Four and a half years after the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily shuttered schools, the Denair Unified School District has closed the books on the nearly $6.3 million in relief money it received from the government.

In March 2020, the COVID crisis forced a sudden and dramatic shift in how educators and students interacted. “Distance learning” became the new buzz phrase across the country. Lessons that had been delivered face to face shifted to computers – with teachers in the classroom, students at home and no time to prepare either of them for what lay ahead.

It took a year before most students returned full time to campus. The ripple effects of those unsettling times are still being reflected in consistently lower test scores, ongoing concerns over students’ as well as staff members’ mental health, and the role technology has come to play in education.

One thing is certain, however: small districts like Denair benefitted greatly from the financial lifeline provided by the federal and state governments.

The federal government sent Denair about $5.2 million in relief money. The state provided about $1.07 million. Those funds often came with specific guidelines about when and how they could be used. Some unspent money could be carried from year to year, but all of it had to be used by the end of September 2024.

Denair Superintendent Terry Metzger shudders to think what might have happened without the additional dollars.

“During the height of the pandemic, our employees were tasked with providing distance learning, which required significant technology resources,” she told trustees. “COVID relief funds paid for Chromebooks and mobile hotspots for students and staff, in addition to a variety of infrastructure upgrades that were needed. Once students came back to school, we had many health guidelines to follow, including daily disinfection of classrooms and workspaces, case reporting, HVAC filter replacement and PPE such as masks and gloves.”

In addition to crucial technology updates to support distance learning and health-related supplies, COVID dollars were also spent beefing up security and providing extra training for teachers. An added focus was placed on mental health services, health, counseling and efforts to address social/emotional learning.

Metzger said that once the day-to-day COVID health requirements were relaxed, much of the money flowed to “provide academic and mental health support for students and staff.”

“The cost of operating schools was significant during and after the pandemic, so we used the funds to supplement all areas of operations,” she explained.

Recognizing that the extra money wasn’t intended to last forever, none of it went to ongoing costs like employee salaries, with the exception of one-time COVID bonuses all staff members received.

“Overall, these funds contributed to stabilizing our budget and supporting educational continuity during challenging times,” said Daisy Swearingen, the district’s Chief Business Official.

She also expressed caution about the economic uncertainty still felt by many in the community and what that could mean for the district.

“We have seen a rise in housing prices, increased interest rates, and higher costs for goods and we still face challenges in maintaining competitive salaries, which affects staff retention and morale. The district continues to address these compensation disparities to attract and retain quality educators,” Swearingen said.

In other action Thursday, trustees:

• Heard a report from Special Education Director Amanda Silva about the district’s programs, which include 156 students, which is roughly 12% of Denair’s total enrolment. In addition to academics, much of the focus of the district’s special education programs – especially at the high school level – is on teaching life skills that will allow students to potentially hold jobs and live independently as adults. Students include those with autism as well as mild, moderate or severe learning disabilities. As much as possible, special education studies are integrated into regular classrooms.
• Heard about the progress of the district’s English Learner students from program coordinator Anajanzy Montoya. She told board members that the district has more than 230 students who are classified as English Learners, spread across all grade levels. Montoya explained how students receive intensive language instruction, allowing them to be moved from the program once they have met proficiency standards in English.
• Saw a presentation from the multicultural committee at Denair Elementary Charter Academy, whose goal is to create a welcoming school where everyone feels valued and appreciated, and there is a culturally inclusive and enriching environment for all students. The committee organizes events like Christmas Around the World, Día de los Muertos and International Day of the Child to celebrate diversity and promote understanding. It also encourages students to share their own cultural experiences and collaborate with the community to build bridges between cultures. The presentation included a video highlighting the Dual Language Immersion program that begins in kindergarten and now continues through eighth grade.
• Listened as Metzger and her four principals talked about the iReady tests in reading and math that are used to gather data about students during the fall and spring. The online exams are used for all K-8 students, grades 9-10 at DHS and grades 9-11 at Denair Charter Academy. The online exams include projections of student performance on state-mandated testing, allowing the district to assess early on the impact of specific classroom strategies.

• Approved the addition of an EMR 2 course within the Emergency Medical Services Career Technical Education Pathway at Denair High. Approval of the course is required to submit an articulation application to Modesto Junior College, which will allow high school students to receive college credits if they pass the course.
• Voted unanimously to approve a report from Swearingen about how the district is using the money received from the state under Proposition 28, which supports arts and music programs. In the 2023-24 school year, Denair received more than $200,000, part of which was used to hire music teacher Josephine Feist who split her time between DECA, DMS and DHS. This year, a second music teacher, Daniel Ibarra, was added. He works at DHS, DMS and DCA while Feist focuses on DECA.