In January, Dana Reyes took over as Principal of Los Banos Valley Community School. Though in a new role, this was not his first time working at the school. For six years in the mid-2000s, he worked there as a school counselor, and even then knew he wanted to come back in an administrative role.
“I had goals of becoming an administrator in the valley system way back then, whether it was another position or a position in a neighboring school district,” said Reyes.
Reyes grew up in Los Banos in the 1960s, attending R.M. Miano Elementary, and later graduated from Dos Palos High School. Throughout his education, Reyes was an athlete in football, basketball and baseball. He made the athletic hall of fame at Dos Palos High School, and went to the College World Series in 1988 as an All-American baseball player on the CSU Stanislaus team.
“The athletics were what drove me to continue with my education. Something tells me if I didn’t have athletics to fall back or move forward with, I might have not gone to college,” said Reyes.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology and master’s degree in social work at CSU Stanislaus, and a Master’s degree in educational counseling through National University.
For 15 years, Reyes was a CPS social worker in Merced County. Then, at 40, he made the pivot to working in education.
“What got me into education was the coaching component and being able to make a positive impact on students. Because I also had that encouraging coach, that encouraging counselor, to encourage and support me in life. I wanted to pay it forward,” said Reyes.
Over the past 20 years, Reyes held administrative positions at several schools in Merced County, including Bryant Middle School, Weaver Middle School, Dos Palos High School and Merced High School. He also coached baseball at Merced High School.
In 2024, while principal of Bryant Middle School, Reyes received the Merced County Excellence in Education Administrator of the Year.
When the opportunity to be principal of Los Banos Valley Community Schools presented itself, Reyes took the job.
“I’ve always been that encouraging type of person. The counselor and social worker comes out in me. I have a heart for some of the students that get referred to our school. I’ve been looking forward to getting back here, to making positive deposits in our community,” said Reyes.
Los Banos Valley Community School is one of four credit valley community schools in Merced County, supporting students from sixth to 12th grade in credit recovery and social and emotional learning.
“I’m here to encourage those twelfth-graders to get their credits, to have that positive experience in June and graduate,” said Reyes. He is also “hoping, god willing, to be an administrator for an extended period of time” at the school.
Reyes is married with two daughters. In his free time, he rides motorcycles, goes on road trips and attends Christian music concerts with his family.
