Denair Unified School District will not only welcome students back at the end of summer, but two new principals at Denair High School and Denair Charter Academy.

Alecia Myers will assume the role as principal at DHS after previous principal Aaron Delworth was delegated as principal exclusively for Denair Middle School. Previously, Delworth was both the principal at DMS and DHS.

“I’m very excited about it and I am looking forward to serving the students and families of Denair,” said Myers.

As principal, Myers hopes to tackle Common Core State Standards in new and innovative ways, increase Project Based Learning, and create a blended learning environment.

“One concern I want to address is declining enrollment,” said Myers. “I want to make sure we are doing all that we can to make Denair High School the most desirable school in order to maintain and increase enrollment.”

Enrollment is estimated at 300 for the 2015-16 academic year, a total that comes as 36 fewer students than in the 2014-15 academic year. Recently, the District was prompted to reduce the equivalent of two full-time teaching positions at DHS due to decreased enrollment at the high school campus.

“Her overall resume and pallet of experience was very appealing to us. She is on an upward trajectory with her career,” said DUSD Superintendent Aaron Rosander. “I think she is really going to work out very well. She understands all the pieces. She and I can strategize together.”

Before she assumes her new role as principal at Denair High School, Myers will conclude her term as the Director of Secondary Education of Milpitas Unified School District.  As director, she oversaw two high schools and two middle schools in the District.

Travis Manley will take over as principal at DCA after previous principal Michelle Bush was named the Senior Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Student Support Services, and State Preschool Education. Bush was the principal at DCA for two years.

“This means a lot to me,” said Manley. “Michelle Bush did a fantastic job getting everything in order there and I hope to continue that success while bringing in new district initiatives.”

Two district initiatives that Manley hopes to introduce is No Excuses University, which prepares students for college in order to make attending college a reality, and Positive Behavior Intervention Support, which uses positive interventions to correct misbehaving students in lieu of exclusionary discipline practices, such as suspension.

“They need to know that someone cares about them and loves them,” said Manley. “That’s one of the things I love about DCA, that they have the individual learning plans.”

Manley describes his new position as principal at DCA as “coming full circle,” since he graduated from DHS in 2002. Once the opportunity made itself known at DCA, Manley reported that he wanted to go back to the community where he spent his high school years in order to lead the school towards becoming a premier educational institution.

“He’s homegrown. He’s a Denarian,” said Rosander.

Manley will embark on his new position as principal for Denair Charter Academy after having served various roles throughout the local community, including a sixth grade teacher with Turlock Unified School District and Early Childhood and Credential Program Instructor for the Stanislaus County Office of Education.