Submitted by Denair High School:

Even as the Denair boys basketball team checks off its goals one by one, Coach R.J. Henderson and his players know the biggest objectives still are on the horizon – a high playoff seeding and a chance to compete for a Sac-Joaquin Section title.

First things first, though.

Last Friday, the Coyotes got to celebrate something that they haven’t accomplished since 2004 – earn a Southern League championship. Denair’s 74-38 romp over Delhi left the Coyotes at 10-0 in league play with only Wednesday’s home game with Le Grand and Friday’s contest at Waterford left. A victory in either would assure Denair of an outright championship since second-place Orestimba (9-2) already has lost twice to the Coyotes.

Earlier last week, Denair achieved another milestone – it won at Mariposa for the first time in nine years.

Submitted by Denair Unified School District:

Like other public agencies and private businesses, the Denair Unified School District continues to monitor the health situation involving the coronavirus. To date, there have been zero cases reported in Stanislaus County, six in California and 11 in the country.

We believe the immediate health risk from coronavirus is very low. If the situation changes, local health officials will let us know and we will promptly pass that information on to you.

As we always do during cold and flu season, our maintenance staff is hard at work to ensure that frequently touched surfaces like door handles are cleaned more often.

We also want to remind everyone about ways to protect yourself and your family from becoming ill:

Submitted by Denair High School:

Winning 14 games in a row does a lot to boost a team’s confidence. But losing a game in overtime it probably should have won in regulation is a timely reminder that success is not guaranteed. Anything can happen in high school basketball.

That’s the place the Denair High boys team finds itself in halfway through the Southern League season. The Coyotes are 19-2 overall, 6-0 in league play and experienced both ends of the emotional spectrum just this week.

Monday, in a non-conference game in their own gym, the Coyotes sprinted to a 36-24 halftime lead over Natomas of Sacramento, which brought a pedestrian 9-8 record into the contest. Denair still led by 11 points after three quarters, but Natomas slowly chipped away at that margin throughout the fourth quarter.

Then Denair starters Mario Plasencia and Hayden Feldman fouled out, setting up Natomas for a last chance. Sure enough, it hit a 3-pointer with 12 seconds to play, sending the game into overtime. The Coyotes never recovered and lost 76-72.

So long, 14-game winning streak.

Submitted by Denair Unified School District:

Some people view their jobs as work. Not Melissa Treadwell. She truly believes that being the campus supervisor at Denair High School for nearly 18 years is a calling, something she was born to do.

“My favorite thing about my job,” she said, “is creating relationships with young adults and helping students make good decisions along the way. I don’t consider it a job, more of a blessing to be part of Denair High.”

Treadwell’s influence is felt in every corner of the campus. Not only is she on the front line of navigating sometimes emotional interactions between teen-agers, she’s part of many activities outside the classroom. She’s the advisor to the PHAST (Protecting Health And Slamming Tobacco) Club, something she’s been honored for at the county level. She volunteers for craft fairs at the elementary school. She and her husband, Brad, often contribute their photography skills to sporting and other events, and recently began gathering and refurbishing gently used bicycles to give to students who need transportation to school.

This year, Treadwell also became the high school’s athletic director, adding another key role to an already overflowing portfolio of responsibilities.

Parents and their college-bound sons and daughters who would like more information about potential financial aid are invited to attend a Cash for College workshop at Denair Charter Academy on Wednesday.

The program is scheduled from 5  to 7 p.m. in Room 40 on the DCA campus. The event is co-sponsored by DCA and Denair High School.

DCA Principal Breanne Aguiar said the goal is to help families complete the Federal Assistance for Student Aid (FAFSA) application, which is required receive free tuition for the first two years at California community colleges, as well as qualify for student loans and financial aid. 

Aguiar and academic counselors Cherie Gresham of DHS and Sally Baker will answer questions and provide guidance for families.

All students who are seniors at either DCA or DHS and their parents are welcome to attend. Aguiar said about 30 people attended last year and she hopes for a larger turnout this time. As an incentive, there will be a raffle that all those in attendance will be entered into. Prizes include a 49-inch flat screen television, headphones and more.