Retiring Denair Leader Warns District Finances Still ‘Fragile,’ Emphasizes Need to ‘Increase and Sustain’ Revenue

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Even as the search for a new superintendent enters its final stage, the current leader of the Denair Unified School District reminded the community Thursday night not to become complacent about the financial progress that has been made in the past four years.

Aaron Rosander, the man hired in 2014 to engineer the district’s turnaround from the brink of fiscal crisis, will retire at the end of this year. His replacement has been chosen, though he or she is not expected to be publicly introduced until the May 10 Board of Trustees meeting.

The new superintendent will inherit a district that has made significant progress to earn back public trust by restoring financial stability and improving classroom results. But crucial work remains, according to Rosander.

Enrollment at the high school and middle school must begin to grow again, innovative new educational programs must be introduced and employee salaries must be fully restored after deep cuts enacted in 2013.

The key, he believes, is a two-pronged strategy unveiled two months ago: creation of a new charter concept to cover “seamless academic progression” from kindergarten through high school coupled with voter approval of a small parcel tax to provide necessary revenue.

Rosander shared with trustees Thursday night a financial review from the Stanislaus County Office of Education that expressed concern “about our enrollment … as it relates to our ongoing financial condition.”

He called Denair’s budget situation “balanced but fragile” and urged the district to “respond to our circumstance by embracing viable initiatives that will increase and sustain … revenue.”

Rosander’s replacement will no doubt play a pivotal role in galvanizing public support for the proposals. Continue reading “Retiring Denair Leader Warns District Finances Still ‘Fragile,’ Emphasizes Need to ‘Increase and Sustain’ Revenue” »

Denair High School Class of 98 Reunion

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Submitted by Denair High School Class of ’98

The Denair High School Class of ’98 Reunion will be held on Saturday, October 13, 2018, at the Dust Bowl Brewing Co. Brewery Taproom, at 6:00 pm. More details and ticketing information to follow. We’re also hoping to attend the DHS Homecoming football game on that Friday night. Save the date!

Denair Sports Boosters Fundraiser set for Saturday

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Submitted by Denair Sports Boosters

Attendees will have all the fun, but the boys and girls athletic programs at Denair High will be the big winners at Saturday night’s annual Sports Boosters Fundraiser.

The event begins at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Denair Community Center.

Tickets are $50 per person and include a steak dinner, free wine and beer, live and silent auction items, a dessert table and a live band. The theme is “Masquerade at Mardi Gras,” so bring your New Orleans mask and dancing shoes.

All proceeds go to supporting the Denair High sports programs.

To become an event sponsor or to donate any auction items, please call Tim Fanning at (209) 380-8180.

Denair Trustees Whittle Superintendent Choices to Final 4

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

The Denair Unified School District board narrowed the list of applicants to become the next superintendent to four finalists at a special meeting Monday night.

Trustees also announced the names of nine employees and community members who will participate in two days of interviews this weekend that will lead to the selection of the next superintendent.

The board’s search for a replacement for Aaron Rosander has been guided by consultants from McPherson & Jacobson, who helped trustees winnow a list of 21 applicants to the final four. Rosander announced in February he will leave the district at the end of June after 4½ years.

Chief Business Officer Linda Covello, the district’s lead official for the search, said applications were received from educators in Stanislaus County, other parts of California and outside the state.

Two finalists will interview with trustees as well as the stakeholder committee on Saturday and two more will do the same on Sunday. The meetings are not open to the public.

The members of the stakeholder committee are student Adrianna Snyder, community member Dennis Findley, classified employee Gayle Schell, teacher Deborah Voss, Senior Director David Naranjo, Denair High Principal Kara Backman, and parents Gerardo Retana, John Greff, Cheryl Rice and Leticia Christen.

The committee will provide input and insight about the finalists to trustees, who expect to decide on a new superintendent Sunday night. Once that choice is made, McPherson & Jacobson will conduct a final round of background checks before an offer is extended.

That person is expected to be introduced at the May 10 board meeting, with the new superintendent in place by July 1.

New Chromebooks a Big Hit in Denair Classrooms

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Technology permeates every classroom in the Denair Unified School District. It’s not a matter of if teachers and students will incorporate computer-based instruction as part of everyday learning, but how they will do it.

From the earliest grades at Denair Elementary Charter Academy to middle and high school students across the street and across all subject areas, access to technology is an expectation, not a luxury.

Every Denair student at every grade level has a district email account and access to Google Drive that allows them to log in in every class. They also can sign into their account from home to work on projects or complete homework.

“These kids have grown up with technology in their hands, unlike any other generation before them,” said Mark Ranes, a former teacher who is now the district’s technology director. “Most were using mobile devices before they could write. They are wired differently than us adults.

“We’ve reached a point in education where we are no longer teaching ‘technology’ to students; we’re teaching them to use technology to learn.”

The district has invested heavily to get to this point. This year, it used nearly $300,000 in state funding saved over several years to add 18 Chromebook carts to its tech arsenal. The portable carts can be moved from class to class. Each contains up to 30 Dell Chromebook computers with charging stations.

The new computers brought the district’s number of carts to 20, with another five in the pipeline for next year. Eventually, Ranes said, each student is likely to be assigned his or her own computer.

Demand has been tremendous across the four campuses – DECA, Denair Middle School, Denair High School and Denair Charter Academy. The rollout was delayed until the district could upgrade its wireless network last fall. Once that was completed, the computer floodgates opened.

“We were asked on pretty much a weekly basis when they were coming to the sites,” Ranes said. “We didn’t want to let them out in the wild until I was sure the network could handle 450 new devices.” Continue reading “New Chromebooks a Big Hit in Denair Classrooms” »