Denair Middle School Principal Gabriela Sarmiento used a humorous quote she discovered online to describe what it’s like to be on a campus full of often unpredictable sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders.

“Middle school is that awkward grade level where your students are way too cool for everything but they also want to know if their mom can being cupcakes for their birthday,” she told Denair Unified School District board trustees Thursday night during a lively presentation on DMS.

Pre-teen and adolescent emotions aside, middle school also is an important time academically. It represents a crossroads for students — the first time many of them must juggle multiple instructors for different subjects after typically being with a single teacher all day in elementary school. Middle school also is where students form effective study habits that will carry them through high school and into college. It may even be a chance to begin to explore and consider career pathways that could shape their futures for years to come.

DMS certainly is poised to help with all of that and more, Sarmiento emphasized. She was joined in her presentation by six of her students and two of her teachers — Gabrielle Bennett, who teaches seventh- and eighth-grade English language arts, and first-year Spanish instructor Edith Orozco.

The middle school’s mission is to “provide a personalized learning experience for our students where relationships are our focus” and all students are empowered “through exemplary instruction and innovative programs.” DMS prides itself on creating a culture of inclusion and positivity that inspires students to want to come to school each day.

One of the things that sets DMS apart from other middle schools is its Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program, an extension of what is offered at Denair Elementary Charter Academy in which students are taught in English and Spanish throughout the day. 

Orozco talked about empowering students to embrace their bilingual skills. They watch videos together about different cultures in Spanish-speaking countries. They create presentations on various topics. Each day, there is plenty of verbal interaction, intended to help students expand their academic vocabulary in Spanish.

“It’s my job to make them feel they’ve got this,” Orozco explained.

Bennett shared some of her classroom strategies in English via two videos that showed students participating in mock trials and debates. The mock trials were used to bring to life a situation featured in a novel the students were reading. Debates are another way to help students sharpen their skills in areas like reasoning and critical thinking, research, verbal ability and collaboration.

“They had fun and retained more information,” Bennett said.

The leadership students participated in live interviews conducted by Zane Simbalenko and Victor Sarmiento (whose mom is the principal) about life on the DMS campus. Students interviewed were sixth-grader Kamelia Zamora, seventh-graders Alexa Camacho and Ezequiel Silva, and eighth-grader Shayla Zamora.

DMS also affords students a full range of academic and extracurricular activities, including before and after school tutoring, leadership and student council, sports, World Languages Club, Academic Pentathlon, Coyote Cultivators, creative games, JvPHAST Club, NAMI Club, ROX Club, band, AVID and ag.

In other action Thursday night, trustees:

• Formally removed the “interim” titles for two principals – Breanne Aguiar at Denair High School and Laura Cardenas at Denair Elementary Charter Academy.
• Unanimously approved the addition of three new classes at Denair High over the next two years. The first two are part of the arts, media and entertainment Career Technical Education pathway. Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, students can sign up for digital art/photography and graphic design. The following year, an elective course in marketing and entrepreneurship will be added.
• Approved a trip for 16 students and their teachers to the California State FFA Leadership Conference scheduled March 15-19 in Ontario.
• Passed school safety and COVID plans, which are required to be updated annually.

Denair High School will host an orientation session tonight for all eighth-graders who will be freshmen in the next school year. The students as well as their parents are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting, which will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Denair High band room.

School officials will explain the various academic and vocational programs and electives that are offered at Denair High. They will go over graduation requirements for the Class of 2027 as well as what is needed to prepare students to apply for four-year state colleges and universities. 

Booths representing Denair High sports teams as well as the many clubs and other organizations on campus will be set up and staffed by people with information.

Incoming freshmen – with their parents’ input and guidance – also will be able to start the process of signing up for their classes in the next school year.

There also will be representatives from various family resources agencies who can offer advice and referrals to health care and other providers.

Dinner will be served to students and their parents. The Coyote Cup of Kindness cart – operated by the special education students at DHS – will be serving drinks.

“Orientation provides an opportunity for students and families to meet our amazing staff and learn about the courses, CTE and A-G pathways and programs/clubs offered at DHS,” said interim Principal Breanne Aguiar.

If students and families cannot make tonight’s event, they can contact the DHS office at (209) 632-9911 to set up an orientation to learn about what is offered and tour the campus.

The application period has begun for parents who would like to enroll their children into kindergarten and transitional kindergarten for the next school year at Denair Elementary Charter Academy.

Interested parents can pick up a registration packet for the 2023-24 school year at the DECA office at 3773 Madera Ave. between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Families do not need to live in Denair to enroll their children at DECA.

Transitional kindergarten/kindergarten registration day is on Friday, Feb. 10 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in Room 39 on the DECA campus. Parents must fully complete the registration packet and return it with the proper documentation on that day.

Here is the key information:

• Completed registration packets must include a copy of the child’s birth certificate, updated immunization records and proof of residency (such as a utility bill). 
• Parents registering children for the dual language immersion program also must attend an orientation meeting on the DECA campus, then complete a form denoting their understanding of and commitment to the program. The meeting dates and times are Feb. 6 at 9 a.m., March 7 at 2 p.m., April 19 at 5 p.m., May 11 at 3:30 p.m. and June 2 at 11 a.m.

Over the next few years, the state of California is expanding transitional kindergarten to a universal program for all 4-year-olds. For the 2023-24 school year, students whose fifth birthday occurs between Sept. 2 and April 2 are eligible to enroll in transitional kindergarten.

Students whose fifth birthday occurs by Sept. 1 are eligible to enroll in kindergarten.

Parents with questions are encouraged to call the DECA office at (209) 632-8887.

DECA features traditional as well as dual language immersion instructional tracks for kindergarten through fifth grade, plus a traditional transitional kindergarten program.

At DECA, students are exposed early on to the importance of attending college. There is a wide range of fun and important electives and after school activities, and an emphasis is placed on being safe, responsible, respectful and kind.

All this occurs on a pretty and well-maintained campus under the direction of an experienced staff who are passionate about educating students.

The dual immersion program will be heading into its 9th year next fall. The first group of students are going into 8th grade at Denair Middle School, where dual language immersion continues.

Immersion means just that. In kindergarten, 90% of the instruction is in Spanish, in first grade it drops to 80%, then 70% in second grade, 60% in third grade, and 50% in fourth and fifth grades.

Dual immersion teachers in kindergarten through second grade only speak Spanish in front of their students. English instruction takes place with other teachers.

It’s not just dual language immersion students who learn a second language. Students on the traditional track also receive Spanish instruction one to three times a week in the language lab.

In addition, DECA provides a variety of fun and challenging Academic Adventure electives, such as:

• Drama/Performing Arts
• Technology
• Engineering design
• Health and nutrition
• Art
• Horticulture
• Music
• Science

At its best this season, the Denair boys soccer team looks every bit as tough and talented as last year’s squad, which tied for the Southern League title and won a Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI championship before losing in the first round of the NorCal playoffs.

The Coyotes’ teamwide ability was on full display Tuesday, when they crushed Ripon Christian 6-0 behind three goals from Angel Sanchez, two from Justin Hernandez and one from Diego Padilla.

The victory lifted Denair into first place in the ultra-tight Southern League, where five schools have only lost a single game nearing the halfway point of the rain-delayed league schedule. The Coyotes (4-1) are in the lead, followed by Orestimba (3-1), Gustine (3-1-1), Waterford (1-1) and Delhi (1-1-1).

Denair’s only league loss was 3-2 to Orestimba on Dec. 13. The two schools meet again Jan. 30 in Denair in what could be a showdown for the league title.

Overall, it has been an up-and-down season for the Coyotes and first-year coach Antonio Padilla. Denair’s record sits at 7-8-3, but that’s misleading. Four of the losses, unfortunately, came as forfeits because the Coyotes unknowingly used an ineligible player. On the field, they actually won three of those matches and tied the other.

“It’s over. It happened. That’s life and you learn,” said Padilla.

Sanchez, a senior, has been the spark on offense all season. He leads the team with 28 goals and six assists, ranking him among the top point producers in the entire Section. He was one of the best players on last year’s team as a midfielder when he had 12 goals, but has blossomed as a scorer this year with a move to striker.

“He’s a good influence on the other players,” praised Padilla.

The coach’s sons – Diego, a junior, and Goliath, a freshman – are the next-leading scorers with six goals each. They’re followed by Emanuel Renteria and Justin Hernandez, who both have scored five times, and Tim Hernandez and Octavio Valla with four goals apiece.

The Coyotes’ offense has been prolific, averaging more than four goals a game. That statistic is slightly misleading because 48 of the team’s 65 goals have come in five lopsided shutouts — 17-0 over Big Valley Christian, 7-0 over Hilmar, 9-0 and 7-0 over LeGrand, and 8-0 over Ripon Christian.

Padilla – an experienced coach whose background is with recreational, traveling and indoor teams – said his advice to his players is simple.

“I want them to play hard and enjoy the game,” he said. “That’s my philosophy. … Brains over power, that’s what I encourage.”

With the wet weather throwing a wrench into the league schedule, Padilla is doing his best to make sure his players aren’t worn out. For instance, because Denair plays three times this week – at Ripon Christian on Tuesday, home against Waterford on Friday and at Delhi on Saturday – the coach started mostly backups against RC.

“Those guys have been practicing hard and deserve a chance to play, too,” he explained. “They played in the first half. It was 0-0 and then our other players came in for the second half.”

Padilla will continue to monitor playing time the rest of the regular season in an effort to avoid fatigue and injuries. He recognizes that Denair – because of its success last year – will continue to have a target on its back against almost every opponent.

“I told our players early on that maybe we have a little pressure, but it’s a new year and you have to enjoy every game,” Padilla said. “Every day is a new day. They played very well last year and we’re trying to do it again.”

Traditional academic subjects such as math, English, reading, science and history understandably receive much of the attention on school campuses and in the community. Students’ ability to learn and apply those lessons will help shape their lives for years to come.

But no less important are outlets for creative expression such as music, art, drama and even speech. At Thursday’s meeting of the Denair Unified School District board, trustees heard from students and teachers about the positive impact of two of those programs – music and art.

“Music benefits students’ social and emotional health and encourages teamwork,” explained Fred Steiner, who teaches music to hundreds of students across all grade levels in the district. 

He was accompanied at Thursday’s meeting by four high school students — Marcos Corral  (saxophone), Jonathan Coronel (sax), Angel Trujillo (trombone) and Kaden Prine  (trumpet) – who entertained the audience with a short snippet of the Denair High fight song “On Wisconsin.”

Steiner, who came to Denair in the 20-21 school year after many years in Southern California, has focused on growing the number of music students across the district. This year, he has more than 300 at the elementary level and dozens more at the middle and high schools, plus Denair Charter Academy. 

“At the primary grades, students get an opportunity to open their minds and be a little more expressive. We focus on fundamentals of music,” Steiner explained. “At middle school and high school, we move to building skills on their instruments and performing.”

The enthusiasm and interest are contagious as band and music students respond to opportunities to play at the Denair Gaslight Theater, in the Turlock Christmas Parade or at other events.

“I think it’s fun and exciting to play at the football games because you play in front of a lot of people and get to watch the game,” Coronel said.

Art students also were in attendance Thursday, joining first-year DHS teacher Hudson Berdino during their presentation.

Berdino told trustees that there are a range of art courses – from Art I through III to Art Design and AP Art – that allow students of all experience levels and abilities to flex their creative muscles using various mediums.

“The arts are valuable because our student’s stories are valuable,” Berdino explained. “Their abilities to think, challenge, critique and create for themselves are crucial.”

Asked about the benefit of art classes, Denair High senior Genevieve Orozco said, “Art gives us a chance to be creative. Art makes school much more fun, and allows a chance to express ourselves without always being told exactly what to do.”

Kira Dotson and Lupin McIntire, who attended the meeting, showed off their own portfolios with trustees and the audience. Both indicated that art may be something they want to pursue as a career.

“There are lots of exciting things happening in art,” said Berdino. “These kids are insanely talented and I’m so proud of them.”

In addition to music and art students from DHS, board members also listened intently during another presentation of high interest at the high school – the dress code.

Interim Principal Breanne Aguiar and senior Natalie Bailey explained how discussions that began last spring led modifications about the types of clothing and accessories that are allowed to be worn on campus. The changes are more in the form of tweaks rather than major overhauls of the policy set by the board, which says that “a student may not remain at school or at a school function dressed in a manner that creates a safety hazard for said student or for other students at school, and/or when the dress constitutes a serious and unnecessary distraction to the learning process or tends to disrupt campus order.”

“We felt there were some things that were outdated or unfair,” said Bailey.

Superintendent Terry Metzger said the new policy – which board members unanimously supported – is less ambiguous for staff, which is important because “they’re the ones who have to enforce it.”

The goal, Aguiar said, was to “try to find a balance as to what’s appropriate.”

The new policy will be in place on a trial basis through the spring semester. Assuming there are no major issues, it is expected to be extended into the next school year.

In other action Thursday night, trustees:

• Approved the promotion of Laura Cardenas to be the interim principal at Denair Elementary Charter Academy. She has been the school’s learning director the past few years.
• Heard a report from Metzger about the district’s results on the state’s academic performance tests in the 2021-22 school year, which are reported on the California School Dashboard. “It’s a compilation of several data points that show a snapshot of our district,” Metzger explained. “The data points don’t tell the story of what’s happening day in and day out in the district. There are so many great things happening for students and we provide a tremendous amount of support for students and families as they are dealing with the lingering effects of the pandemic. Student disengagement, mental health and wellbeing concerns, and family hardships are all things that require attention and support as we prepare students for success after graduation, specifically that they are literate in all content areas.”
• Approved a minimum wage increase to $15.50 per hour for entry-level employees represented by the California State Employees Association.
• OK’d the Senior Trip on May 14-15 to Disneyland for the members of the Denair High Class of 2023.