DHS Field Ready for First Home Football Game

Posted on by

DHS Paw Prints

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

On Sunday August 24th 2014, seventeen Denair High School students along with several Athletic Boosters, parents, and community members came out to the Denair football field for a workday that involved a lot of painting.

Students repainted the purple words “Denair Coyotes” and the large coyote paws that lead up the walkway into the stands. They also added a second “Denair Coyotes” and paws on east side of the top walkway in the stands. Some of the Athletic Boosters were out Monday adding black paint outlines to the words and paws.

Athletic Booster Vice President Mr. Russell Steeley and Dominyc Silva, DHS Varsity Quarterback, painted the goal posts. The lift was donated by United Rentals, and Denair High School offers a special thanks to Denair High School alumnus Mr. Jon Rudd for his generosity.

The Athletic boosters painted the stairs with yellow safety paint, and Isaac Starks repainted the door to the announcer’s booth.

Athletic Commissioners Edwin Flores and Brendan Curnow took care of signing up students to volunteer and coordinated adult support.

Denair High School’s first home football game is Friday August 29th, 2014. The Junior Varsity game starts at 5:30 pm with the Varsity following at 7:30 pm.

Breanna Vaughan Joins DHS Science Department

Posted on by

Breanna Vaughan

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Ms. Breanna Vaughan is Denair High School’s new science teacher. She is teaching Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Physics, and Honors Biology this year. Ms. Vaughan graduated from CSU Stanislaus in 2007, with a degree in Biological Sciences. She taught high school science for three years outside Fresno.

Ms. Vaughan loves seeing students having fun and appreciating and learning science. This year she will focus on improving labs, bringing computers into the lab for virtual simulations and dissections, and developing benchmark assessments that measure student achievement in her courses.

At CSU Stanislaus, Ms. Vaughan was a three-sport athlete playing collegiate soccer, basketball, and running track and field.

Robyn Hilton Joins Denair High School Staff

Posted on by

Robyn Hilton

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Mrs. Robyn Hilton, Denair High School’s new math teacher, graduated from DHS in 2008. She went on to Fresno State where she earned her degree in Mathematics. She got her teaching credential from CSU Stanislaus.

This year, Mrs. Hilton is teaching Algebra 2, Trigonometry/Calculus, AP Statistics, 8th Grade Math, and Leadership. Her teaching career began at Whitmore Charter in Ceres where she taught 7th and 8th grade math.

Mrs. Hilton’s math classes this year will focus on making math relevant to her students and useful in their lives. She is also working on creating a positive learning environment in her classroom.

“My favorite part of teaching is being able to build connections with my students,” Mrs. Hilton said. She added that she loves when she “can inspire students to continue their mathematics education after high school.”

Beyond math, Mrs. Hilton will be DHS’s Leadership Advisor and Activities Director this year. She will focus on helping Leadership students create more school and community spirit this year through overseeing such activities as dances, rallies, and Friday lunch activities.

Mrs. Hilton will also be providing after-school tutoring Thursdays from 3:00 – 4:00 pm first semester in Room 405. All subjects are welcome, and students will have access to a computer, the Internet, and printing during tutoring.

DUSD Bands Off and Running

Posted on by

MS Band Students

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Under the direction of substitute music teacher Ms. Julie Mefferd, Denair High School and Denair Middle School band students began practice this week. Within two days of the start of the school year, students already had instruments in hand.

Denair High School band, which currently has 21 students, began warm ups immediately. Student Band President, Andrew Knapp, said many band students felt rusty after not playing their instruments over the summer. He led warm-ups the first two days. Ms. Mefferd commented last week that the high school band is ready for Pep Band performances at home football games, the first of which is August 29, 2014. The band is polishing its “Imperial March” song from the movie Star Wars and rehearsing “The Star Spangled Banner” which they plan to perform at half time of the Homecoming Game October 24.

Middle School Band, which has approximately 50 students, began practice last Wednesday. Ms. Mefferd set the students in concert formation and began sectional warm ups on a practice piece. Students continue to work on fundamentals. Those who have their own instruments are encouraged to bring them everyday.

On August 19, 2014, Denair Unified School District hired retired band director Mr. Donald Thissen, to replace Ms. Cathy George, who left the district this summer. Mr. Thissen, an accomplished trombone player, has taught music K-12 including jazz and concert band and marching band.

Comedian Shares Serious Messages With Denair Students

Posted on by

Pat HurleySubmitted by Denair Unified School District

There were plenty of laughs and more than a few giggles during comedian Pat Hurley’s presentation to Denair middle and high school students Tuesday morning. His riffs on teen-age sleeping patterns and dirty bedrooms, horror movies and even nursery rhymes entertained both audiences on their first day of school.

But laced within the humor were six serious messages that Hurley has shared at more than 9,000 campuses across the country. They are the qualities, he says, that separate merely good schools from “championship schools.”

  • Having a clean campus
  • Friendliness
  • Teamwork
  • Responsibility
  • Respect for diversity
  • Giving back to the community

Hurley told students that it doesn’t matter how big their school is or where it’s at, those six characteristics don’t change. He should know. He grew up in Atwater in the 1950s and ’60s, and then moved to metropolitan areas where he won three Emmy Awards for his work with children’s television. He now lives in Orange County and writes mystery novels in addition to his campus presentations.

“It’s not the size the school, it’s the quality of the school,” Hurley told about 400 high school students in the gym.

Earlier, talking with about 240 middle school students in their multipurpose room, Hurley said one of his measures of any campus is how clean it is. Continue reading “Comedian Shares Serious Messages With Denair Students” »