Asael Prado

Mr. Ronald Dentinger will be signing off at the end of this semester after 34 years with EPISD. He has spent 148,920 hours (about 17 years) at Coronado High School, not only working as assistant principal, but creating the broadcasting journalism classes on campus and spending time as an assistant football coach. 

Dentinger’s career started at Burges High School as a wrestling coach. He coached his team to the state championship in 1991 and again in 1993. The wrestling team was in the top 20 teams for seven out of nine years. Dentinger also initiated the broadcast journalism program at Burges. Later, he taught at MacArthur Middle School as well as El Paso High School, where he was the head football coach. Dentinger has spent the last 17 years at Coronado – eight years as broadcasting teacher and nine years as an assistant principal. 

After retirement, Dentinger hopes to take some time to unwind and not worry so much about his wife, who is also retiring. 

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean his working days are over.

In January, Dentinger will be taking a teaching position at Loretto Academy.

“We [Loretto principal] used to work together and she asked me to investigate teaching at Loretto. After visiting, I was excited for the opportunity,”  Dentinger said. 

Mr. Dentinger has been talking about his retirement from EPISD for a while. Of course, this goodbye comes with some sadness from his colleagues.

“His job is going to be difficult to replace. I am worried that we’re not going to get an administrator that is as good as Mr. Dentinger was,”  Journalism Teacher Kimberly Haefner said. “I hope they pick someone who has some experience in high school and understands elective classes. He has been a great administrator and immensely helpful.”  

Mr. Dentinger will take the legacy of Coronado with him even after he retires, he feels prideful to have worked and been a part of this school.

“Coronado High School is an awesome school. Anybody at Coronado, if they apply themselves, has an opportunity to excel at a remarkably high level; it is just a matter of putting in the work,” Dentinger said. “I thank the students who I have been able to work with in all my 34 years. There have been many awesome students and faculty members, going all the way back to Burges. I will miss them, but I am really looking forward to the next chapter.”