Tag Archives: Denair Middle School

DUSD Bands Off and Running

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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.

 

DUSD Graduation Ceremony Information

Posted on by

CoyoteGradHatGraduation season is upon us! Below is a comprehensive listing of all Denair Unified School District graduation ceremonies. None of the events require tickets for entry.

The Denair Charter Academy 8th Grade promotion ceremony will take place on Tuesday, May 27, 2014, at 6:00 pm, in the Denair Middle School Coyote Center. Doors open at 5:30 pm.

Denair Charter Academy will be will be presenting the Class of 2014 on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, at 7:30 pm, at Jack Lytton Stadium. Gates open at 7:00 pm.

The Denair Middle School 8th Grade graduation will take place on Thursday, May 29, 2014, at 7:00 pm, at Jack Lytton Stadium. Gates open at 6:00 pm.

Denair High School will be presenting the Class of 2014 on Friday, May 30, 2014, at 7:30 pm, at Jack Lytton Stadium. Gates open at 6:00 pm.

 

 

Denair Middle School Boys Compete in Twelve Hour Race

Posted on by

Two thirteen year-old Denair boys recently completed a grueling twelve hour race, covering forty eight miles, that included kayaking, mountain biking and trail running. Trent Hulbert and Jake Dirkse, seventh grade students at Denair Middle School, competed in the Dawn to Dusk Adventure Race. The race took place May 10, 2014, in the Santa Barbara area and the boys crossed the finish line in the Los Padres National Forest. The adventure race included 6-8 miles of ocean kayaking, 25-35 miles of mountain biking on roads, fire roads and single tracks, and 10-15 miles of foot travel including technical trail running, scrambling, technical rope sections and swimming. Racers used maps and compasses to navigate the unmarked course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nI4QKnJuJA

The boys prepared for the Dawn to Dusk Adventure Race by completing a similar shorter race, the Checkpoint Challenge in mid-April. Completing the Dusk to Dawn Adventure Race is a huge accomplishment for adults, and these boys represented the younger contestents admirably!