Name: Daniel (DJ) Sexton

Family: My parents, Dan and Robin Sexton, and my brother, Sam Sexton, and his wife Sarah. I also have two adorable beagles, Belle and Elsa.

School: Hughson High School

Position: Social science teacher

Experience and education: I got my history degree from Stanislaus State in the fall of 2021 and am currently taking classes there for my teaching credential. This will be my first year teaching, but my educational experience includes working one year as a campus supervisor at Ross Middle School, two years as a substitute teacher (mainly at Ross and Hughson High) and eight years coaching football at the high school.

What attracted you to Hughson? I was born and raised in Hughson, and went through Hughson schools as a kid and really enjoyed my time here. Hughson is a great small town and I wanted to remain a part of it. Teaching at Hughson High has been a dream of mine for years and I’m excited to teach here!

What most inspires you about what you do? The kids. I enjoy watching them learn, have fun and learn about how the world works by learning about the past. I really enjoyed getting to know a lot of students as a coach/campus supervisor/substitute teacher, but I am looking forward to having a class of my own and getting to know all my students.

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? I look forward to the everyday challenges that come with being a new teacher. I get to learn and grow as a teacher while helping those in my class learn and grow as students of history. It’s going to be fun!

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? I plan on having a lot of group discussions in my class and focusing on the “why” of history. I also plan on having a few fun history facts or stories to show that history is fun, and it can be relatable too.

What do you want your students to remember? After taking my class, I hope my students will remember my class as being fun, positive and engaging. I also hope they remember some fun parts of history from this class, and they can use that knowledge to be well informed citizens.

How can parents support what you do? Communicate and check grades. I am always available via email and hope that parents communicate with me as well as encourage their students to as well. Grades will be posted regularly so parents can help their students avoid falling behind.

What would surprise people about your job? I am still learning about my job, so I am sure to have some surprises myself. But watching and talking to experienced teachers, I think people would be surprised with how much goes into lesson planning, organizing and classroom management, as well as balancing being a teacher but also providing support to students when needed.

What do you do for fun? In my spare time, I coach football, watch movies and take naps. I also enjoy spending time with my dogs and playing the occasional game of Madden on my Xbox.