Category Archives: News

New Principal Naranjo Brings Personal Experience to DCA; LaFountain Takes Over at Middle School

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

More than most school administrators, David Naranjo knows what it’s like to be a teen-ager struggling to make his way in high school. That empathy comes from personal experience. Naranjo was once a high school dropout himself. He has felt the uncertainty and the disillusionment, and sensed the lowered expectations that others have for teens in that situation.

And he’s living proof that there is a way out. That difficult family or financial circumstances or poor choices made as a teen don’t have to determine the rest of your life. There is hope.

As the new principal at Denair Charter Academy, Naranjo wants to be a role model for his independent study high school students, many of whom confront similar challenges as he once did growing up in San Diego County.

“I tell them, ‘I was a high school dropout,’ ” Naranjo said. “I had a tough family situation, but I went back and graduated from a continuation school. I started college when I was 23 and became a straight-A student.

“I was the first person in my family to graduate from high school or college. If I was going to break the cycle of not graduating, that was on me. I took it very seriously. That’s the example I want to set today for our students.”

Officially, Naranjo’s title is senior director of student support services. In addition to his duties at DCA, he will oversee various state-mandated responsibilities for all of Denair Unified’s four campuses. But much of his initial focus will be on the staff and students at DCA, which offers home-school options for parents of students up to eighth grade in addition to independent study for high schoolers.

Naranjo replaces Brian LaFountain at DCA. LaFountain moves across the street to Denair Middle School as principal.

Naranjo comes to Denair from the Tuolumne County Office of Education. His new role reunites him with Denair Superintendent Aaron Rosander. Naranjo was principal of Mariposa High School and Woodland Elementary School when Rosander was the schools superintendent in that county. Continue reading “New Principal Naranjo Brings Personal Experience to DCA; LaFountain Takes Over at Middle School” »

Get Your Fireworks and Support Denair!

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Still looking for those last minute fireworks for tomorrow night? Buy your fireworks in Denair and support local youth groups.

Denair Sober Grad and Football have a booth, selling Phantom Fireworks on Main Street, in front of Denair Foods. They are open 10:00 am – 9:00 pm and are offering 10% off for DUSD employees.

Denair Youth Football has a booth selling TNT fireworks, in front of the Denair Gaslight Theater and the Denair Community Center on Main Street. They are open 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Stop by either of these fireworks booths and rest assured your dollars are supporting local Denair youth groups!

Denair High Grad Kyle Prock Honored with Top FFA Award

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Submitted by Denair High School

Kyle Prock comes from a farming family, which makes the DEKALB Agricultural Accomplishment Award he recently was given even more special.

Prock’s grandfather, father and uncle all have been involved in the Future Farmers of America organization through the decades. They have devoted their lives to raising beef and dairy cattle.

“Not everyone wants to be a farmer, but if it weren’t for farmers or ag, the world would be a lot worse off,” Prock told the Turlock Journal. “The FFA is a once in a lifetime opportunity that every kid and every school should experience.”

Prock appears poised to carry on the family legacy. The DEKALB award recognizes FFA members who excel in academics, leadership and ag work experience. That pretty much sums up Prock’s life so far.

The 2017 Denair High graduate was the quarterback on the playoff-bound football team last fall, though a knee injury cost him part of the season. It also prevented him from wrestling last winter, though he worked hard to rehab the knee so he could play baseball this spring.

Prock has been very active in various FFA projects and responsibilities. He credits the organization with providing the experiences that led to a bevy of small scholarships this spring.

“At other, bigger schools, you’re either an athlete or in FFA,” Prock told the Journal. “It’s cool because at a small school like Denair, you’re able to be an ag kid and a sports kid.”

His knee healed, Prock plans to play football again this fall at Merced College. But his longer-term focus is transferring to Fresno State in two years to pursue a career in agribusiness. He’d like to become an ag real estate appraiser.

“Kyle is an amazing student athlete,” praised Denair High Principal Kara Backman. “He is self-driven, passionate about agriculture and will succeed with any goal he sets for himself.  I am honored to be his past high school principal. He is a next generation leader in our community.”

DUSD Approves $16.7 Million 2017-18 Budget That Includes $1 Million for New Classrooms, Textbooks

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

The Denair Unified School District is in growth mode again, a fact plainly reflected in the 2017-18 budget passed unanimously by trustees Thursday night.

The $16.2 million spending plan projects the use of more than $1 million in so-called “one-time funds” received from the state over the past few years. Most of that money will be directed to new buildings on the fast-growing Denair Elementary Charter Academy campus, new textbooks at all four campuses, and computers and other technology to better prepare those students.

The budget also reflects a $500,000 Clean Energy Grant received from the state. That money will pay for the energy-efficient lighting and a heating and air conditioning system installed this week at Denair Charter Academy. It also will fund new LED lighting at the Denair High gym and at about half the classrooms there and at Denair Middle School.

DECA must add two classes each year for students in the dual-immersion program, which teaches children in Spanish and English. It started at the kindergarten level in 2015-16 and expands to each grade level as the first students advance. Covello said about $415,000 will go toward purchase and installation of up to 10 portable classrooms at DECA in time for the 2018-19 school year.

Another $430,000 will be directed toward the purchase of new textbooks in Spanish, English language arts and math across the district, Covello said. About $120,000 will be used to replace two computer labs at DECA and $100,000 will buy eight to 10 Chromebook carts (portable computers used across the district).

“It’s exciting that we’re updating so many things,” said Trustee Ray Prock Jr.

The one-time funds have accumulated the past three years, Covello said. By law, they cannot be spent on ongoing expenses such as employee salaries. Continue reading “DUSD Approves $16.7 Million 2017-18 Budget That Includes $1 Million for New Classrooms, Textbooks” »

World Champion Drum and Bugle Corps Returns to Denair for Weeklong Camp

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

It’s about to get loud again at the Denair High School stadium and middle school facilities.

The Vanguard Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps of Santa Clara are back for the eighth year in a row. The 150-member organization of musicians and color guard participants traditionally begins each summer competition season with a weeklong camp in Denair.

“The relationship between Denair and Vanguard has been positive and has generated interest to the degree that folks will stop by to watch,” said Aaron Rosander, superintendent of the Denair Unified School District.

Twice in the past four years, the camp provided a springboard to the Drum Corps International Open Class Championship, which the Bay Area group has won four times (2000, 2008, 2013 and 2015). Santa Clara finished second last summer.

“We make a lot of noise, so it’s easy to become a distraction. The people here are really nice; very welcoming,” said Steve Barnhill, the corps’ director. “The facilities are great. We’re right next to the cafeteria. We’re right next to the quad. We have access to football field. And it’s quiet and safe at night.”

Vanguard’s group includes about 70 musicians in the brass section playing trumpets, mellophones, trombones and tubas; about 40 in the color guard waving flags, twirling rifles and dancing; about 35 in percussion playing snares, quads, xylophones and marimbas; three drum majors; and about 20 adult instructors. The caravan of three buses, a semi-trailer full of instruments, flags, uniforms and equipment, and a mobile kitchen will arrive on Thursday.

The cadets bunk in the middle school gym while the adults use various classrooms. “We all have air mattresses,” Barnhill said. “This gets our kids and our parental volunteers used to the idea of living out of a suitcase and sleeping on air mattresses. We couldn’t afford it otherwise. It’s not practical. Plus, we need the space a school provides to rehearse. We’re very self-sufficient.” Continue reading “World Champion Drum and Bugle Corps Returns to Denair for Weeklong Camp” »