Perhaps the most important promise made to parents eight years ago when Denair Unified created its Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program was this one: the district was committed to growing the English/Spanish program from kindergarten and the elementary grades through middle school and all the way into high school.

It was an obligation the district embraced and from which it has never wavered. It has endured through leadership changes at the district and school levels, the addition of new teachers each year and a global pandemic that presented its own challenges.  

“When I came to the district five years ago, the DUSD Governing Board made it very clear that the Dual Language program was a high priority,” Superintendent Terry Metzger said. “We have families who have already invested eight years in the program. We recognize that our parents trust us as a district to follow through with a comprehensive program that will benefit their children far into the future.”

Today, the first group of DLI students who began as 5-year-old kindergartners are in seventh grade at Denair Middle School. There are now DLI classes stacked up at every grade level behind them – 252 children in all who are in the process of becoming bilingual, biliterate and bicultural.

District officials are very aware that the oldest group of students will be high school freshmen in less than two years. Discussions have begun about what a DLI program might look like at the high school level, though no decisions have been made yet.

“We’re trying to set them up for success in whatever we do,” said Metzger.

One possibility to continue building fluency in Spanish is to have the DLI freshman take Spanish 3, which would typically be the third-year course taken by juniors or seniors. Another option for the most accomplished DLI students would be to move them directly into AP Spanish, the highest level offered at Denair High.

One of the key questions with the AP alternative, middle school Principal Gabriela Sarmiento admitted, is whether freshmen would be “academically and emotionally ready” to take and succeed in any AP course – Spanish or otherwise.

“The pressure is high in AP Spanish and the workload is immense,” Metzger acknowledged.

The larger goal, of course, is to make sure all the DLI students will graduate and be fluent in two languages. The hope is by the time they are high school juniors, they can take and pass the countywide test that will certify them as biliterate, which will earn them a special seal on their high school diplomas and be an asset on their college applications.

“We’re committed to ensuring that our DLI students complete a program that results in not only the Seal of Biliteracy, but also real-world skills that will help them be successful after high school graduation,” said Metzger.

What DLI looks like in middle school

Some of the district’s DLI students come from families who speak Spanish at home. Others are from households where only English is spoken. Regardless, all of them are learning to read, write and speak in two languages – a skill that can only help them well beyond their school days.

There are 21 DLI students in seventh grade. About half – including twins Henry and Brooke De La Motte – were members of the original class. Others, like Isaac Maldonado, have transferred to Denair through the years after beginning in DLI programs in other districts. 

Sarmiento, whose son Victor is one of those seventh-graders, said the first group of students will always share a special bond and have developed a noticeable camaraderie.

“Their teachers have said they are very collaborative,” she said. “They’re comfortable with one another and are easy to get along with. And while we don’t want to separate our DLI students (from their English-only peers), they recognize that they have something in common.”

The De La Motte twins come from a family that doesn’t have any bilingual history. 

“Our parents thought it would help improve our lives and help us with language skills” by enrolling them in the DLI program, Henry explained.

He said he started really comprehending Spanish in the second grade.

“First, I began to understand words and then came writing and speaking,” said Henry. “Once you get the hang of it, it’s easy.” 

His favorite part of learning the language is being able to speak it, something his parents encourage he and his sister to do whenever they encounter native Spanish speakers. Henry also would like to travel to Mexcio one day to use his language skills and learn more about the culture there.

Maldonado joined Denair’s DLI program as a fifth-grader after being part of a similar system in Delhi. His mother is from Mexico, so he had exposure to Spanish before he began school. Moving between the two languages is second nature to him.

“Learning two languages is good. I’m proud that I can do it,” he said. 

His favorite class is math – which is taught in English – “just because I’m good at it.” 

By design, the elementary and middle school DLI programs are different.

At Denair Elementary Charter Academy, the DLI students at each grade level stay together for the entire day with one teacher. Some subjects are taught in Spanish; others in English. There is more Spanish at the younger grade levels, a ratio that eventually balances out at about 50-50 by fifth grade. Regardless of language, the curriculum is the same as what the English-only students are taught.

Starting in sixth grade at DMS, students begin to rotate among teachers for different subjects. Three of the sixth-graders’ seven classes (Spanish Language Arts, world history and an exploratory elective focused on Spanish literature and culture) are taught in Spanish; all other subjects are in English. In seventh grade, the Spanish elective goes away. That likely will be the case next year as well when eighth grade is added, Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento believes it’s important not to segregate the DLI students from their English-only peers on campus, which can be a scheduling challenge given the campus only has about 250 students. That’s why DLI students are encouraged to join clubs, play sports and participate in other extracurricular activities.

Still, their inclusion in the DLI program always will set them apart.

“They are held to higher expectations,” Sarmiento acknowledged. “There is more work output expected of them. With higher academic words and phrases, they must know and recognize their significance in Spanish and English. By virtue of being in the program, they are forced to work harder.”

Metzger expects Denair’s DLI program to continue to grow as more and more parents recognize the long-term value provided to their children.

“Aside from the fact that having a multicultural perspective helps people be more accepting of diverse viewpoints, the reality is that we live and work in a global economy,” she said. “Speaking more than one language can definitely open up new and better opportunities.”

The trip to San Francisco was memorable for Denair High’s football players. The actual game, not so much.

The Coyotes, playing in one of the most picturesque high school venues in the country against George Washington High, trailed by only a touchdown at halftime on Saturday afternoon. Turnovers, penalties and a lack of depth torpedoed Denair in the second half, however, as the Eagles ran away to a 41-0 victory.

It was a game Denair Coach Anthony Armas had been trying to schedule for three years, if only because Washington’s field sits in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge and only a stone’s throw from Golden Gate Park. 

A scheduling mix-up on Washington’s end scuttled the game in 2019 and COVID wiped out last fall’s matchup.

Saturday afternoon, then, finally was an opportunity to fulfill one of Armas’ goals each year – to play a game outside the Central Valley, sometimes in a place some of his players have never seen. That certainly was true of San Francisco.

“Some of them had never been there,” Armas said. “As we were crossing the Bay Bridge, we pointed out Oracle Arena. Here’s where the Warriors play. There’s where the Giants play. Alcatraz. There’s Coit Tower. It was kind of cool for some of the guys.”

Denair’s bus wound through the heart of the city before arriving at Washington High, which sits on the northern edge of Golden Gate Park with the famous orange bridge plainly in sight from the field.

Unfortunately, the game wasn’t as memorable as the view.

“We played awful,” Armas said. “We took the opening kickoff and drove inside their 5-yard-line and then fumbled at the 1. They scored and led 7-0 most of the half. We had a chance right before the end of the half but had a touchdown pass called back because of a penalty.”

Denair self-destructed in the final two quarters, giving up touchdowns on both an interception return and a fumble recovery in addition to being unable to slow the Eagles’ offense. 

“They were fast and athletic,” Armas said. “They had some bigger kids than we’re used to. … I thought it was going to be a cool day, but it turned out to be a rough day.”

The loss was the second in three preseason games for Denair (1-2), who fell to Modesto Christian 47-29 in its opener before dominating Riverbank 45-0 in its second game.

If anything, the three non-league contests underscored what Armas already knew about his team – they’re going to be underdogs in almost every game because of their small roster (fewer than 20 players) and they won’t have much margin for error if they don’t play well or have too many players get dinged up.

For instance, when running back and linebacker Anthony Pineda aggravated a hip injury Saturday, the ripple effect was felt on offense and defense. 

“We had some guys out of position,” Armas said. “In the second half, the wheels just came off.”

Things don’t get any easier this week as the Southern League schedule kicks off. Up first for Denair? Always tough Ripon Christian (2-1) on the road.

“They’re good. They’re big. They’re fast. They’re physical,” Armas said. “They’ve got some kids who can run. They’re probably the best team in the league along with Orestimba.”

If the preseason is any indication, the Southern League is loaded this year. Le Grand, Mariposa and Delhi all are 3-0 while RC, Orestimba and Gustine each are 2-1.

“I like our kids a lot, but it’s going to be a tough year for us,” Armas said. “We’ve got some young guys in spots who are doing pretty well. We just need to do the things we do, cut down our mistakes, make sure we know our assignments and take better angles when we’re trying to tackle.”

Denair could add a few players who will be eligible after first-quarter grades come out in early October, but the real hope for the future may rest with this year’s junior varsity team, which has won two of its three games this fall even though Armas already has five sophomores playing on the varsity.

“They beat Washington 34-14 Saturday and were up 28-0 at halftime,” Armas said. “They also played well against Atwater’s freshman team, even though they lost.”

Following this week’s game, the rest of Denair’s schedule looks like this: Home games against Gustine (Sept. 23), Le Grand (Sept. 30) and Mariposa (Oct. 7), then at Delhi (Oct. 14), home vs. Orestimba (Oct. 21) and the regular-season finale at home against Waterford (Oct. 28).

Every public school district in California must create a Local Control Accountability Plan, or LCAP. It is intended to be a road map, one that lays out specific goals and measurable ways to track their progress over a three-year period.

At Thursday’s monthly meeting of the Denair Unified School District board, trustees and the audience listened to an update from Superintendent Terry Metzger about the district’s LCAP, which went into effect in the 2021-22 school year. 

The LCAP was created with input from staff, parents and the community. At its heart, it is an action plan to carry out the district’s vision, which proclaims: “Denair Unified School District empowers tomorrow’s leaders through exemplary instruction and powerful innovative programs. Our exceptional school environments are the best educational choice for all students.”

Those are more than words printed on a banner that hangs on a wall in the board meeting room. They are meant to be the north star that guides every decision the district makes.

The LCAP’s broad goal addresses the first part of the vision. It states that every Denair student will have the foundation for post-secondary success – meaning, after graduation from high school, they will be academically prepared to attend college, a vocational school or step into an entry-level trade profession.

To that end, part of the district’s focus this year, Metzger told trustees, is to better explain to parents “how to help your child be successful in school and get them to college and career.”

“Not only getting parents involved, but helping them understand what it takes to be successful after graduation,” she said.

The district has set an ambitious target to measure success — by the end of the 2023-24 school year, at least 80% of students will demonstrate literacy (reading, writing, and speaking) in all content areas.

Metzger said that requires honest evaluation of “what we are teaching, how we are teaching it and how we know students are learning it.” 

“We’re being very intentional in each content area,” she said. “What does it take to demonstrate you are literate in that area?”

That districtwide effort includes setting up support systems that target students at each grade level who need extra academic help. It also includes attention to students’ social emotional learning and mental health.

“Those are the ‘soft skills’ in life,” Metzger said. “Academics are the hard skills. Do you know how to read and write.”

The second part of the district’s vision – creating an “exceptional school environment” – seeks to assure parents and students that all children, regardless of background, ethnicity or culture, will have an equal chance to thrive in Denair schools.

Metzger laid out six principals that will help move the district toward what she calls “cultural proficiency:”

• Focus on the moral purpose of the work.
• Develop and manage support structures and practices with a lens of equity.
• Invite, require and value multiple perspectives.
• Focus on student engagement as well as achievement and results.
• Develop a critical mass of equity stewards (people who feel responsible for taking on this work).
• Be willing to ask critical questions.

For their part, board members agreed to evaluate progress by keeping in mind the “two B’s” – increasing belonging and reducing barriers to participation by students, whether in class or via extracurricular activities.

“You can have a mindset that’s open, but if you don’t think about the barriers that prevent some kids from participating, you’re missing something,” said Trustee Carmen Wilson.

In other action Thursday night, trustees:

• Voted 5-0 to approve an updated facility use form and fee structure for the first time in nearly a decade. Groups such as parents or booster clubs, the FFA and others affiliated with the district will continue to pay nothing to use the district’s facilities, but outside groups can expect to pay 30% more from now on to rent a gymnasium, meeting space or athletic field. “We’re not out to make money, but we can’t lose money,” said Metzger, adding the fees are in line with or lower than other nearby school districts. “They’re still a value.”
• Unanimously approved a motion to allow the district to continue contract negotiations with the two unions representing most employees – the Denair Unified Teachers Association and the California School Employees Association. Labor contracts with both unions expired June 30; once finalized, the new agreements will be in place until June 30, 2025.
• Listened as Metzger described partnerships with outside groups focused on helping teachers plan for retirement, work on their mental health through individual and group coaching, and to know if they qualify for the public service student loan forgiveness program.
• Congratulated Food Services Manager Kim Fuentez and her staff for their recent efforts to feed more than 300 Hickman students for a week and a half after that district’s food vendor ran into issues. Fuentez summed up her approach to student nutrition and helping this way: “If they’re in our county, they’re my kids.”

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

Family: My family is spread out all over the U.S. 

School: Denair Middle School

Subject taught: English

Experience and education: I graduated from Stanislaus State University in 2021 with a BA in English. I am entering my final postgraduate semester at Stanislaus State. Before being hired by Denair Middle School, I worked as a substitute teacher for Stanislaus County Office of Education, Merced County Office of Education and Modesto City Schools. I have had prior experience assisting students with special needs as well.

What attracted you to Denair? The goals and beliefs of DMS align with my core values and student-centered teaching style. It felt like a perfect fit. 

What most inspires you about teaching? The thing that inspires me the most about teaching is the knowledge that I have the ability to make a lasting difference in my student’s lives. 

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? Online schooling has caused a lot of students to fall behind. This year I want to catch students up and fill the gaps. 

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? The best activities are student-led and meaningful. If I had to choose something specific, my favorite activities would be creative writing and journaling. It’s important to me that my students can have their own voice and feel heard. I believe that writing is a great outlet for emotions and self-expression. 

What do you want your students to remember?  I want students to remember to hold onto their creativity and curiosity even as they get older. 

How can parents support what you do? Please don’t hesitate to contact me. I will reach out to you within the first two weeks and I am more than happy to keep an open line of communication. You know your child better than anyone else. Let me know what your child needs and what works for them. I want to work with you to give your child what they need to succeed. 

What would surprise people about your job? Believe it or not, I have had a lot of people express sympathy when I tell them I’m a middle school teacher! They’re often surprised to hear that I really enjoy working with this age group. There isn’t anything else I’d rather be doing! 

What do you do for fun? I do a lot! Some things I enjoy are reading, writing, all sorts of crafts, making music, filming, traveling, hiking, visiting museums, spending time with my pets, cooking, going to the movies, scouring second-hand shops and collecting all sorts of things.