Dr. Susann Terry-Gage Receives Award

Dr. Susann Terry-Gage, Special Education Director of our school district has been named the recipient of the 2009 Distinguished Administrator Award for the Educational Services Division by the Arizona School Administrators. Susann will receive her award during a luncheon on Monday, June 15th, at 12:30 p.m. at the ASA Summer Conference held at the Hilton El Conquistador Hotel in Tucson. ASA website

Big Park Solar Dedication Ceremony

There will be a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Big Park Community School 100 kW Solar Photovoltaic Installation on May 20, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. This project is believed to be the largest solar installation on a public school in the State of Arizona.  The location will be the Big Park Community School Front Lawn at 25 W Saddlehorn Road.  Parking is limited, so please consider carpooling.

Among the speakers at the event will be Superintendent Mike Aylstock, Big Park Principal Steve Gardner, Governing Board President Bobbie Surber, and Bob Georgeoff of APS Energy Services.  For more information, contact Dave Young at dave.young@sedona.k12.az.us.

Pat Pfeifer Wins Teacher of the Year

Pat Pfeifer, fifth grade teacher at West Sedona School, has been selected as Teacher of the Year in the Grades 4 – 8 category of the Yavapai County Education Foundation’s 15th Annual Teacher-of-the-Year Awards.  The Awards Ceremony and Banquet took place on Friday, May 8, 2009 at  at the Prescott Resort.

Employees of the Month, May 09

Pat Pfeifer
Certified Employee of the Month, May 2009

Pat Pfeifer has been teaching for over 40 years.  She has spent over 30 years teaching at West Sedona School.  She has taught whole families of kids and parents in Sedona. Two teachers at West Sedona were in Ms. Pfeifer’s class in fifth grade. Pat is fresh, exciting and innovative each and every day.  Her kids know where they stand, and they want to achieve.  She is the one of the most caring teachers that I know, and one of the most organized and focused on learning.  She walks her talk. Pat is surgical in finding out what works best for each of her students, and is a true partner with parents. Our school librarian asked her kids to write about Ms. Pfeifer, here is a composite.  “Ms. Pfeifer is an outstanding woman, I learn a lot from her, she is funny and reads us interesting books.  When I become a teacher I want to be just like her.”

Right now Pat is a finalist in the teacher of the year for the County.  She has nearly perfect attendance and believes she comes to school, not work! She knows each of her students well and cares about them deeply.  Ms. Pfeifer never misses her duty, and volunteers for extra duty because she is a strong believer in supervision.  This year the Brain Gym grant coordinator told me that Ms. Pfeifer kicks butt with her impeccable record keeping of all the kids and their pedometers.  She believes in health and nutrition and has spoken with all of her kids about how to stay healthy.

Pat also never misses an opportunity to give me insight and input and let me know that I am doing a good job!  I rely on her support and think of her as a model staff member.  - written by Dr. Lisa Hirsch, Principal West Sedona School

Marsha Beckwith
Classified Employee of the Month, May 2009

Marsha Beckwith is in her 11th year as West Sedona school’s secretary.  The kids love her so much they dedicated the yearbook to her last year! Marsha is best known for keeping everyone organized and on their toes.  She is early to work and late to go home.  I look at Marsha as my right hand woman.  I feel very fortunate to have a secretary who has all of the kids interest at heart.  She is also generous.  It is not uncommon for her to go out and buy a couple of hams at Christmas time and give them to families who she feels needs them.  She is also the major leader of our social committee.  She brings joy to the teachers and staff through decorative and decadent holiday lunches, usually loaded with chocolate desserts. She is always doing things to boost morale and to model team work.

Marsha has been key in our construction projects giving sensible input and being aware of safety of the students young and old.  Marsha belongs to the PTSA and she does not even have kids in the school.  she spent the year going to all of the meetings and participating in efforts to fund raise for West Sedona.  She rides a Harley and there is no messing with Marsha!  - written by Dr. Lisa Hirsch, Principal West Sedona School

Employees of the Month, April 09

Tana Williams
Certified Employee of the Month, April 2009

Tana has been working in Sedona schools for thirty years.  She started as a teacher at West Sedona School, then became a librarian there.  She has been the librarian at Big Park Community School since the school was founded in 1994.  She loves her job, loves the kids she works with, loves books and loves working with technology.

Richard Hutengs
Classified Employee of the Month, April 2009

“Mr. Richard” has been with Big Park Community School for 15 years, starting as a Special Education Aide, then becoming a custodian.  He is dearly loved by staff and students and is known for getting the job done as soon as it’s needed.

Rotary Club Names Teachers of the Year

The Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks presented Teacher of the Year Awards on May 6 for each of our three schools.  Congratulations, teachers!

Maureen Barton – Sedona Red Rock High School
Deb Sanders – West Sedona School
Greg Aitken – Big Park Community School

Rotary President Rob Koehl, Deb Sanders, Greg Aitken, Maureen Barton, and Rotary President-Elect Phil Reay

WSS 6th Grade Presents “The No-Sit List”

Where: Sedona Red Rock High School Theater
When: THURSDAY, April 23, 2009
Time: 4:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $5 per student; $10 per person; $8 for Film Sedona Members

Sedona Film Festival and West Sedona School 6th Grade team up to present sneak preview of “The No-Sit List”.  See a great family film, meet the writer/director and producer and help raise funds to send students to science camp.

The Sedona International Film Festival and the West Sedona School sixth grade classes are proud to present a sneak preview of a new family comedy “The No-Sit List”. The film event is a fundraiser for the sixth grade class to attend Camp Colton, a science camp in Northern Arizona. There will be two screenings of the film at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 23 at Sedona Red Rock High School Theater.

The star of the film (Trenton Rogers) as well as the writer and director, Douglas Horn, and the producer Joe Lorenzo will be here to host the screenings and conduct Q&A discussions after both screenings. This marks Horn’s third time back in Sedona with a film. He directed the award-winning short film “Full Disclosure” and the audience favorite comedy feature “Entry Level”, both of which were featured at past Sedona Film Festivals.

More Information

2009 Summer Activities Fair Scheduled

The 2009 Summer Activities Fair will be held on Wednesday, May 6th from 4 to 6 p.m., in the WSS multipurpose room. This PTSA sponsored event is free and open to the entire community. This will be the 11th year that the fair has provided information on a wide variety of summer activities for young people up to age 18. Organizations offering art, athletics, drama, dance, outdoor activities, classes, and more will be present. Come pick up flyers, ask questions, and sign your children up for summer activities.

If you are an individual or business that caters to youth and would like to take part in the Activities Fair, call Corin Athenour at 282-2863.

Worried about Education Funding in Arizona?

LEARN HOW TO LOBBY

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 6:30 P.M.
Sedona Red Rock High School Cafeteria

Beth Sauer, Lobbyist for the Arizona School Board Association will present a program on grass roots advocacy.

Tom O’Halleran, Former State Senator will speak about the effect of public comment on legislators.

Come and learn the best ways to influence educational policy and funding by effective lobbying at the legislature, the State Board of Education and the Department of Education.

This program is free and open to parents, teachers, students and anyone interested in education in Arizona.

Sedona Red Rock High School is located at 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road at the intersection of Highway 89A and Red Rock Loop Road in Sedona. There is a stoplight at this intersection.

This program is sponsored by the Arizona School Board Association and the Sedona-Oak Creek School District. For more information call Karen McClelland at 928-284-0001

Employees of the Month, Feb 09

Sedona-Oak Creek School District is happy to announce our new staff recognition program with our first Employees of the Month.  Congratulations to Mr. Aitken and Ms. Di!

Greg Aitken
Certified Employee of the Month, February 2009

Greg has worked in the District since 1992.  He began his career at Brewer Road School, and then moved to West Sedona for 11 years. At WS, Mr. Aitken worked with students with special needs. In addition he started a children’s singing group, established a weight room program for the PE department and started the mountain biking club for WS students after school.

In 2005, Mr. Aitken moved to BP school. He continues to work with students with learning challenges and incorporates singing and music into his program. Mr. Aitken also helps as a coach at BP with cross-country, girls basketball and track and field.  Additionally, Greg is quite renowned in this town, as a saxophone player, performing in restaurants like, ’The Fork in the Road’ and Shugrue’s.

Greg is a true asset to both the school district, the community, and to the students and the families he serves. Thank you, Mr. Aitken for both your service and dedication to students in Sedona School District.

Diana Morison
Classified Employee of the Month, February 2009

Diana started working for the school district with special needs children in 1998.  Ms. Di has worked at the Sedona preschool, and both West Sedona and Big Park schools. In addition to her classroom duties, she has been the Athletic Director at Big Park School for the last four years and, she is the current volleyball coach at BP.

Ms. Di is greatly loved by her students, with many of them returning from the high school to visit her and seek her advice. Ms. D is greatly appreciated and is a true asset to the Sedona School District.