Tag Archives: Denair High School

Top Denair High Students Arndt, Dirkse and Sweeten Reflect on Academic Success

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Abigail Dirkse, David Sweeten, Logen Arndt

Submitted by Denair High School

The Denair High School Class of 2016 will be honored May 27 at a graduation celebration. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. at Jack Lytton Stadium. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are not required.

Logen Arndt will be the valedictorian; Abigail Dirkse and David Sweeten are the salutatorians. Arndt (4.33) had the highest grade-point average among the graduating seniors while Dirkse and Sweeten had the second-highest (both 4.25).  All three students recently took time to answer 10 questions about their high school experiences.

Question: What are the key things other students should know about your academic success and how you achieved it?

Arndt: They should know that anyone and everyone can succeed in anything they do if they only put their minds to it. If you have the drive and perseverance to succeed, you can succeed in everything you do.

Dirkse: The reason I was academically successful at Denair was because in class, I always paid attention and made sure to ask questions when I did not understand something.

Sweeten: Do as much work as necessary to achieve what you want and nothing less.

Q: How much time outside of class did you spend studying or doing homework?

Arndt: I spend probably between one and four hours of work on a moderate day. Some days less; other days, I would come home at 1 p.m. and be up past 11 doing schoolwork.

Dirkse: Quite honestly, I did not spend a lot of time outside of class on daily homework because I made sure to use my time in class as best as I could so I would not have homework.

Sweeten: I did not spend any time outside of the school day on schoolwork. Continue reading “Top Denair High Students Arndt, Dirkse and Sweeten Reflect on Academic Success” »

New Principals Announced for Denair High School, Middle School and Elementary Campus

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

A Denair resident with a diverse and successful education background, an innovative elementary school teacher already in the district and an experienced bilingual instructor from Patterson were announced this week as the three new principals in the Denair Unified School District.

Kara Backman will take over at Denair High School, Kelly Beard will become the new leader at Denair Middle School and Lucy Zamora will take the reins at Denair Elementary Charter Academy.

The selections were revealed to teachers and other staff by Superintendent Aaron Rosander, who led a team that interviewed what he called six “outstanding” candidates last week.

Backman emerged as the choice to become the third principal in three years at the high school. She previously has served as principal at University Charter School in Modesto, Summit Charter Academy campuses in Porterville and Ceres, and Vanguard College Preparatory Academy in Empire.

Since 2011, she has been a managing associate at CT3 Education, traveling across the country to train other teaching coaches, school-based culture planning and leadership support based on No-Nonsense Nurturer Model and Real Time Teacher Coaching.

Her CT3 profile describes her as a “turnaround principal, a national transformational coach and a research-based, data-driven teacher.”

Denair High has battled with declining enrollment for the past few years. Backman says there are no easy answers, but that there is “a ton of opportunity” to add programs and improve academic performance.

“We have to figure out what our purpose,” she said. “What is going to be the identifier for Denair? What’s going to be the thing that draws children here?

“There have been changes in leadership at the high school the past couple of years and that can be a challenge. What I told them was this: ‘I’m not leaving. All three of my children will graduate from Denair High. I’m here for the long haul.’ ”

Backman and her husband, James, operate Small Town Genetics on property homesteaded decades ago by his grandfather. They have three young children – the oldest of whom will be in kindergarten at DECA next fall.

Her husband and many in his family graduated from the high school Backman now will lead. “It is very near and dear to my family. … We have some deep roots here.”

She called the decision to live in Denair “simple,” saying they were drawn by “a small, but rigorous community atmosphere embedded with high-quality education, rich agriculture and community trust.”

Backman has a bachelor’s degree from Fresno State University in agriculture education and animal science, and a master’s from San Jose State in educational leadership. She also was a member of Stanford University Principal Fellows Program in 2010. Continue reading “New Principals Announced for Denair High School, Middle School and Elementary Campus” »

Tristan Haile Receives 2016 DEKALB Agricultural Accomplishment Award

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Tristan Haile

Submitted by Denair High School

Tristan Haile, of Denair High School, in Denair, California, was recently selected to be presented the school’s highest agricultural honor, the DEKALB Agricultural Accomplishment Award, sponsored by Monsanto.

Haile, the Daughter of Randy and Debbie, received the award for excellence in academics, leadership and agricultural work experience. Haile’s significant experiences and accomplishments have included raising market and breeding hogs for the Stanislaus County Fair, owning, breeding, showing and selling lambs from her own flock of Suffolk Hampshire Cross Sheep, holding a Chapter FFA officer position for two years, actively participating on FFA leadership committees and receiving her California FFA State Degree.

This year the DEKALB Agricultural Accomplishment Award celebrates its 69th anniversary. Over these 69 years more than 168,000 high school seniors from across the country have received the award, which has become a symbol for excellence and the school’s highest agricultural honor.

As the winner of the 2016 award, Tristan Haile’s name will be recorded on a permanent plaque and displayed at Denair High School.

Monsanto, a long-time supporter of agricultural education, FFA, 4-H and other farm youth organizations and initiatives, sponsors the DEKALB Agricultural Accomplishment Award. Monsanto is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.

Congratulations to Tristan Haile for her role in the agricultural field, leadership and representing the qualities that are a symbol for excellence in agriculture.

Denair Unified Trustees Thank Staff for Patience, Approve 1% Salary Increases for All Employees

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Denair Unified School District trustees approved 1% salary raises for all employees Thursday night, the first step in what they hope will be additional moves to restore across-the-board pay cuts imposed three years ago.

Even as trustees passed the motion 4-0 (board member Ray Prock Jr. was absent), they acknowledged that would like to do more as financial conditions improve.

“I look at this as we’re finally able to give something back,” Trustee Robert Hodges said. “This is a good-faith effort that we’re going to (restore salaries) as soon as possible.”

Salaries for every Denair employee were reduced by 8% in 2013 as one part of an effort to bring the district’s expenses and revenue into alignment. The lingering effects of the recession and declining enrollment combined to push the district into financial crisis, which required a short-term loan from the Stanislaus County Office of Education and intervention by the state.

Those dark days are well in the past now, district officials stressed Thursday, but enrollment remains an issue. Denair Elementary Charter Academy and Denair Charter Academy have consistently added students, but that growth has been offset by continued declines at Denair High School.

Enrollment provides the biggest chunk of income for any district in California, with the state paying about $8,000 per student per year based on what is known as Average Daily Attendance. In Denair, ADA has fallen the past five years from 1,535 students to 1,275.

“Our major goal is to not just restore salaries to where they were, but to go beyond,” Superintendent Aaron Rosander said. “We want our employees to have the salaries that they rightfully deserve.”

The pay raises take effect July 1 for the 2016-17 school year. Collectively, they will add $98,499 to the district’s budget next year.

The district remains in contract negotiations with the two bargaining units representing its 60 teachers and 63 classified staff. Continue reading “Denair Unified Trustees Thank Staff for Patience, Approve 1% Salary Increases for All Employees” »

Update From DUSD Superintendent Aaron Rosander

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Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Businesses and organizations are dynamic places that experience seasons of change. Denair Unified School District is no exception. Below are some the confirmed key changes occurring across our District.

Denair High School

Administration: We have recently learned that Principal Alecia Myers will be leaving our District and will not return to DHS this year. We thank Ms. Myers for her service and wish her well.

Interim Principal Joe Galindo will continue to fill in at the high school, teaming up with our talented faculty and staff to ensure that the school year ends smoothly and successfully.

Principal interviews will be held Monday, May 9th.

Teachers: We are currently recruiting for three teacher positions at DHS in the areas of Science, English and Mathematics.

Leaving DHS at the end of this school year are Breanna Vaughn (science) and Carrie Coldicutt (English). We thank both individuals for their terrific service and wish them well in their future endeavors. The talented Cristina Rojas (mathematics) will transfer to Denair Charter Academy next year where she will work full time.

Sandra Cisneros will move from DECA to DHS to teach Spanish. Ms. Cisneros will fill the vacancy of Maria Olivas who next year will serve as DUSD’s full-time Coordinator of English Language Development/English Learner Instructional Coach

Teacher recruitment and interviews are currently in progress.

Continue reading “Update From DUSD Superintendent Aaron Rosander” »