Agriculture, business, technology, education, healthcare, military service. Those are just a few
of the professional areas of interest for Denair Unified School District students currently
enrolled – and thriving – in the district’s Dual Language Immersion program.
One Denair Elementary Charter Academy parent summed it up nicely, saying, “My child is not
choosing between languages; she is learning that both belong in her future.”
The DUSD Board of Trustees were updated Thursday on the DLI program’s growth and impact
throughout the district and the rest of the county, as well.
“Our Dual Language Immersion program focuses on three primary goals – bilingualism,
biliteracy, and cultural awareness,” said DECA Principal Crystal Sousa, Ed.D. “Students begin in
kindergarten with 90 percent of the instruction in Spanish, then gradually transition to a 50-50
model by fourth grade. This approach allows students to build strong academic foundations
while developing proficiency in both English and Spanish.”
Sousa went on to say that beyond language development, the DLI program helps students
appreciate and respect different cultures and traditions.
Another goal of the program, now in its 12 th year, is to qualify students for the Seal of Bilingual
Literacy on their high school diploma, which indicates proficiency in both languages – a prized
asset when applying to college or seeking employment.
“Once in high school, the focus becomes on how we can apply all these new skills now that
we’ve learned them,” said Denair High School Principal Breanne Aguiar.

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A typical DLI student at Denair Middle School starts their day with physical education, followed
by Spanish language arts for second period and history (Spanish-language text) for third period.
Fourth period is for elective/intervention, followed by a lunch and enrichment (clubs, arts, peer
connection). The final three periods of the day are for math, science, and English language arts.
“Overall, one-third of (DECA) is the DLI program,” said Sousa. “And half of those kiddos come
from out of district. So, we have about 70 families that come specifically to DECA for this DLI
program. I’ve been told by parents from larger school districts they’re really excited to get the
level of education they’d get at a larger district, but in a small-school setting.”
In other news delivered to the trustees, Superintendent Terry Metzger, Ed.D., announced that
the district considered the sale of Measure Z bonds this week, but economic volatility and
market forces created unfavorable conditions.
“It just did not feel like the right decision to sell at this time,” said Metzger. “It’s possible that it
could be January before we sell bonds. And that’s the advantage of our current position; we
aren’t forced to sell now.”
Measure Z was a 2024 ballot initiative authorizing the district to issue $34.3 million in bonds for
campus improvements throughout the district.