Brian Dudley Wins Southern League Tennis MVP

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Brian Dudley

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Denair’s Brian Dudley won the boys singles championship and was named the Southern League’s Most Valuable Player at the recent tennis tournament. Andrew Knapp and Abi Wilson brought the Coyotes a second title with their victory in mixed doubles.

Dudley, a senior, defeated Jake Van Vuren of Ripon Christian 6-2, 6-1 at the Merced College courts to extend his unbeaten record to 18-0 this season. He will be the Southern League’s top seed when the Sac-Joaquin Section individual tournament begins Thursday at Oak Park in Stockton.

Knapp, a senior, and Wilson, a sophomore, knocked off a team from Delhi to win their championship. The tournament was the first time this season the Denair duo had played mixed doubles this year. That came about after both suffered their first losses of the season in the semifinals of the singles tournament.

Like Dudley, Knapp and Wilson advanced to the Section tournament later this week in Stockton.

For the rest of the Coyotes, the season ended Monday with a 6-3 loss to Summerville in the first round of the Section team tournament. Dudley, Knapp and Wilson won their singles matches, but the Bears prevailed in all the other matches.

Denair (12-3) finished second behind Ripon Christian in the SL this spring.

‘An Evening in Paris’ Huge Hit For Elementary Students

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An Evening in Paris

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Even three days later, students, their families and staff members were buzzing about how much fun they had at Denair Elementary School’s first-ever dance event. Featuring “An Evening in Paris” theme, the May 1 event attracted more than 400 people to the school’s gym for three hours of Gaelic-inspired gaiety.

Many of the young boys donned nice shirts and ties, and the girls wore pretty pastel dresses. Their parents and older siblings also wore attire that would have been fashionable on the Champs de Elysees or at a restaurant overlooking the Seine River.

The gym was festively decorated with colored lights and small tables with miniature Eiffel Towers, transforming it into a faux Parisian nightclub.

The theme was chosen by the parents’ clubs that spearheaded and organized the dance, said Principal Sara Michelena.

“It was super cute and totally age appropriate,” she said, giving special thanks to parents Mary Prine, Kalee Lopes and Troy and Debbie Edwards for their hard work in making the night come to life.

Michelena estimated that two-thirds of the 300 families whose children attend the elementary school and adjacent Denair Academic Avenues participated in the party.

There was plenty of pizza and soft drinks, but the highlight clearly was the professional DJ and the dancing. He taught everyone how to line dance, the cha-cha slide and the chicken dance. And when he played “My Girl” by the Temptations, fathers danced with their daughters and mothers with their sons. Continue reading “‘An Evening in Paris’ Huge Hit For Elementary Students” »

DHS Graduation Rates Again Exceed State and County Averages

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Coyote Graduate

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Denair High School continues to perform well above the state and county averages in graduating its students, according to CA Graduation Statistics by the California Department of Education.

In 2014, 74 of 79 seniors graduated from Denair High, a rate of 93.7%. That compares to a statewide average of 80.4% and a Stanislaus County graduation rate of 82%.

“Student graduation rates reflect the dedication of our community and schools to the education and success of our students. No child left behind is not a platitude or vacant slogan at Denair schools but, rather, a practice and commitment to our students,” said Aaron Rosander, superintendent of the Denair Unified School District.

Denair has long been one of the high-achieving high schools in the county when measured by graduation rates and student performance. The rate was 98.7% (75 of 76) in 2013, 98.8% (84 of 85) in 2012 and 100% (74 of 74) in 2011.

“Denair High School, and particularly our learning director, tracks student progress very closely throughout the year,” said Principal Aaron Delworth. “We have been very pleased with our graduation rate over the years and will continue to strive a for 100% graduation rate.”

Many of Denair’s graduates attended public and private universities in California like University of California, Los Angeles, California State University, Stanislaus, California State University, Fresno and the University of the Pacific, while others have been accepted at prestigious colleges out of state. Continue reading “DHS Graduation Rates Again Exceed State and County Averages” »

DHS Tennis Focused on ‘Takin’ Care of Business’

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Saul Mendoza, Abi DIrkse, Andrew Knapp, Kaelee Martinez, Brian Dudley, Jasmine Yonan and Joel Thornton

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Bill Weber’s goal was to teach Denair High School tennis players enough about the game so they could compete for a Southern League championship this season. A little education about classic rock bands from the ’70s was a bonus.

Mission accomplished on both ends.

The Coyotes (12-3) battled for the top spot in the SL all spring before finishing second behind Ripon Christian High School (13-2) – a squad whose only two defeats came to Denair. The only things separating Denair from at least a piece of the league championship were two losses to Delhi, which finished third.

Weber is a longtime coach with a lengthy record of success at many levels. This is his first season at Denair and he said he especially enjoyed watching his players – some with limited competitive experience in tennis – blossom along the way.

His goal is to make the sport fun. To that end, he often incorporates music from his own high school days – the 1970s – into practices. This spring, the Coyotes were exposed to rock anthems from power bands like Boston, Kansas, REO Speedwagon and Queen.

As the year progressed, it was another classic song – “Takin’ Care of Business” by Bachman-Turner Overdrive – that seemed to best capture the spirit of the team. At the Southern League singles and doubles tournaments Thursday and Friday at Merced Junior College, the Coyotes will be sporting T-shirts with the song’s title on the back.

“It just kind of evolved. It fits us and the kids seem to enjoy that song,” Weber said. Continue reading “DHS Tennis Focused on ‘Takin’ Care of Business’” »