The Denair Unified School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to establish a five-person advisory committee that will recommend project-management options for the Measure Z modernization program. During a wide-ranging, two-hour meeting to kick off the 2025-26 school year, board members Ray Prock Jr., Billy Myers, Kathi Dunham-Filson, Andrea Bennett, and Jason De Muro took several minutes to ensure the language in the motion was precise. Ultimately, the board set a Sept. 11 deadline for the advisory committee to return with recommendations as to whether an individual project manager or a management firm should be hired. The advisory committee will be comprised of DUSD Superintendent Terry Metzger Ed.D., Chief Business Official Daisy Swearingen, Director of Facilities, Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation Mark Hodges, as well as Myers and De Muro — the two board members already seated on the Facilities Committee. Metzger pointed out that project management responsibilities have fallen largely on Swearingen and Hodges. “They’ve really been tasked with overseeing all the projects that are happening in the district,” Metzger said. “So, we researched the pros and cons of hiring a project manager vs. hiring a firm. We think that discussion really needs to happen with this advisory committee, and it may lead to an RFQP process or it may lead to bringing on someone in-house as project manager.” In other action items on Thursday, the board again voted unanimously to award course credits and establish a $30 stipend for the student board member position(s). Also, by a 5-0 vote, the board settled on Storer Transportation Services for its home-to-school and extracurricular transportation, and bus-fleet maintenance (effective July 1, 2025).
Items of note on the consent calendar, which was approved by a 5-0 vote, included:
- Ratification of payroll for June ($1,269,807.15 regular) and July ($875,127.37 accrual and $266,977.90 regular)
- Increasing the school nurse hourly rate from $45 to $65 per hour, beginning with this school year
- Applying for the Agriculture Incentive Grant to enhance DHS ag programs
- Approving a Memorandum of Understanding between DUSD and the city of Turlock’s Play Program, and outlining the after-school child-care program
- Approving a Memorandum of Understanding between DUSD and Pet Supplies Plus that will allow students to obtain work experience, job training, and on-site instruction
- Approval of the Foothill Horizons Outdoor Education Program — supported by naturalists to assist teachers — that will be attended by sixth-grade students April 14-17, 2026.
Earlier in the meeting, the board received an update from the school’s FFA department.
Roger Christianson, head of the agricultural department, talked about the program’s growth, and its performance at last month’s Stanislaus County Fair. “I looked back to when I started here – this is my sixth year – and we had seven exhibitors then,” said Christianson, who was joined for the presentation by fellow advisors Christian Obando and Melinda Rohn, and FFA members Kijhona Maciel, McKenzie Binkley, McKinley Binkley, Rin Rice, Addyson, Ramos, Brody Stallings, and 2025 Denair High School graduate ZAC Christianson. “This last year, we had 33 exhibits with 30 different exhibitors at the fair, so that’s how much we’ve grown over the past five years.” Another update presented to the board focused on the Coyote Closet, which provides clothing and household items for those in need.
Isela Arredondo, now a bilingual para-educator within DUSD, recounted how the Coyote Closet helped her family when as it dealt with a cancer diagnosis. “I had to be my husband’s caregiver 24/7, and my children’s ages at that time were 8, 3, and 1,” said Arredondo. “I will always convey to people that the Coyote Closet is a closet of answered prayers. Because of the closet, I was able to use our income for travel expenses for my husband’s treatment.” Prior to Thursday’s regular open meeting, the board met in closed session but reported no action. A special board meeting will be held on Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. (closed session to follow at 7). The next regular board meeting will be held Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. Both meetings will be in the leadership/board room, 3460 Lester Road, Denair.
