metzger said.

Approved an update of their governance handbook that lays out shared goals and objectives in hopes of “working toward the future while learning from the past.” The document includes a revised mission statement: “Denair Unified School District empowers tomorrow’s leaders through exemplary instruction and powerful innovative programs. Our exceptional school environments are the best education choice for all students.”

De Silva Scores 5 TDs as Unbeaten Coyotes Roll to 56-28 Victory Over Stone Ridge Christian

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Submitted by Denair High School

ATWATER — Three games. Three blowouts. And now, in the mind of Denair High football coach Anthony Armas, the real season begins.

Dylan De Silva ran for 187 yards and five touchdowns Friday night as the unbeaten Coyotes erupted in the second half for a 56-28 non-league victory over Stone Ridge Christian.

Denair’s offense has been unstoppable in the first three weeks of the season, averaging 48 points behind a potent backfield trio of De Silva, Hunter Musgrave, and Steffin Winston.

The Coyotes’ defense – which features most of the same players as the offense – has been overshadowed but still very effective. They’ve recorded one shutout while holding opponents to an average of 15.3 points per game.

Up next for Denair (3-0) is the seven-game gauntlet that is the Southern League schedule, beginning Friday night at Le Grand.

“I don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves,” said Armas when asked about the meaning of a perfect preseason. He knows there are some tough opponents ahead in a league that features three undefeated teams (Denair, Ripon Christian Waterford) and as well as perennial powers Gustine, Orestimba, and Mariposa.

Friday night against Stone Ridge – on a converted athletic field at the former Castle Air Force Base – Denair took two quarters before asserting its dominance. The game was tied 21-21 at halftime before the Coyotes outscored the Knights 35-7 in the final two periods.

Much of the damage came on the same play – a trap to De Silva that Stone Ridge never figured out how to stop. The junior back consistently ripped off big chunks of yardage behind key blocks from tackles Zach Cherry and Derek Starkey and tight end Will Knox.

And when Stone Ridge began to key in on De Silva, Denair handed the ball to Musgrave (12 carries, 129 yards, 1 TD) or Winston (5 carries, 66 yards, 2 TDs).

Amazingly, Denair attempted just two passes Friday. One was a 29-yard completion to Winston on a screen; the other resulted in a sack.

“When our offense is going, you have to cover a lot of stuff as a defense,” Armas said. “Some people try to overload to one side to stop us, but that just leaves someone else free.”

Defensively, Armas credited the Coyotes for responding well to halftime adjustments made by the coaching staff.

“Every game is a feeling out process,” he said. “We had a game plan going in. … We made some tweaks at halftime. I think the kids have a better understanding each week of what we’re trying to do. We’re getting better at reading our keys and filling holes.”

Spearheading the defense were defensive end Scott Badal and middle linebacker Christian Obando.

Armas is satisfied with the progress the Coyotes are making but knows they must keep improving to compete successfully in the Southern League.

“Even plays that are working for us, we can get better,” he said. “Each week, we’re always trying to put something in – new plays, trick plays – to keep it fun for the kids. We may not use it that week, but you never know. And defensively, we still can get better at tackling.”

JV Game: Denair lost 20-12 at home to Mesa Verde of Citrus Heights.

This week: The Coyotes play at Le Grand (1-2), which is coming off a 27-20 loss to Linden. Armas said Le Grand is still in a “rebuilding process,” but has some talent. “They’ve got some big linemen and a good running back. I think it will be physically challenging. I expect them to take some shots down the field.” … Denair debuted at No. 5 in the Modesto Bee’s small-school rankings, which Armas was quick to shrug off. “That’s nice, but it’s just one guy’s opinion.”

Cross Country Runners Hoping to Gain Momentum

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Submitted by Denair High School

The Denair High School cross country team will look to rebound from a slow start in the coming weeks.

The Coyotes finished sixth Thursday in the first of two Southern League meets at Tuolumne River Regional Park in Modesto.

Denair’s team score of 128 (based on the cumulative total of where the five fastest runners finished in the race) left it well behind Waterford (30 points), Orestimba (48), Delhi (56) and Ripon Christian (94).

Senior Uriel Gonzalez (22 minutes, 58 seconds) and sophomore Pablo Flores (22:03) finished back-to-back in 21st and 22nd places, respectively. Juniors Brigg Wenstrand (26:13, 35th), Ramiro Diaz (26:16, 36th), Alex de la Torre (28:49, 38th) and Johnny Ibarra (28:50, 39th) also competed on the relatively flat 5K course.

Coach Matthew Groom takes responsibility for the results, but he has an understandable explanation – he just returned to school after taking time off around the birth of his son. As a result, practices, training, and participation were sporadic in the past month.

“We will work hard for the next league meet at the end of the month,” Groom promised. “I would like to get our points down to around 115 at our next meet and I hope we can break 100 points at the league finals (in late October).”

Groom credits Gonzalez, the team captain, for setting the right example during practice.

“He has shown great leadership,” the coach said. “He has worked hard every day in practice and will continue to improve on the year.”

Groom expects Flores to challenge Gonzalez as the team’s top runner this fall. That makes sense. As a freshman last year, Flores won the Sac-Joaquin Section title for his class. He will run varsity races during the regular season, but race against only sophomores in the postseason.

“I have high expectations for Pablo,” Groom said.

Wenstrand and Ibarra are veterans of last year’s team, while de la Torre and Diaz are new to cross country. Both are veterans of the soccer team in the winter; Diaz also competes in track in the spring.

“This was his first 5k and he beat some runners who have been doing this for a few years,” Groom said of Diaz. “He has a sprinting background and he is an excellent runner in the 100 and 200 for track.  I am excited about his potential, and looking forward to how good he will be when he gets more practice with running distance.”

 

Linemen Pave the Way for Running Backs to Shine as Unbeaten Denair Pounds Millennium 56-18

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Submitted by Denair High School

Running backs get all the glory. Offensive linemen get all the bruises.

That’s a bit of an oversimplification, but there are kernels of truth as well … as only a former offensive lineman like Anthony Armas can appreciate.

Asked to assess his team’s dominant 56-18 victory over Millennium on Friday at Jack Lytton Stadium, the Denair football coach first mentioned running backs Dylan De Silva and Steffin Winston, who combined for 344 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

But Armas quickly pivoted to the play of the Coyotes’ often anonymous linemen, who consistently blew open holes in the Falcons’ defense, allowing Denair to average of a gaudy 13.2 yards per carry (41 rushes, 542 yards).

“That’s a high number,” Armas deadpanned before singling out guards Carlo Morales, a junior, and Hayden Haile, a senior, for particularly strong games.

“They’re our most active linemen,” Armas said. “They do a lot of pulling.”

Morales, Haile, and their teammates had their way with Millennium (0-2), allowing Denair (2-0) to race out to a 35-6 lead at halftime.

“I thought we played really well offensively,” said Armas, whose squad was coming off a bye week after opening with a 32-0 whitewash of Woodland Christian two weeks ago. “The things we needed to fix on offense, we fixed.”

De Silva piled up 175 yards on just 11 carries, scoring twice. Winston was even more efficient, needing just eight carries to gain 169 yards. Included were two TDS – one a 94-yard sprint – plus a 24-yard scoring reception.

Armas was less enthused by his defense, which allowed two touchdowns in the third quarter and three for the game.

“Generally, with how we run our defense, our linebackers and linemen need to get a read (on the opponents’ players,” he said. “We’re still not reacting the way we need to.”

Denair will have this week to correct those problems before hitting the road for the first time Friday night. The Coyotes take on Stone Ridge Christian (2-1) of Merced, though the game will be played at the old Castle Air Force Base site in Atwater.

“They’re good-sized,” Armas said of the Knights. “They can be very physical.”

JV Game: Denair and Millennium tied, 14-14.

Denair Unified Community Input Sessions

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

You’re invited to two community input sessions being held in the Denair Unified School District, Board Room Leadership Center located at 3460 Lester Road from 6-7pm on September 4th and September 6th, 2018.

Please visit dusd.k12.ca.us for an invitation from Denair Superintendent, Dr. Terry Metzger.

We look forward to seeing you at either or both community sessions!