This is one in a series of Q&A’s with employees new to Denair Unified in 2022-23.

Family: I have a wife, two brothers and one sister, and a cat named Rudy 

School: Denair High School

Subject taught: Art

Experience and education: Bachelor’s degree in studio art and a single subject teaching credential in art, both from Stanislaus State. 

What attracted you to Denair? The small-town school atmosphere; the great relationships between students, teachers, and administration; and the genuine desire to see students grow and learn. 

What most inspires you about teaching? What most inspires me about teaching is seeing that spark when a student really clicks with a subject. That moment when a concept isn’t only comprehended but also truly enjoyed. That moment when a piece of information becomes an interest and a personal challenge. 

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? I am coming into a job that was held by an amazing teacher of 35 years … so I have some seriously big shoes to fill. I hope to engage and teach the students as effectively as Mr. Stav did, while making the classroom my own. Also, everyone keeps telling me that 50% of teachers quit in their first year. So, I would love it if that did not happen to me. 

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? My favorite teaching tool is learning with students. If something doesn’t stick with the kids, it’s time to change it up. I try to reach varied learners using every tool at my disposal including writing, small group chats, pair work, hands on work, critiques, videos, lectures, and sometimes just some good old artsy fun. 

What do you want your students to remember? I want students to remember that their creative voice is important. The arts teach us to develop our own ideas and to creatively present them to our society and our world. Art is a heck of a lot more that glitter glue and construction paper. It is culture, revolution, remembrance, power, emotion, creation and innovation.  Want my students to know that what we are doing is actually important, and that they will have a blast in this class if they’re willing to engage and put forth the effort it takes to be an artist.

How can parents support what you do? Parents can give me feedback! I like to hope that parents are involved and asking questions about their student’s classes. I also hope that my students will be showing their parents their work. I would love to hear what parents think! I also plan on keeping in touch with parents throughout the semester to give them updates regarding their children’s performances in class, so that’s another way parents can be involved and support art class. 

What would surprise people about your job? People would probably be surprised to know that my Job involves a lot more than just letting students slap paint on paper. Often times, teaching students art is like teaching students both a new language and a new set of trades. So many people are so scared of the very concept of creativity that they enter into classes like mine thinking they will never make any good art, or they will get A’s for just making whatever “abstract” nonsense they want. Both are totally incorrect! Art is crazy fun, but it is also very involved and comes from a rich and diverse tradition. Certain skills must be mastered to succeed and art theory must be comprehended. It sounds scary, but it’s seriously awesome. 

What do you do for fun? For fun, I love to spend time with my wife because she is literally the best. I also love to read comics, watch movies, hike, draw and paint.

This is one in a series of Q&A’s with employees new to Denair Unified in 2022-23.

Family: My husband Johnny and our three children, Johnny, Joshua and Arianna

School: Denair Elementary Charter Academy

Subject taught: Transitional kindergarten

Experience and education: This past school year, I was a substitute teacher. I received my bachelor’s degree in history from Stan State. I am currently enrolled at Humphreys University working on my credentials as well as my master’s in teaching. 

What attracted you to Denair? The family feel at Denair is great; that is what I love best about this district. I spent most of last school year subbing at DECA and felt almost an instant connection to the staff and the students there. I am grateful that I can work at the same school my kids attend.

What most inspires you about teaching? As a kid, I struggled with certain parts of academics. Luckily, I had supportive parents who were there to help me. I want to be an encouragement to my students; we all need someone in our corner to cheer us on. 

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? This being my first year teaching my own classroom, I am looking forward to the challenge of the administration side of teaching — the meetings, paperwork and grading process. Being a substitute teacher, I haven’t had much experience with this part of teaching. 

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? Last school year, I really enjoyed Coyote Chit Chat, this is a time when students can share about their day, usually followed by a question to get to know students better such as “would you rather never watch TV again or only eat vegetables.” It’s a great way to get to know your students better.

What do you want your students to remember? I would hope my students remember that I want learning to be fun. To better engage students, I think they should enjoy school. Not that it’s all fun and games, but there should be a good amount of fun throughout the school day. 

How can parents support what you do? We all have busy lives, but taking time to listen to your child share about their day at school is a great way to learn so much about their day. Another helpful tip — which I don’t always follow — but try and read to your child or have your student read to you daily. Reading is so critical to a child’s academic success. 

What would surprise people about your job? There is a lot of prep that goes into a teacher’s day. It’s not just “here are some worksheets.” I want my students to be engaged in learning and make the school day enjoyable. 

What do you do for fun? My family and I enjoy camping. We try and take a couple of trips a year.

This is one in a series of Q&A’s with employees new to Denair Unified in 2022-23.

Family: My children live in Modesto with their dad. They are Ani (13), Sezria (15) and Titus (17).  Ani (pronounced Oni) is an eighth-grader at Roosevelt Junior High, Sez-ria is a sophomore at Enochs High and Titus is a senior at Enochs. 

School: Denair Elementary Charter Academy

Subject taught: Special education

Experience and education: I have been a moderate/severe education specialist, K-8, over the past four years at UMASS Global University while simultaneously maintaining a classroom of my own. I decided to switch to mild/moderate special education because I would like to incorporate more of a curriculum-based challenge into my scope of teaching.  

What attracted you to Denair? I like the small-town aspects of teaching in Denair as I hope to make genuine connections with elevating our students to a higher level of learning. 

What most inspires you about teaching? I am most inspired by student-centered teaching because I enjoy providing a lesson and exploring the directions that the students are able to take it.  

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? I would like for our students to demonstrate positive growth and creativity based on the themes and lessons that I provide for them.

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? Google classroom is an awesome resource because it allows me to share a collaboration of all of the tools and resources that I am utilizing in the classroom.

What do you want your students to remember? I meet my students where they are in the learning process and I relate to them in ways that are relevant to who they are as individuals. 

How can parents support what you do? I value parental involvement and input. I appreciate when they ask questions and inquire about the activities that I share in my Google classroom. 

What would surprise people about your job? Although I have been well-trained in educating students, it is the day in and day out interactions with my students that educate me the most. I grow every day!What do you do for fun? Outdoor activities always charge me up! I enjoy water activities like rafting and swimming. 

This is one in a series of Q&A’s with employees new to Denair Unified in 2022-23.

Family: Husband Mike, 10-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son

School: District Inclusion Specialist

Subject taught: Special Education/Inclusion

Experience and education: I have been interested in teaching special education since I attended Denair High School and worked in the moderate/severe classroom my dad taught. He taught and coached in Denair for many years. I really looked up to how he created rapport with his students and staff and taught while still allowing the students to have fun. I started out as a paraprofessional working for Stanislaus County and Turlock while I attended college. In 2007, I began teaching for Turlock Unified School District. I have taught at three different school sites and been a mentor for new teachers. I was on the district assessment team and site leadership. During my years as a teacher for TUSD, I also taught at Teachers College of San Joaquin, working with intern teachers working towards their credential. 

What attracted you to Denair? I have realized in my years of teaching that forming a community within your school is very important and having the support of the community where you work.  I love the small-town feel and I am excited to come back “home” to be a part of the community that has been created across the district. 

What most inspires you about teaching? Making a difference with a child in the slightest way. I have worked with many different students and families, and I love to see it all come together when a child makes progress not only at school but at home as well. I love working with a team who is committed to student success. I love building rapport with the students and their families.

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? Learning the ropes at a new district. I know I have a lot of support and I look forward to working with the SPED team to support our students. 

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? My absolute favorite activity I love to do with my students is working within a small group for social skills. You learn so much from students when you take the time to get to know them on a more in-depth level.  Teaching them different ways to make friends and approach different scenarios they may come across in life is so important.

What do you want your students to remember? For me, it is about making students feel loved and cared about. I remember some of my favorite teachers from Denair and they always were the teachers who cared so much about you personally. Making that connection to find the best ways for students to learn and be successful.

How can parents support what you do? Parents are such an integral part of a student’s success. Just always keeping open lines of communication and being supportive of their child.

What would surprise people about your job? I think a lot of people would be surprised at how much time is spent reviewing data, going through different ideas and scenarios with other SPED team members to come up with a plan that best fits each student’s individual needs. Working in SPED is such a rewarding experience, but it takes a lot of time and analyzing to do what is right for each student. 

What do you do for fun? Our family recently bought an RV and we have had a lot of fun camping this summer. I LOVE to shop, and if you know me you know I love Target. My absolute favorite thing to do is just spend time with my family. My parents have a Sunday dinner tradition; we all eat together and all the grandkids get to play and we all just hang out and talk this is one of my absolute favorite things to do.

For the first time in three summers, the Stanislaus County Fair was mostly back to normal this year. Though COVID-related concerns haven’t completely evaporated, the rides were crowded, the entertainment was fun and the barns were full of animals to be shown, judged and sold.

Denair High School’s 21 FFA members who entered animals or projects walked away with many of the top honors from this year’s fair, including the Clean Barn Award out of all the schools represented from throughout the county. That means Denair will get its choice of barn locations when the 2023 county fair is held next summer.

Among Denair’s top competitors this year was Thomas Guzman, who finished first in Dairy Goat Showmanship and received many other ribbons for his six dairy goats. Guzman also teamed with Shalyn Gomes to finish second in the 10-foot by 20-foot garden competition. In addition, Gomes was first in Intermediate Dairy Goat Showmanship.

Other students winning blue ribbons for first place included Aolani Rodriguez in Market Class Hogs and Best of Breed for her Duroc hog, Braden Backus for Reserve Champion Asiatic Chickens and Novice Showmanship, Dakota Richards for Champion Duck, Destiny Lema in Dairy Goat Class, Makenzie Miguel for Reserve Champion Blackface Heavyweight Goat and Diego Dutra in Ag Mechanics, 

Conner Prock earned a number of awards, including for Champion Slick Steer. He was second in Pair Females as well as third and fourth in Summer Yearling Registered Females.

Cassidy Abruzzini was second in Middleweight Market Goat as was Lema in Market Class Hog and Colton Webster in Ag Mechanics. 

Those finishing third were Makena Padgett in Market Middleweight Lamb and Intermediate Sheep Showmanship, Brenna Cole in Sheep Market Class, Aaliyah Rodriguez and Dakota Rutherford in Market Class Hog, and Zachary Christianson, Jacob Trevino and Webster in Ag Mechanics.

“It was a really successful year for Denair FFA,” said Denair High ag teacher and FFA adviser Holli Jacobsen. “Our kids did outstanding this year and are very motivated for the next fair season.”