Sedona AZ (October 28, 2015) – Individuals interested in participating in facilitated round tables during the second public forum to discuss the state of education and its impact on the Sedona Oak Creek Unified School District from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2015, can apply online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BN9RV8G.

Round tables will be comprised of twenty five randomly selected individuals representing parents and guardians, teachers and staff, community members and business owners. Also participating will be SOCUSD Superintendent David Lykins, all five of its Governing Board members, students and district administrators. The deadline to apply is November 2, 2015, no later than four o’clock in the afternoon.

The forum will be held in the Hilton Sedona Resort ballroom, 90 Ridge Trail Drive, Village of Oak Creek, Sedona AZ 86351. It will be moderated by Arizona School Boards Association (ASBA) Leadership Development Director Karen Loftus.

Participants will be randomly selected by ASBA representatives. ASBA is administering the series of forums that began on October 15, 2015. The first forum included presentations by Lykins, Yavapai County School Superintendent Tim Carter, SOCUSD Finance Director Colleen Toscano, preceded by a community members discussion and a question-and-answer period.

“We need to continue the dialogue and conversations to address this challenge in a collaborative fashion that is in the best interest of everyone,” Superintendent Lykins said. “We know for a fact that our enrollment is declining for a variety of reasons and it is up to the entire community to determine the most effective and efficient means of moving forward.”

Questions at the first public forum touched on many subjects, including whether four day school weeks and closing of certain SOCUSD schools had been considered. Lykins reported that no discussions of any school closings have taken place and the financial challenges and burden a four day school week will have on young families far outweigh any benefits.

“We have watched carefully as this situation has developed and we have presented our projections more than 30 times over the last two years to a range of groups in the community,” Lykins said. “We now need to come together as a community and work collectively to identify and develop workable, reasonable and effective solutions.”

For more information about the Sedona Oak Creek Unified School District, visit www.sedona.k12.az.us.

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