After a public hearing, as required by Assembly Bill 1200, the Denair Unified School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved a 4.3 percent pay hike and a $1,000 increase to the health benefit cap for all employees represented by the California School Employees Association (CSEA) and the Denair Unified Teachers Association (DUTA).

The district and the employee associations last month reached a two-year collective bargaining agreement regarding the increases, which are retroactive to July 1, 2025..

In further board action, the salary increase was extended to include unrepresented employees, such as management and confidential workers.

DUSD Superintendent Terry Metzger, Ed.D., called it a positive outcome for all involved.

“The governing board continues to prioritize increasing salaries across the district,” said Metzger. “We have budgeted and spent conservatively, allowing us to improve salaries by more than 15 percent in five years. Our employees are the ones who make it all happen for the kids, and we were excited to be able to propose an ongoing increase this year.”

In addition, DUTA previously negotiated ongoing increases to salary schedule stipends in 2024-25 that become effective July 1, 2025. These compensation adjustments are being implemented using salary savings generated through certificated staff attrition, with no additional ongoing funding sources required beyond those already incorporated into the district’s adopted budget and multiyear projections.

The board also heard a presentation from the district principals Crystal Sousa (Denair Elementary Charter Academy), Gabriela Sarmiento (Denair Middle School), Breanne Aguiar (Denair High School), and Jamie Pecot (Denair Charter Academy) on the iReady 2025-26 winter assessment. 

iReady is DUSD’s internal student-achievement monitoring platform for reading and mathematics that focuses on typical growth (a standard for expected progress during the school year) and stretch growth (a more ambitious yet attainable goal that is designed to help students below grade level reach proficiency within one to two years).

Results indicate that nearly 40 percent of DECA, DMS, and DCA students are on pace to reach, or have already reached, expected year-end benchmarks. Meanwhile, DHS data shows that students have made marked improvements since the fall iReady window – with a 30 percent increase in the number of students reading at early-on grade level or higher, and a 67 percent surge in students performing at early-on grade level or higher on the math side.

During the monthly staff reports, Director of Facilities, Construction, Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation Mark Hodges presented an update on the DECA gymnasium renovation project; Sousa provided information on the school’s social-emotional services, with counselor Erica Arroyo and Kara Binkley teaming to provide services; Pecot informed the board about DCA’s recent field trip to Merced College. Finally, both Sarmiento and Aguilar expressed gratitude to the Denair Lions Club, which approved a $3,500 donation to help sponsor the DMS Outdoor Education program and $20,000 for sprinkler system improvements to the baseball and softball fields.

Classified Employee of the Month: Kevin Hughes, Maintenance & Operations
“Kevin can always be counted on to get the job done,” said Hodges.

Certificated Employee of the Month: Christy North, DHS English teacher
“Christy truly cares about the well-being of students and works hard to help them whenever possible,” said Robyn Hilton, who nominated North for the honor.

Upcoming events

• The Denair FFA Pancake Breakfast will be held Feb. 22 in the DMS gymnasium from 7 to 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $10, which includes a raffle and all-you-can-eat pancakes.

• The DMS Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser – featuring a meal of spaghetti with meat sauce, green beans, bread, and cookie – will be held March 11 from 6:30 to 7 p.m. at the DMS Coyote Center. All proceeds go toward sixth-grade outdoor education. Tickets are $12. Call 209-632-2510 for tickets/information, or purchase from a sixth-grade student before Feb. 27.

Denair High School’s annual freshman orientation meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 11, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the DHS band room.

More than just an informational meeting, dinner will be provided for parents and incoming DHS students, and door prizes will be awarded.

“Our freshman orientation not only provides incoming DHS families with a chance to meet our staff and learn about the opportunities available to students, but it’s a great way for those families to connect with one another,” said DHS Principal Breane Aguiar, who pointed out that Spanish translation will be available.

Families of incoming freshman will learn about Career Technical Education pathways, A-G requirements for CSU and UC colleges, dual-language options (AP Spanish Language and AP Spanish Literature), freshman balloting, campus clubs, athletic programs, and more.

“We’re excited to meet our incoming students and families,” Aguiar added. “We have a great evening planned.”

For more information about the event, call 209-632-9911.

Yes, it’s true parents, there’s now another option for your hungry student: Pizza Factory pizza!

Denair Unified School District and Pizza Factory have teamed up to make fresh, handmade pizza available Monday through Friday for Denair High School and Denair Middle School students. Denair Elementary Charter Academy students will be treated to Pizza Factory pies every other Friday.

“The district will be saving money on the overall cost per slice,” said DUSD Food Service Manager Kim Fuentez. “It’s a win-win-win situation: a win for the district; a win for a local business; and a win for our students. And, to me, that’s the most important part: our kids will be getting quality food that they really enjoy.”

Parents will also be glad to know that Pizza Factory will use special ingredients for its DUSD orders to meet school nutritional guidelines, Fuentez added.

Leanna Ortegaray, a special education para-educator at Denair High School, has been nominated by Principal Breanne Aguiar as 2026’s Employee Making a Difference.

“Leanna supports both high school and adult transition students, approaching every day with enthusiasm and genuine care for her students,” said Aguiar. “She demonstrates a deep commitment to their academic, social, and emotional growth. She is highly knowledgeable about instructional strategies that promote independence and real-world readiness.”

Ortegaray’s commitment extends beyond the classroom, however. She often volunteers her time to support extracurricular programs and transition-focused events that prepare students for life after graduation.

At the school’s coffee cart, Cup of Kindness, Ortegaray supports students with moderate to severe disabilities in developing essential life skills through meaningful work-based learning experiences and instruction.

“I am passionate about serving students and supporting my school community,” said the San Jose native, who joined Denair Unified School District in 2019. “I take great pride in being part of a district that truly feels like family.”

Family is important to Ortegaray.

“My late father, Rodrigo Ortegaray, was my best friend and taught me the value of hard work, perseverance, and never giving up,” she said. “My mother, Maria Ortegaray, is also my best friend and a constant source of support.

“I am the proud mother of one son, Wilder Diaz, a Denair High School alumnus. I also have a younger sister and 12 nieces and nephews, all of whom I love deeply. Family and love are at the center of everything I do.”

This school year, Ortegaray organized a dinner outing for a group of students before the homecoming dance, ensuring they could enjoy the same experiences as their peers. She also frequently organizes small-group learning sessions and community-based instruction projects that promote student independence and social skills.

“Leanna always considers how students can be included in site, district, and community events, striving for the best for all students,” said Aguiar. “She represents the district’s values of inclusivity, compassion, and dedication. Her work has not only improved the lives of countless students but also strengthened the reputation of Denair Unified as a place where every learner, regardless of age or ability, is supported and valued.”

For Ortegaray, it’s all about being part of the DUSD family. 

“We truly care about one another,” said Ortegaray. “I have never worked anywhere else where I feel so supported, appreciated, and valued. I enjoy coming to work every day and am grateful for my students and coworkers.”

Underneath blue skies and brilliant sunshine, the official groundbreaking ceremony for Denair Elementary Charter Academy’s gymnasium renovation project was held Friday at the campus.

Denair Unified School District Board of Trustees members were on hand – along with Superintendent Terry Metzger, Ed.D., Chief Business Official Daisy Swearingen, DECA Principal Crystal Sousa, Food Service Manager Kim Fuentez, and Director of Facilities, Construction, Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation Mark Hodges – for the ceremony. Additionally, seven members of the DECA student council, who displayed their school pride with their purple construction hard hats, took part in the festivities.

“We are so incredibly grateful to the voters of Denair for passing Measure Z,” said Metzger, referring to the $34.3 million school-improvement bond measure approved in November 2024. “And we’re excited to kick off our first project on the DECA campus. It will be beneficial not only for our students and staff, but for the entire community, as well.”

The DECA gymnasium facelift includes the addition of the school’s new kitchen and a new Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning system.

In the coming months, other scheduled improvement projects include: 

• Construction of two new classroom wings

• Creation of drop-off/pick-up and bus zones on Madera Avenue

• Conversion of the old cafeteria into an administration building and library

• Making DECA a single-point entry campus