The Denair Unified School District has appointed Walt L. Hanline to serve as interim superintendent while a permanent replacement is found for former Superintendent Ed Parraz.
DUSD trustees took action to hire Hanline at Thursday's board meeting. Hanline has 26 years of experience as a public school superintendent, overseeing schools within the Valley including Kings River-Hardwick School District, Del Norte County and Ceres Unified School District. Hanline also served as interim superintendent for the Natomas Unified School District in 2011-12, a district, like Denair, that was in danger of being taken over by the state.
Hanline will formally take leadership of the district on Tuesday.
“I am truly excited about taking on the challenges facing the District and returning to Stanislaus County,” stated Hanline. “I know that the Denair Board of Trustees is clearly committed to addressing the challenges faced by the District. I am looking forward to working with them to ensure that their next superintendent has in place the necessary organization and fiscal foundation blocks that will return Denair Unified to the greatness that the students deserve.”
The board also took action to settle an agreement with Parraz and his future within the district. Parraz has agreed to not only resign as district superintendent, but also from any employment within the district. The agreement will save the district a significant amount of money, according to district administration, however, the exact savings was not released. Parraz was placed on administrative leave pending a termination agreement at the March 14 DUSD board meeting.
The personnel change comes in the midst of financial crisis for the DUSD. To remain solvent for the next fiscal year, the District needs to cut ongoing expenses by $1.3 million by the end of next year. The district has already laid off teachers and support staff, cut programs and management salaries by 3.5 percent.
The district has not yet reached an agreement with bargaining units of the teachers and support staff unions on the mandated 3.5 percent cut from salaries.
