Tag Archives: Denair High School

Robyn Hilton Joins Denair High School Staff

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Robyn Hilton

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Mrs. Robyn Hilton, Denair High School’s new math teacher, graduated from DHS in 2008. She went on to Fresno State where she earned her degree in Mathematics. She got her teaching credential from CSU Stanislaus.

This year, Mrs. Hilton is teaching Algebra 2, Trigonometry/Calculus, AP Statistics, 8th Grade Math, and Leadership. Her teaching career began at Whitmore Charter in Ceres where she taught 7th and 8th grade math.

Mrs. Hilton’s math classes this year will focus on making math relevant to her students and useful in their lives. She is also working on creating a positive learning environment in her classroom.

“My favorite part of teaching is being able to build connections with my students,” Mrs. Hilton said. She added that she loves when she “can inspire students to continue their mathematics education after high school.”

Beyond math, Mrs. Hilton will be DHS’s Leadership Advisor and Activities Director this year. She will focus on helping Leadership students create more school and community spirit this year through overseeing such activities as dances, rallies, and Friday lunch activities.

Mrs. Hilton will also be providing after-school tutoring Thursdays from 3:00 – 4:00 pm first semester in Room 405. All subjects are welcome, and students will have access to a computer, the Internet, and printing during tutoring.

DUSD Bands Off and Running

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MS Band Students

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Under the direction of substitute music teacher Ms. Julie Mefferd, Denair High School and Denair Middle School band students began practice this week. Within two days of the start of the school year, students already had instruments in hand.

Denair High School band, which currently has 21 students, began warm ups immediately. Student Band President, Andrew Knapp, said many band students felt rusty after not playing their instruments over the summer. He led warm-ups the first two days. Ms. Mefferd commented last week that the high school band is ready for Pep Band performances at home football games, the first of which is August 29, 2014. The band is polishing its “Imperial March” song from the movie Star Wars and rehearsing “The Star Spangled Banner” which they plan to perform at half time of the Homecoming Game October 24.

Middle School Band, which has approximately 50 students, began practice last Wednesday. Ms. Mefferd set the students in concert formation and began sectional warm ups on a practice piece. Students continue to work on fundamentals. Those who have their own instruments are encouraged to bring them everyday.

On August 19, 2014, Denair Unified School District hired retired band director Mr. Donald Thissen, to replace Ms. Cathy George, who left the district this summer. Mr. Thissen, an accomplished trombone player, has taught music K-12 including jazz and concert band and marching band.

Comedian Shares Serious Messages With Denair Students

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Pat HurleySubmitted by Denair Unified School District

There were plenty of laughs and more than a few giggles during comedian Pat Hurley’s presentation to Denair middle and high school students Tuesday morning. His riffs on teen-age sleeping patterns and dirty bedrooms, horror movies and even nursery rhymes entertained both audiences on their first day of school.

But laced within the humor were six serious messages that Hurley has shared at more than 9,000 campuses across the country. They are the qualities, he says, that separate merely good schools from “championship schools.”

  • Having a clean campus
  • Friendliness
  • Teamwork
  • Responsibility
  • Respect for diversity
  • Giving back to the community

Hurley told students that it doesn’t matter how big their school is or where it’s at, those six characteristics don’t change. He should know. He grew up in Atwater in the 1950s and ’60s, and then moved to metropolitan areas where he won three Emmy Awards for his work with children’s television. He now lives in Orange County and writes mystery novels in addition to his campus presentations.

“It’s not the size the school, it’s the quality of the school,” Hurley told about 400 high school students in the gym.

Earlier, talking with about 240 middle school students in their multipurpose room, Hurley said one of his measures of any campus is how clean it is. Continue reading “Comedian Shares Serious Messages With Denair Students” »

DUSD Back-to-School Information

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Back to School

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Tuesday, August 12, marks the start of the 2014-15 Denair Unified School District school year. Daily schedules and other information of each of the DUSD schools is outlined below.

 

 

Denair Elementary School – (209) 632-8887

1st -5th Grades, 8:00 am – 2:30 pm

Kindergarten, 8:00 am – 2:20 pm

 

Denair Academic Avenues – (209) 632-6906

1st -5th Grades, M -Th, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm. Fri, 8:00 am to 12:30 pm.

Kindergarten, M -Th, 8:00 am – 2:20 pm. Fri, 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Free breakfast is served to all Denair Elementary School and Denair Academic Avenues students from 7:30-7:55, in the Denair Elementary School Cafeteria.

 

Denair Middle School  – (209) 632-2510  and  Denair High School – (209) 632-9911

Denair Middle School and Denair High School will share a daily schedule.

8:00 am – 2:45 pm.

Free breakfast is served to all Denair Middle School students from 7:30-7:55, in the Denair Middle School Coyote Center. Denair High School students are served from 7:30-7:55, in the Denair High School Cafeteria.

 

Denair Charter Academy – (209) 634-0917

Office Hours: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

 

Parents can prepay for student lunches, for all school sites, using the myschoolbucks.com service.

 

Denair FFA has Impressive Showing at Fair

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FairLed by Denair FFA advisors Mr. Bill Douglas and Mrs. Summer Tannehill, over thirty Denair High School FFA members showed animals at the Stanislaus County Fair, July 7-20, 2014, and collected numerous awards. Of the many impressive wins, were Caleb Johnson, who won Reserve Supreme Champion Hog, as well as first place overall in Advanced Swine Showmanship. Holley McDiffett won Champion Yorkshire Hog, Nadia Johnson won Champion All Other Breeds Hog and Eli Johnson won Reserve Champion Crossbred Hog. In Overall Advanced Swine Showmanship, Eli Johnson took fourth place, Nadia Johnson took fifth, and Tristan Haile took eighth. Denair FFA placed first in Chapter Group Swine. Twenty-two students showed swine this year.

FFA Advisor, Mrs. Tannehill said, “It was amazing to see Denair on the FFA Jackets of so many students in the advanced rounds. To have four out of eight exhibitors in the advanced showmanship drive is an amazing feat, as well as having three out of five of the breed champions. All of the exhibitors put countless hours into their projects, and it was great to see everyone helping one another and cheering for each other.”

Denair FFA’s goat exhibitors also did very well. Heidi Johnson won the FFA Junior Champion as well as Reserve Grand Champion Grade Dairy Goat. Janet Garcia placed first for True Novice Meat Goat Showmanship, and Garcia and Victoria Adler won third place for Clean Barn – Meat Goats.

In Sheep, Christopher Galhano won Supreme Champion Breeding Ewe and Reserve Champion Breeding Ewe. He also took third place in Overall Advanced Sheep Showmanship. In Overall Advanced Sheep Showmanship, Caleb Johnson won fifth place and Tristan Haile won seventh. Continue reading “Denair FFA has Impressive Showing at Fair” »