The first day of school – with all its accompanying excitement and nervous energy – went off without a hitch Wednesday for more than 1,300 students in the Denair Unified School District. Each of the four campuses planned fun welcome back activities that led to plenty of smiles, laughter and – especially in the case of parents dropping off kindergartners – even a few happy tears.

“There was an overall positive vibe amongst students and staff,” said Denair High Principal Breanne Aguiar.

“It was a fantastic first day,” added Denair Middle School Principal Gabriela Sarmiento.

No doubt, that upbeat feeling will continue as everyone settles into a new routine in what the district’s top official expects to be a consequential year. In meetings with staff, school trustees and community members, Superintendent Terry Metzger has focused on the ways the district plans to “provide an excellent education for all students.”

Among Metzger’s priorities for the 2024-25 school year:

• Addressing the chronic struggles of English learners across all grade levels
• Boosting math literacy among all students
• Maintaining mental health support systems for students as well as staff
• Continuing to reduce barriers to students’ academic success while increasing their sense of belonging 

English learners represent about 22% of Denair’s enrollment. Metzger said test results show the need to provide additional support for those students. To address the issue, class schedules this year have been adjusted to allow for specific Designated English Language Development time at the elementary level as well as grades 6-12. The district’s Expanded Learning Opportunity Programs (ELOP) also will focus on English learners for the next few years, just like it did during the summer session that just ended.

Math also will be emphasized in ELOP activities. Denair students – like most across the state – continue to struggle to meet math standards. Being literate in math includes critical thinking and logic, as well as arithmetic skills. Metzger said the district also is partnering with the Stanislaus County Office of Education to provide intensive professional development in math for teachers at all level.

In Denair and many other districts, mental health has been a priority since the pandemic revealed worrisome issues for students and staff. Social emotional learning (SEL) and its impact on classroom performance continues to be an area of emphasis. Denair has a team of seven mental health professionals who oversee outreach to all who need it. Metzger said the district’s menu of mental health supports include an active NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness) Club at Denair High, two SEL elementary programs and popular ROX (Rocking Our eXperiences) programs aimed at empowering girls at multiple campuses.

Reducing barriers and increasing a sense of belonging has been a theme championed the past few years by board members, administrators and staff members at every level. Efforts aimed at inclusion are seen in various initiatives across all campuses, Metzger said, as well as in the public reports from principals, district leaders and others that trustees hear at their monthly meetings.

“Trustees listen carefully to students, staff and parents and use that information when it comes time to make decisions,” Metzger said. 

At their monthly board meeting Thursday night, trustees:

• Accepted two large grants from the state – one worth $382,320 to improve heating and air conditioning systems on all four campuses and the other for $124,272 to address plumbing needs. Work is ongoing.
• Heard a report from high school ag teacher Roger Christianson about the county fair. He was joined by more than a dozen FFA members. The fair will be remembered for two things, Christianson said: the heat (“It was between 108 and 114 degrees every day”) and the success of Denair’s students, led by freshman Makenzie Miguel (two first-place market sheep, plus the Reserve Grand Champion Breeding Ram) and Jaydah Rodriguez (eight firsts, one second and one third in horticulture).
• Accepted a Teacher Residency Implementation and Expansion Grant worth $320,000. The money will allow the district to add three “residents.” Teachers College of San Joaquin (TCSJ) will provide aspiring teachers with both university coursework and on-the-job training by assigning them to a mentor teacher in Denair for a full school year.
• Approved an application from the high school for an Agricultural Incentive Grant of about $24,000. The money would be to create and develop programs that motivate students to accept challenges, take pride in their achievements and work to their highest potential. Students will learn about colleges and careers through real-life experiences. 

Family: I have three little sisters — Sienna, Soleil and Summer. My mom, Lourdes Crawford, is the learning director at Hughson High School and my father, Lane Crawford, is a chiropractor in Turlock, he runs his own business, Crawford Chiropractic. I recently got married so there is an addition to our family: my husband Rene. He works independently coding and creating websites for businesses.

School: Denair Middle School

Subject taught: I teach sixth- and seventh-grade English along with the yearbook class.

Experience and education: I started off my education at Modesto Junior College. There I received my associate degrees in sociology and Spanish. I continued my education through CSU Stanislaus and received my bachelors in Spanish. I also have passed the CSET in English and am currently interning through the credential program at Stanislaus. Along with this, I will be receiving the BCLAD when graduating from the credential program.

What attracted you to Denair? Denair’s community is one of the best. Everyone is so close and caring. They really treat you like family here.

What most inspires you about teaching? I’ve known all throughout high school that I wanted to be a teacher because I like helping others. The idea of being able to help my students makes me happy and that’s why I chose teaching as my career.

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? A challenge I look forward to tackling this year is handling everything that comes with teaching. It is my first year as a teacher so everything is new for me. However, I am confident that this year will be great and I’m very excited to start the school year!

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? My favorite activities as a teacher are escape rooms. It’s fun seeing students be so hands-on with assignments and working together as a group. It gives them a better understanding of the novel in a fun way and brings everyone closer!

What do you want your students to remember? I want my students to remember that their middle school experience was filled with good memories and happy thoughts. I hope they remember that their teachers cared about them and always had their support.

How can parents support what you do? Parents can support me by coming to me with any questions or concerns. No matter how little it may seem, I want parents to know that they can communicate with me and I am someone that they can reach out to.

What would surprise people about your job? Something that surprises people about my job is how beneficial it has been to be bilingual. Not many people know I am bilingual, but this really helps with communication with parents and students. Speaking both English and Spanish has made it easier for me to feel closer to the community. 

What do you do for fun?  For fun I love to spend time with my family. As of right now, my little sister loves playing Mario Kart with me. My family and I will all play against each other in races and it’s always fun!

This is one in a series of Q&A’s with employees new to Denair Unified in 2024-25.

Family: My parents, Mary Theresa and Marco Antonio; and my brothers, Scott and Anthony

School: Denair High School

Subject taught: Math 1(H) and Math 2(H)

Experience and education: I graduated from Orestimba High School in Newman and have a B.S. in computer science from CSU Stanislaus. I have been teaching for four years, though this is my first full year certificated.

What attracted you to Denair? I’ve always gravitated towards smaller areas and communities, so the jump from Newman to Denair was very mild. Also, I love the Turlock area.

What most inspires you about teaching? Seeing success in my students, both small and grand. It is forever gratifying to see something in them click or for something to finally make sense. Also, getting to know my students and see their challenges and helping them in whatever little ways I can. Getting to be a little piece of their life is just as rewarding.

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? Adversity in math has always been a problem, and I think that comes a lot from mindset. People think they aren’t good at something, so then they aren’t. I want to break that mindset and show my students that they really can get good and be good at something if they stick with it and keep pushing.

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? You will never hear me say a bad thing about Desmos. Visuals are fantastic and Desmos is all visuals.

What do you want your students to remember? Learning doesn’t start and end with school, we just give you good structure and guidance here. You learn throughout your whole life, so the best thing you can do for yourself is learn HOW to learn best while you’re here.

How can parents support what you do? Just keep them on task and make sure they’re keeping up with their notes, their homework, and any tests or quizzes coming up. Also encourage them to reach out and ask for help themselves, or to try new things.

What would surprise people about your job? How easy it is to have patience for your students. So many people have said, “I could never, I have no patience.” But when you like your job and your students, that’s way easier to do than it seems.

What do you do for fun? Video games and music. I recently beat the Shadows of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring, and just finished replaying Dark Souls III. I’ll probably go back to Minecraft soon since 1.21 just came out.

Denair High students potentially interested in medically related careers will be able to learn more about them beginning this school year thanks to a $200,000 grant the school received from the state.

The money will allow the high school to create its sixth career technical education (CTE) pathway, this one focused on providing “foundational information and skills needed to pursue a career in the medical field,” according to Principal Breanne Aguiar.

Already, almost 60 students have signed up for the first yearlong course – Emergency Medical Training (EMT) 1 – which will begin when school resumes in August. The class will be taught by Melissa Treadwell, a longtime employee in the district whose background includes certification to teach this subject. 

The $200,000 from the Golden State Pathways Program will pay for the materials needed to give students a real-life sense of various medical careers – items such as a gurney, a hospital bed, stethoscopes, training mannequins, a defibrillator and touchscreen smartboards. Aguiar said students will learn about basic human anatomy as well as medical terminology and related concepts. In addition, students will have the opportunity to earn their BLS (Basic Life Support) certification.

The class could be the starting point for students who may want to pursue a career as an EMT, a nurse, an X-ray technician, or various other medically related roles. Even for those who don’t attend college, the class could position graduates for entry-level positions at a local hospital or medical facility, Aguiar said.

As with Denair’s other CTE courses, Aguiar said the EMT 1 class “creates post-secondary opportunities for students and help them identify their interests for what they may like to do as a career.”

The EMT 1 class will be followed by an EMT 2 course in the 2025-26 school year.

About half of Denair High’s 300 students take one or more of the campus’ CTE classes. The other career pathways include agriscience; ag mechanics; arts, media, and entertainment; criminal science investigation; and floral design.

“We want to help students develop interests early on to set them up for post-secondary success,” Aguiar said.

The Golden State Pathways Program is an arm of the California Department of Education. Its purpose is to provide local school districts with the resources to promote pathways in high-wage, high-skill, high-growth areas, including technology, health care, education, and climate-related fields that, among other things, allow students to advance seamlessly from high school to college and career and provide the workforce needed for economic growth.

Aguiar invited students or parents Interested in learning more about the EMT class or Denair’s other CTE pathways to call the high school office at (209) 632-9911. 

No one associated with the Denair FFA will forget the oppressive heat they endured at the 2024 Stanislaus County Fair. The high temperature soared past 100 degrees each day during the fair’s 10-day run, which wrapped up Sunday. 

“It was a crazy, hot week,” summed up Denair High ag instructor Roger Christianson.

But for some of Denair’s 21 students who entered animals or projects at the fair, their memories will include more than just the hot weather.

Freshman Makenzie Miguel – competing in her first fair — finished with two first-place market sheep in their classes. She also had Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Breeding Ram. She also was a finalist for outstanding exhibitor for sheep.

“She really hit the road running this year,” Christianson said.

Miguel also was a state finalist in the Agriscience Fair and is waiting to hear back about qualifying for nationals. 

In horticulture, Jaydah Rodriguez had an amazing fair. She entered 10 plants and was rewarded with eight firsts, one second and one third. Zac Christianson also won two firsts in floral for his Lego projects.

In poultry, Salvador Virgen received second place in Novice Showmanship and earned first, second and third as well as best of breed with his bantam Serama chickens.

For swine, 2023 Denair High graduate Dakota Rutherford returned for her final fair to earn first place in her market class and eighth place for showmanship. Rutherford – about to be a sophomore at Modesto Junior College – will put on her FFA jacket for the final time in October when she receives her American Degree. Christianson said Rutherford is the 21st person in the Denair FFA chapter’s 96-year history to earn the award, which is the organization’s highest honor.

In ag mechanics, Denair had two students win first-place ribbons – Landon Rock with a 350-block coffee table and Brenna Cole with a removable sheep stand.

In goats, Ryan Rohn won first in his market class and third in the heavyweight division.

Ethan Ibarra placed third in FFA Advanced Showmanship and earned first- and second-place ribbons for his geese as well as a second and third for his blue laced Wyandotte chickens.