Sedona AZ (February 22, 2016) – The following is a letter to the SedonaEye.com editor:
The next work session for the school board is tomorrow, Tuesday the 23rd.
I want to let you know that the next work session tomorrow, Feb 23 (4 pm at the High School) will have a minimum of a 1 hour period set aside for Public comment. We are planning to videotape this session and the video and the minutes will be available on the school district website. sedonak12.org
I have been a resident of the Village of Oak Creek since 1987. I was on the committee to choose a site for a school in the Big Park area when we formed our own school district. My son who graduated in 2003 attended West Sedona School from K to 3 and Big Park from 4 to 8 when it opened. I understand the attachment parents and students have to Big Park.
I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to contact me with your ideas and concerns.
I have been listening to all of you who have spoken and written. My priority is ensuring that all of our students have access to all they need for a great education. We have some of the best teachers and administrators in the state and I treat their opinions with great respect.
Please urge everyone to continue to contact us and to attend tomorrow’s work session. The presentations from the principals will focus on academic and extracurricular activities with various models.
All of the options discussed can solve the budget shortfalls we are facing so my decision will be based on the model that can provide the best academics and social and extracurricular activities for all students.
Karen McClelland
klmsedona@gmail.com
Sedona-Oak Creek Governing Board Vice President
Read www.SedonaEye.com for daily news and interactive views!
I’m very unhappy the Big Park school is closing. We’ve been renting and hoped to buy a house here because the children love the community. Our neighborhood was within walking distance of the school. Now we will look outside Sedona because we had been in West Sedona and didn’t like it because it was commercialized and not as nice as our neighborhood in the Village. The Village doesn’t allow commercial back in the residential areas and keeps the commercial to the highway where it belongs. We won’t put our children on a public school bus.
@JL it’s sad
According to SOCSD Superintendent Lykins in the Nov. 11th Red Rock News, there’s been a 10 year trend of declining student enrollment. I am wondering why a classy new, expensive Dr. Nancy J. Alexander Administration Center was built recently by Schrader & Martinez where the old school board district office used to be located?
On the 2007 ballot, voters approved a $73.4 million bond issue and two budget overrides. I am not aware a high value was placed on construction and opine the new building is senseless and off base financially.
my friend w/ 4 kids is moving to Cottonwood & sending 1 to St. Joseph’s & if Big Park stays open she’ll drop them off till room at charter school not public where she won’t send them in Sedona. Another friend did that earlier in the fall & said good choices. were next in line.
@JeanJ – the reason for the Administration Center on Brewer Road?
Well it just happens that occurred when Bobby Surber, still a member of the School Board, was an employee of Schrader & Martinez.
Enough said?
PS – Linda Martinez also at one time chaired the Housing Commission during the implementation (and against public protest) of ADUs. A pal of current Mayor Sandy Moriarty and Councilwoman Jessica Williamson.