Preseason Schedule Toughens Coyotes for Southern League Competition

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DHS Coyotes Football

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

A rugged preseason schedule confirmed a couple of things for Denair High boys basketball coach R.J. Henderson.

First, Isaac Starks is one of the best pure shooters at the high school level Henderson has ever seen. “He’s got a skill set that’s very special,” said the coach of his star guard, who is torching opposing defenses for 23.5 points a game.

Second, the Coyotes have the ability to hang with bigger, more athletic teams. Henderson intentionally entered tournaments with larger schools (Turlock, Ceres and Davis, for instance) to challenge his relatively inexperienced team. They have a 6-8 record to show for it, but he’s hopeful the tougher competition has prepared them for the beginning of the Southern League schedule next week. “I think our staff has done a good job getting the kids ready,” he said. “Here we go. It’s 0-0 and a 12-game season now.”

Henderson, in his fourth year, believes Denair can legitimately compete for one of the league’s three Division 5 playoff berths. Mariposa is the heavy favorite, he said, but everyone else is grouped together. “Honestly, there’s one big dog and two through seven are going to compete for two spots.”

Whatever chances the Coyotes have begin and end with Starks. The 5-foot-11 senior is responsible for about 75% of the team’s offense this season. In addition to his scoring – which represents half the team’s average – he also hands out more than four assists a game. He rarely comes off the floor; Henderson sometimes calls time out just to give him a rest.

“He’s shooting 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range and in the mid-80s on free throws. He can shoot. I haven’t seen too many high school kids in the last 25 years that do what he can do,” Henderson said. “He’s almost cold-blooded out on the court. He doesn’t show a lot of emotion. That’s a trait I’ve seen from better shooters. I think that’s a part of his growth as a three-year starter.” Continue reading “Preseason Schedule Toughens Coyotes for Southern League Competition” »

Dennis Loftin, DUSD Facilities Director, to Retire

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Dennis Loftin

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Like many families in Denair, the Loftins have deep roots in the community. Dennis Loftin – the facilities and maintenance director for the Denair Unified School District – graduated from the high school. So did his father, Glenn, who later became a teacher there, coached basketball and served as athletic director. So did Glenn Loftin’s mother.

Though there have been a few small gaps, it seems there has been a Loftin associated with the school for nearly 70 years, ever since both sides of Glenn Loftin’s family migrated to California from Kansas during the Dust Bowl.

That will end next week, when Dennis Loftin retires after 15 years.

“It’s time,” said Loftin, 56, who was an electrician by training before back and knee ailments inspired a move into school district facilities supervision, first in Riverbank and then at his hometown campuses.

The soft-spoken Loftin is a quickly recognized face all around the district, not only for his bushy gray mustache and beard but because he literally knows the story behind every building, classroom, piece of equipment or stretch of sidewalk.

As an All-American athlete in high school, he remembers when all the boys and girls – high school, middle school and elementary – shared the single gymnasium on the elementary campus. Same with the cafeteria.

“We used to have to walk across Lester Road from the high school to use the cafeteria or go to practice,” he said. “I graduated in 1977 and I got married in 1979. All I ever heard was, ‘We’re getting a new gym. We’re getting a new gym.’ It was a dream of my dad’s and anyone who went to school here.”

It took more than 20 years for that dream to be realized. Loftin said he is proud to have worked with many other community members to help pass the school bond that provided the money to build a new high school gym. A few years later, residents voted in favor of a second school bond to construct a new middle school. Continue reading “Dennis Loftin, DUSD Facilities Director, to Retire” »

DCA Staff Brightens Holidays for Students and Their Families

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Dawn Allen and Sally Baker

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Like many workplaces, the staff at Denair Charter Academy often has organized potlucks and small gift exchanges during the holidays. But this year, the professional and emotional bond they share mentoring non-traditional students — many of whom arrive on campus from at-risk backgrounds – led to a different, more personal idea.

Teachers Suzzan Whitecloud and Sally Baker, along with first-year Principal Dawn Allen, imagined a way to positively impact some of their students’ lives outside of campus. They recognized that food, clothing, cooking utensils and other basic necessities often were in short supply. That some young children were without a single toy at Christmas. What if, they thought; we directed some time and money toward those students most in need?

The idea was a hit with the 20-member staff. Friday afternoon, four families were the grateful recipients of special deliveries from the DCA co-workers.

“It is very inspirational,” said Allen. “To work here, you have to be an empathetic person. The whole staff has been contributing.”

Even as they acknowledged that many of their 300 students are confronted daily with difficult financial and/or emotional circumstances, the staff at DCA knew they couldn’t help everyone. They narrowed down their list to these four families:

  • Two DCA students whose family recently lost everything in an apartment fire. They, their parents and two younger siblings are living in a hotel. The Red Cross has helped, but that relief is temporary. The DCA staff collected money to buy clothes and food as well as toys for the younger children. In January, when the family hopes to move into another apartment, Whitecloud said the plan is to help them with furniture.
  • A DCA student whose grandfather just became their guardian. The children range from 4 years old to 17. One of the teen-age girls does all the cooking, Whitecloud said. Among the items the DCA staff donated was a crockpot, a cookbook, and some casseroles they made and froze. “We want them to have home-cooked meals,” she said. Three teachers donated movie tickets for the children – intended to give the grandfather some time to relax. “We tried to give the kids things that would help him,” Whitecloud said.
  • A grandmother and three children ages 10 to 15 years old; one of them is a DCA student. Money was raised to buy presents for each of the children and purchase a $99 certificate for a complete Christmas dinner from Raley’s. On Christmas Eve, the family can go to the store to pick up turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and other traditional items – all pre-cooked and ready to warm up the next day.
  • A 16-year-old DCA student who lives in a long-term motel in Modesto with her disabled parents. The teen takes three buses to get to the Denair campus once a week and also uses public transportation to get to and from her job at In-N-Out Burger. The family only has a microwave to cook, Whitecloud said, so they will be given an electric fry pan and toaster oven. The girl wanted nothing for herself and only blanket for her mother. “She even came to me and asked if she could help the family of eight (the grandfather and children,” Whitecloud said. Baker and Whitecloud intend to give the 16-year-old two jars of change they have been collecting for months, inspired by the book “Christmas Jars” by Jason F. Wright.

Continue reading “DCA Staff Brightens Holidays for Students and Their Families” »

Scott Evans Earns Eagle Scout Rank

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Scott EvansCongratulations to Everett “Scott” Evans, who recently became an Eagle Scout, the most prestigious and highest ranking in Boy Scouting.

Among the requirements for an Eagle Scout is to complete a service project. Scott chose to renovate the playground at Denair Elementary School. Over the summer, he gathered some volunteers — family, friends and other Scouts — to make improvements for younger students.

It took them two weekends to sand and repaint the basketball, volleyball and tetherball poles that had rusted through the years.

Scott, 18, has been a Scout for 10 years. He began with Troop 28 sponsored by the Denair Lions Club, but moved to Turlock Troop 21 last year because of declining membership in the Denair troop. His other accomplishments include the Arrow of Light (the top rank for a Cub Scout) and serving as patrol leader, senior patrol leader and quartermaster.

He is the son of Cary and Kimberly Evans.