LaFountain to Lead Denair Charter Academy

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Brian LaFountain

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Brian LaFountain might have been an FBI agent. Or a lawyer. Or a whiz-bang minor-league baseball marketing executive. Instead, he became a teacher nine years ago, fulfilling a passion to work with and make a difference in the lives of children.

That circuitous career path has delivered him now to Denair Charter Academy, where he took over earlier this month as the principal. It’s a role he seems uniquely suited for.

DCA offers home-school curriculum for K-8 students as well as an independent study alternative for high school students who haven’t found the right fit in a traditional setting, have work or other family responsibilities, or have been expelled. The campus serves about 300 students, most of them high school age.

For the past seven years, LaFountain has worked in the Patterson Unified School District. Last year, he was the coordinator of the Open Valley Independent Study program.

“It is an alternative school of choice. It’s very similar to DCA,” LaFountain said. “The biggest difference is DCA is charter school and has the flexibility that brings.”

Patterson is LaFountain’s hometown. He grew up there, graduated from Patterson High School and once aspired to become an attorney, with an eye toward finding a job with the FBI or Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).

“My degree is in criminal justice from CSU Stanislaus. I wanted to be an FBI agent. I had a full ride to UC Davis law school,” LaFountain said. “Then I met with 11 lawyers in 11 fields of law and decided I didn’t want to be a lawyer.”

He ended up working in banking for a short time, then got a sales job at Big 5 Sporting Goods (where he worked with the husband of Denair Middle School Principal Kelly Beard). He moved on to an unpaid internship with Modesto A’s baseball team and did so well they created a full-time position for him.

Eventually, he followed his passion – working with children. He became a substitute teacher while going back to college to earn his teaching credential. He began his education career as a middle school teacher in Stockton before moving to Patterson seven years ago. Continue reading “LaFountain to Lead Denair Charter Academy” »

Denair Cheerleaders Excel at Camp, Win Top Award

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Denair High School 2016-17 Cheerleading Team

Submitted by Denair High School

Robyn Hilton could not be more proud of her Denair High School cheerleading squad. In late June, the 22-member team attended a prestigious camp at UC Davis and came away with the top award, beating out 14 other schools from all over Northern California.

The Leadership Award is presented on the final day of the three-day camp. It is voted on by all the camp goers and represents the team they would most like to join because of its spirit, its willingness to learn new stunts and dance steps, and its work ethic.

It was quite a kickoff for the 2016-17 group, which features incoming eight freshmen as well as two sophomores, six juniors and six seniors.

“We definitely showed school pride and spirit. I am extremely proud of our team,” said Hilton, adding that winning the Leadership Award has been a goal for at least the past four years.

“It’s an award that reflects character. That’s even more important than the cheerleading skills,” she said. “We all went through those three days together. They pushed themselves to be in the front, to start games, to meet people, to get out the box and to really have fun.”

The camp is run by the United Cheerleading Association. There is a full schedule each day starting at 8:30 a.m. and going until about 8 p.m. Each team is taught the same set of stunts, but develops its own routine to feature them.

“It’s nice to have so many who are experienced. The seniors really help to support the underclassmen. We had practiced every week leading up to camp, but camp is a lot of hard work,” Hilton said. “There were lots of bumps and bruises and tumbles.”

Denair’s team features five flyers (the members at the top of the pyramids who are caught by others), 10 bases, five back spotters and two front spotters. Continue reading “Denair Cheerleaders Excel at Camp, Win Top Award” »

28 Denair High Students Enter Stanislaus County Fair

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Denair FFA Sign

Submitted by Denair High School

The Stanislaus County Fair opened Friday, but the preparations by 28 Denair High School FFA students began much, much earlier. Animals were bought and trained, and metal and wood projects were designed and crafted.

And even before fair officials swung open their gates for the 105th time, some of the Denair contingent already had collected ribbons.

Because there is not enough space in the crowded livestock areas, judging of goats, sheep, cows and other animals began as early as July 6.

Chris Galhano’s ewe was selected Reserve Supreme Champion, the second-highest award in the sheep category. Similarly, Tristan Haile’s Hampshire/Suffolk lamb finished second, the first of six animals she will show before the fair ends. Denair’s FFA Market Goat Group (Markus Rocha, Courtney Prock, Kelsey Park, Cierra Rodriguez and Hector Obando) was second out of 15 clubs in the Chapter Group competition.

Markus Rocha was second in advanced showmanship with his goat, qualifying him for the master showmanship finals. He also had the Reserve Junior Buck and make it to the FFA Market Goat Champion Drive with his entry.

Marcus RochaRocha also was among a high-achieving group of Coyotes who excelled in projects. His barrel barbecue won a blue ribbon, as did an impressive 12-foot barbecue on a trailer that Joey Freitas built for the Denair Lions Club. Beau Carli’s large orchard float was one of five Best in Show awards for ag mechanics. Other winners were Bryson Prock for his skillful refurbishment of an antique trailer and Galhano for his large entertainment center made of knotty alder. Abi Dirkse earned second place for her wooden potting table.

“For a small school, we are extremely competitive,” said ag teacher Matthew Marshall, who joined the Denair High staff just in time for the 2015 county fair.

This year, Marshall and fellow first-year ag teacher Madison Weigel had much more opportunity to interact with their students to help them imagine and then create their projects. In all, Denair’s FFA members totaled more than 50 entries to the fair, capping a year of renewed enthusiasm and new energy for the school’s ag program. Continue reading “28 Denair High Students Enter Stanislaus County Fair” »

Denair Unified Trustees Formally Adopt $13.5 Million Budget

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DUSD Logo

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

With little comment and cautious optimism for the future, Denair Unified School District trustees unanimously approved a $13.5 million budget for the 2016-17 school year Thursday night.

The new budget includes 1% salary increases for all employees, one-time investments in technology and academic programs, additional state-mandated contributions to retirement plans and two new teachers at Denair Elementary Charter Academy to expand the dual-immersion Spanish language program.

“What a change we’ve seen in our budget the past three years,” said board President Sandi Dirkse.

In 2013, the district was on the verge of state takeover because of its precarious financial position. It slashed salaries for all employees 8% and needed loans from the Stanislaus County Office of Education to balance its books.

Those difficult days are behind DUSD now, though continued enrollment declines at Denair High School have offset gains made at its two charter campuses – DECA and Denair Charter Academy.

Linda Covello, the district’s chief business officer, said next year’s budget has an ending balance of $3.3 million, which includes about $600,000 in restricted funds that only can be spent on one-time projects.

In other action Thursday night, trustees:

  • Unanimously approved 1% salary hikes for Superintendent Aaron Rosander and Covello. They were the final two employees who had not yet received raises.
  • Agreed to shorten administrators’ schedules from 220 to 210 days per year. Teachers and classified staff – both represented by unions – are contracted to work 180 and 200 days, respectively.

Adopted Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP) for the district and each of its four campuses. They are three-year overviews of specific academic and programming goals and how the district will pay for them. They were formed with input from the community as well as staff members.

World Champion Drum and Bugle Corps Holds Weeklong Camp in Denair

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Santa Clara Vanguard

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Neighbors and others within earshot of the Denair High School stadium and middle school field this week may be wondering about sounds of horns and the beat of drums they’ve heard. They may even have caught a glimpse of dozens of teenagers waving colorful flags.

Here’s the answer: The Vanguard Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps from Santa Clara once again are using the grassy fields and other facilities in Denair to prepare for the summer competition season. It is the seventh year in a row that the 150-member organization has held a weeklong camp at the adjoining high school and middle school sites.

“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 three 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).

“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; 42 in the color guard waving flags, twirling rifles and dancing; 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 arrived Thursday. Continue reading “World Champion Drum and Bugle Corps Holds Weeklong Camp in Denair” »