Denair Unified Trustees Will Not Seek Parcel Tax or Write New charter to Cover All Campuses

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

The Denair Unified School District Board of Trustees reversed course Thursday night, abandoning plans to seek a parcel tax next year and write a new districtwide charter for all grades.

The decisions came after back-to-back presentations by Superintendent Terry Metzger and Chief Business Officer Linda Covello, who briefed the board and the audience. Trustees began exploring the two concepts earlier this year.

The parcel tax was pitched as a way to restore employee salaries that were slashed by as much as 11% during budget cuts in 2013 and have not been fully reinstated. It would have added $85 to $95 annually to each property owner’s tax bill for no more than five years.

During multiple town hall meetings and conversations with staff, parents and other community members, Metzger came to realize there was not nearly the level of support needed for the parcel tax to pass. It would have required two-thirds approval of those who voted.

“Public support of a parcel tax today does not seem to match the earlier reports” said Metzger, referring to a phone poll of potential voters completed in the spring.

She also cited concern from employees who live in the district and felt it would be unfair for them to be taxed more to increase their own salaries.

In addition, the district would have had to bear the cost of a special election, estimated at up to $50,000.

After the presentation, trustees reaffirmed their commitment to restoring salaries as soon as it is fiscally sustainable. They directed Metzger and Covello to review this year’s budget in an effort to find potential savings that could be applied to pay as well as approach next year’s budget with salary restoration as a priority.

Metzger and board members emphasized that increasing enrollment and attendance are intertwined with salary restoration. Enrolling 20 more students would increase revenue by about $150,000, Covello said. A 1% increase in attendance across the district would be worth about $100,000.

Full salary restoration would cost about $428,000 a year.

The district currently is in salary negotiations with both of its employee unions.

Denair already operates charter schools for elementary, homeschool and independent study students. Extending a charter to the middle and high school campuses was envisioned as a way to allow greater flexibility in programming and teacher assignments across all grade levels.

But serious questions were raised, Metzger told trustees.

One of them involved money. A few months ago, the district believed it would be in line for as much as $1.5 million in federal start-up money. That no longer is certain.

“Without the influx of funding, it would be difficult to build all the programs at one time and attract new students,” Covello said.

“That’s a concern for me,” said Trustee John Plett.

Equally important were worries about whether Denair High School’s six-year accreditation – received just last year – would have to be recertified under a new charter. That is a complicated and time-consuming task for administrators.

Also unclear was whether the high school’s popular 135-student FFA club – a fixture on campus for 58 years – would have to disband and reapply as a new school.

And while a charter was viewed as a potential magnet to attract new students from out of the district, it also made it easier for current students to transfer out, Metzger said.

The bottom line, she believes, is that the district can implement the kinds of forward-thinking, innovative and integrated programs it has discussed under its current structure. For instance, Metzger said the district can extend the popular Spanish/English dual language immersion program now offered at Denair Elementary Charter Academy into middle school without being a charter district.

“Personally, I think we can do what we want to do, but use a different vehicle,” said Board President Ray Prock Jr. He also suggested the district can more aggressively seek state and federal grants to pay for new programs.

“We went into this with good intentions – the charter as well as the parcel tax – along with building good programs,” said Trustee Crystal Sousa.

In other action Thursday, trustees:

  • Unanimously agreed to apply for a state Career Technical Education facilities grant to build a farm and technology center. The goal is to boost student skills, especially with agribusiness dominant in this region. The project is estimated to cost $3.9 million; the grant would cover half, with the district using bonds to pay its share. The project would be built on the basketball courts behind the middle school. The farm would have an amphitheater and outdoor classroom, room for livestock and land to grow plants. It could be the site for a farmers market on the weekend. The technology center would have six temperature controlled classrooms and a lab in the middle, providing many opportunities to use the most current technology in the agriculture and natural resources sectors.
  • Upheld, in closed session, the expulsion of three students who violated the district’s code of conduct.
  • Raised construction fees charged on new homes or commercial buildings built within the district’s boundaries. The fees were raised 43 cents to $3.79 per square foot for new residential developments and increased 7 cents to 61 cents per square foot for new commercial construction. They will become effective on Dec. 10. The state allows districts to raise fees every two years. It has been 3½ years since Denair’s last increase.
  • Heard a report about the possibility of reintegrating 13 special education students in grades 7 to 12 who live in the Denair district but now attend Turlock schools. Among the goals are to allow those students to attend mainstream classes, teach them lifelong academic and social skills, and save on the costs of outsourcing. The process begins with the submission of a letter to the Stanislaus County Office of Education.
  • Approved formation of a boys volleyball club at Denair High School. If there is enough interest, the club could become a competitive team in time for the spring 2020 season. The club will be led by Christy North, who also coaches the school’s girls team.

Pritchard Stars as Denair Defeats Orestimba 35-28

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Submitted by Denair High School

NEWMAN – Drew Pritchard hasn’t carried the ball a lot this year for Denair. He’s spent more time at wide receiver and as a key part of a ball-hawking secondary on defense.

But Friday night he has desperately needed on offense. The senior responded in a big way, carrying the ball 14 times for 139 yards and three touchdowns as Denair posted an impressive 35-28 road victory over perennial Southern League power Orestimba.

Pritchard was pressed into service after starting fullback Dylan De Silva was ejected in the first half after an altercation with an Orestimba player. De Silva has been part of a dynamic backfield that includes Steffin Winston and Hunter Musgrave, but the Coyotes didn’t miss a beat with Pritchard filling in.

“Drew’s a good athlete who does well when he gets the chance on offense,” praised Coach Anthony Armas. “He’s had some long runs earlier this year. We really needed him Friday and he came through.”

Pritchard also made his presence felt on defense, intercepting a pass in the first quarter to snuff an Orestimba drive. It was the first of three picks for the Coyotes. Will Knox stepped in front of an Orestimba pass deep in Denair territory late in the first half and Winston intercepted another throw in the second half in the end zone off a tip by Elvis Silva.

“I think something clicked in the Gustine game,” said Armas, referring to Denair’s 49-14 victory two weeks ago. “Our guys were just flying around on defense. They’re really playing fast and creating turnovers.”

The win kept Denair (6-1, overall, 3-1 in the SL) in a second-place tie with Waterford (6-1, 3-1) behind undefeated Ripon Christian (7-0, 4-0). Denair and Waterford play Oct. 26 on the final night of the regular season – a game that figures to go a long way to determining each school’s playoff seeding.

Friday’s game in Newman also had postseason implications.

Orestimba (4-3, 2-2) has dominated the Southern League in football. The Warriors ripped off a 23-game winning streak against SL teams on their way to three league titles in a row, but that’s history now after back-to-back losses to Ripon Christian and Denair.

Against the Warriors, the Coyotes did what they’ve done in each of their six victories – control the line of scrimmage on offense and keep Orestimba’s defense off-balance with a clever combination of misdirection running plays.

When Pritchard wasn’t ripping off big chunks of yardage, it was Winston (15 carries, 99 yards) or Hunter Musgrave (14 carries, 93 yards, 2 TDs).

The Coyotes thrived despite an inordinate number of holding penalties – “It sucked in the moment, but in the end, it kept the clock going because we made first downs,” Armas said – as well as the loss of one of their key blockers, left guard Hayden Haile.

Haile, a senior, suffered a broken left fibula (the small bone in the lower leg) and will miss the rest of the season.

Denair led 14-7 at halftime thanks to scoring runs by Pritchard and Musgrave and Knox’s interception late in the second quarter.

The Coyotes never trailed in the second half. They led 35-20 with 2 minutes when Orestimba scored a TD and 2-point conversion. Orestimba’s onside kick went out of bounds and Denair was able to run out the clock.

JV Game: Orestimba 41, Denair 0. The Coyotes are 1-4-1 overall and 1-3 in league play.

This week: It’s homecoming for Denair against Delhi (0-7, 0-4). Though the Hawks are winless, Armas expects the fact it’s a rivalry game to motivate both teams. “It won’t take much to get our kids excited. It’s Delhi,” he said. … A scheduling quirk has Denair involved in four consecutive homecoming games – its own this week, plus Gustine and Orestimba the past two weeks, and Mariposa on Oct. 19. “The kids are talking about going 4-0 in homecoming,” Armas said. “Orestimba was a great atmosphere last week. They had their kids come running out through a tunnel of motorcycles. I’m sure we’ll do something special this week, too.” … Friday’s homecoming parade starts at the school at 11:45 a.m. and goes down Monte Vista Avenue into town. Game time is 7:15 p.m. at Jack Lytton Stadium. … Though Armas doesn’t want to look ahead, he said his players know where they are in the standings. “The kids aren’t stupid, but we’ve got to focus week to week on who we’re playing,” he said. “We’ve got to keep our eyes on the prize each week. Our goal is to not just make the playoffs, but have a long run in them.”

Floats with Video Game Theme Highlight Homecoming Parade

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Submitted by Denair High School

Not only is Delhi’s football team winless on the field this season, the Hawks also are taking a beating this week on the Denair High School homecoming floats.

In keeping with a video game theme, poor Delhi is getting hammered by the freshmen (“Super Smash Brothers”), gobbled up by the sophomores (“Pac-Man”), barrel rolled by the juniors (“Donkey Kong”) and run over by the seniors (“Mario Kart”).

The floats are the products of the imaginations, artistry, and skill of Denair’s leadership team, plus some nifty welding work by students in the Advanced Ag Mechanics class, painting, and construction done by art students.

The floats will be on display during the annual homecoming parade Friday, which begins at 11:45 a.m. and runs from the high school campus to Main Street into town and back. The parade follows a rally at 10:50 a.m. during which kings and queens will be crowned.

Work on the floats began more than a month ago and wrapped up Tuesday. Students in Robyn Hilton’s leadership class first brainstormed about a theme. They chose classic video games, many of them popular when their parents were toddlers.

Next came the actual design, which in the case of the junior float took just 5 minutes, said Chloe Padgett. “I sketched it out on paper and then transferred it to the computer.”

The other floats may have taken slightly longer to conceive, but all reflect the creativity one would expect of teens enthused about homecoming.

The freshmen – led by Jack Henderson, Preston Roe, and Makena Padgett – crafted a “Super Smash Brothers” float with a muscular Coyote using a hammer to pummel an unwitting Hawk.

The sophomores – with Madelyn Brammer and Haley Hultgren in charge – have a gigantic purple “Pac-Man” orb about to munch a Hawk ghost. On the back, the words “Beware the Pac” are painted, a sly reference to a pack of coyotes as well as the game.

The juniors – with Chloe Padgett and Alex De La Cruz running point – chose “Donkey Kong,” a game both admit they never have played. “I saw it in the movie ‘Pixels,’ ” Padgett said. The back of the float features the slogan “Coyote Kong Country.”

The seniors – led by Adrianna Snyder and Drew Pritchard, but relying on at least a dozen others – created the most intricate design. It has two karts welded by Diana Soto, with the one driven by a Coyote upending a hapless Hawk. As the defending champs (they won last year as juniors), the class of 2019 might be favored again this week.

Voting is done by K-8 students on Denair’s other campuses, plus some community members.

“They’ve had a lot of fun working on these,” said art teacher and project adviser John Stavrianoudakis. “There is a lot of creativity reflected in these floats.”

The floats and parade will be a fun part of a day that will culminate with the football game at 7:15 p.m. at Jack Lytton Stadium.

Denair (6-1) is tied for second place in the Southern League with three games to play. Delhi (0-7) is last.

It will be the third of four consecutive homecoming games for the Coyotes – their own Friday, road victories the past two weeks against Gustine and Orestimba, plus the Oct. 19 game at Mariposa.

“The kids are talking about going 4-0 in homecoming,” said football Coach Anthony Armas.

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High-Powered Denair Hammers Gustine 49-14

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GUSTINE – The play is called “Power,” which accurately describes what Denair’s offense intends to do to opponents.

Overpower them.

Friday night against Gustine, the Coyotes imposed their will in the second half by running “Power Left” and “Power Right” again and again in a 49-14 Southern League victory.

Denair (5-1, overall, 2-1 in the SL) actually trailed 14-7 at halftime, when it regrouped with two of its starting offensive linemen – left guard Hayden Haile (shoulder) and left tackle Zach Cherry (ankle) – sidelined by injury.

“We had to shuffle it around. We were scrambling to find that place where we were comfortable,” said Coach Anthony Armas.

Typically, that means reverting back to “Power” – a play that Armas, a former offensive lineman, calls one of his favorites.

“Power” involves most of the offensive linemen blocking straight ahead while either guard pulls to lead the play, depending on which direction it goes. It’s one of the first plays every football team learns.

“We narrowed the scope of what we did and stayed with the plays we were running well,” Armas explained. “All our kids know ‘Power.’ We just mixed it up between that and a few other plays.”

Reserves Emannuel Zapien (left tackle) and Quentin Parker (left guard) rose to the occasion, Armas said, working with the other offensive linemen to create plenty of space for running backs Hunter Musgrave, Dylan De Silva and Steffin Winston to repeatedly gashed the Reds’ defense.

Musgrave had his best game of the season, ripping off 206 yards on 18 carries and scoring three touchdowns. Winston ran 14 times for 84 yards and a TD, and DeSilva pounded Gustine for 61 yards and three more touchdowns.

Denair’s defense also had a big role in the romp, forcing three Gustine turnovers in the second half (two fumbles and one interception by Will Knox). The Coyotes turned each of those takeaways into points while holding the Reds scoreless.

“We were more aggressive in the second half. We filled our gaps better. We were flying to the ball,” Armas said.

The victory moved Denair into a four-way tie with Orestimba (5-1, 2-1), Waterford (5-1, 2-1) and Gustine (4-2, 2-1) for second place in the league behind unbeaten Ripon Christian (6-0, 3-0).

RC already has handed Denair and Orestimba their only losses. It plays at Gustine this week while Denair faces another tough road game on the West Side in Newman against Orestimba. Waterford hosts Mariposa.

JV Game: Denair 7, Gustine 0. The Coyotes are 1-3-1 overall and 1-2 in league play.

This week: It doesn’t get any easier for the Coyotes, who face an Orestimba team that just had its 23-game Southern League winning streak snapped. “They’re talented, especially on the offensive side of the ball,” Armas said. “They’re really aggressive on defense. … It’s going to be tough. It’s their homecoming; they’re coming off a loss. It should be a charged atmosphere. It will be fun.” … Denair has scored 241 points in six games despite being held to only one touchdown in its 35-7 loss to Ripon Christian. … A victory this week would put the Coyotes in a good position for a Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII playoff berth with three weeks to play – home games against Delhi and Waterford sandwiched around a road contest in Mariposa.

Castro Family is this Year’s Beneficiary of Denair Lions Pancake Breakfast

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Submitted by Denair Lions Club

Sunday, November 4th, the Denair Community Center will open at 7:00 am for the Annual Lions Pancake Breakfast. This year proceeds will be donated to the Castro Family. Kayla Castro, a 25-year-old mother of 1-year-old Everett, is undergoing cancer treatment while her son is continuing evaluation and treatment for diagnoses of microcephaly, cerebral palsy, and brain abnormalities. You may have read about the family’s struggles and local fundraising efforts in the Turlock Journal this summer. The family continues to bear a large financial burden and there is still much need to be filled.

For over 40 years, the Denair Lions Club has hosted a pancake breakfast on the first Sunday in November. The breakfast has become not only a great fundraiser but also an annual social event for 400 to 600 supporters. Each year the club chooses a person or cause to receive all proceeds from the breakfast. In past years, proceeds have funded such causes as new uniforms and equipment for the Denair Lions Youth Football program, updates and repairs to Denair High School sports facilities and programs, and many local residents in need of financial aid for medical bills during or following a tragedy.

The meal includes pancakes, scrambled eggs, and ham, served with coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice, or milk. No tickets are required but donations are accepted at the doors. As always, no person is turned away who is unable to donate. A small number of raffle prizes will be offered together with the traditional Quilt Raffle, which for over 15 years has featured a beautiful handmade quilt crafted and donated by a club member’s mother.