The Denair Unified School District board of trustees received an update Thursday on current and upcoming districtwide infrastructure improvements, which include both Measure Z and non-Measure Z projects.
Measure Z is the $34.3 million bond initiative passed by voters in 2024 to support upgrades within the district, especially at the Denair Elementary Charter Academy and Denair High School campuses.
Daisy Swearingen, the district’s Chief Business Officer, updated board members Ray Prock Jr., Billy Meyers, Andrea Bennett, Jason De Muro, and Kathi Dunham-Filson on projects that are currently under way or soon to be started.
“We’ve been receiving routine progress reports,” said Swearingen. “Every single phase of the project, every detail, is being monitored to be sure that we have the best possible outcome. It’s going really well.”
At DHS, projects include the gymnasium roof and the baseball field fencing projects. At DECA, playground equipment is set to be replaced, a new kitchen and gym project is in the bidding stage, and the transitional-kindergarten and kindergarten inner-campus has been reconfigured to add an additional restroom. Also, upgrades to alarm and security systems have been completed and technology cabling is ongoing.
Phase One of the roofing project was wrapped up before the recent rainstorms hit the region.
“And for the first time in a long time we can say that there were no leaks,” Swearingen boasted.
Additional improvements will be rolled out in four phases over the next two school years, with some projects’ start dates dependent upon the completion of other projects.
Earlier in Thursday’s meeting, Director of Student Support Services Amanda Silva delivered a presentation on chronic absenteeism and discipline throughout the district. The California Department of Education defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10 percent of instructional days during a school year.
DECA saw its chronic absenteeism rate drop from 27.9 percent in 2023 to 20.1 percent in 2024, while Denair Middle School and Denair High School dipped from 22.1 to 18.9 percent – an improvement of 3.2 percent. Meanwhile, disciplinary suspensions at DMS and DHS dropped from 12.4 percent in 2023 to a four-year low 6.8 percent in 2024. Data for 2025 is expected to be available for next month’s board meeting.
Other items included:
• The board of trustees unanimously approved the consent calendar, which paved the way for the Class of 2026 Grad Night trip to Disneyland, via Storer Coachways, in May.
• Melissa Oei, DMS campus supervisor, was recognized as the district’s Classified Employee of the Month for November: “She goes above and beyond to maintain the safety of our school campus,” said DMS Principal Gabriela Sarmiento. “When urgent concerns arise, she addresses them expeditiously and with good judgment, ensuring situations are handled quickly and appropriately.”
• Genesis Delgado, a transitional kindergarten teacher at DECA, was named the Certificated Employee of the Month for November: “I am so grateful that she’s a mentor to my daughter, who’s in the residency program,” said DECA Principal Crystal Sousa. “And, hopefully, next year she’ll be a teacher to my grandson. That’s how much respect and confidence I have in Ms. Delgado.”
• Clayton McDonald, the October Certificated Employee of the Month, was recognized Thursday as he could not attend last month’s rescheduled meeting.
