Vox populi, vox Dei.

For the Sedona-Oak Creek School District Governing Board, the voice of the people was indeed the voice of God, as the board, genuflecting to public pressure, voted Tuesday, March 22, to keep Big Park Community School open.

“Last night was … a celebration of a community coming together to create change and save a school,” board member Bobbie Surber said the next day. “I believe the tide has turned and our community will stay engaged and hold us accountable for our votes and our actions.”

The vote was 5-0, including Tommy Stovall, he of little faith.

“It’s not the best option, but I understand there are a lot more factors that go into a decision like this,” he said, adding that he voted in favor because “it’s important to move forward as a unified board.”

Board members weren’t quite as unified on the other issue decided at the meeting — moving seventh- and eighth-graders from BPCS and West Sedona School to the high school. The vote was 4-1 in favor, with Surber dissenting.

“If this is the best solution for all our students, we need a fully formed and vetted strategic plan,” she said, asking for a year to study the idea.

The decision, however, had broad support from district administrators.

BPCS Principal Jay Litwicki explained that having just 40 to 50 students in the two grades would limit the school to two teachers to cover science, math, social studies and language arts. He said it’s difficult to find teachers who are dual-certified.

“I don’t know why this is so controversial,” he said. “I’ve seen stacks of research [supporting grades seven through 12 in the same school]. It may be different for the community, but it’s not a radical idea.”

At a public hearing held March 10, as well in a series of public work sessions, members of the public expressed concern about mixing younger students with older.

The impetus to close BPCS began as the district was faced with financial challenges prompted by declining enrollment and insufficient government funding. School officials in October unveiled five models for restructuring the district. The proposed models were the school closure option or maintaining the current configuration, each of which would save slightly over $1 million after cost-cutting measures are taken. The other three models involved realigning grades, and those three had similar savings, though slightly less than the other two. Staff reductions are included in all models.

Those savings, along with other potential spending cuts, would offset an estimated budget shortfall of about $1 million.

Most administrators favored closing BPCS, primarily because of the educational efficiencies of consolidation. WSS parents saw it as a way to preserve “specials” such as music, art and computer learning.

Throughout the restructuring discussions, Surber, a fervent supporter of keeping BPCS open, said she believed Stovall, Zachary Richardson and John Miller would vote to close the school and consolidate kindergarten through sixth grades in WSS.

When Karen McClelland announced she was leaning toward closure, it seemed like a foregone conclusion — until the public hearing two weeks ago. It was attended by more than 400. About 60 spoke, some standing in line for three hours to be heard. Nearly all opposed closure.

Under the plan to move the seventh- and eighth-graders, they will be housed in buildings located on the west side of the high school campus — a collection of classrooms, computer stations, labs and music rooms on either side of the auxiliary gym, which will be used by those students, according to the district’s administrative team. They will be generally segregated from older students, including staggered lunch times, although there will be potential mentoring opportunities by upperclassman, such as those on student council, on sports teams, in the Key Club or other clubs.

Details on scheduling classes have yet to be worked out.

The governing board meeting, held at the Sedona Performing Arts Center in front of perhaps 200 people, got off to an unusual start with Richardson, the board’s president, leaping from the stage where board members and school district administrators were seated to deliver a prepared speech.

In it, he criticized public negativity aimed at the board, Superintendent David Lykins and Finance Director Colleen Toscano.

Richardson also sought to explain the financial and educational challenges faced by the school district that led to the evening’s votes.

In addition, he said he knew how he was going to vote even before the public hearing. “Everyone thought I was going to vote to close. No one looked at the facts. No one asked me.”

After Richardson finished, members of the public were given the opportunity to address the board.

About two dozen spoke, primarily on behalf of keeping BPCS open and not moving the seventh- and eighth-graders to the high school.

They also called on the governing board, moving forward, to work with members of the community and teachers.

Matthew Oskowis, a long-time critic of the board, said officials should have seen the financial problems coming.

He called for an independent advisory board of representatives from the community and business, as well as students and teachers.

Several speakers suggested similar committees.

Oskowis added, “Our kids are not pawns. Moving them has as much complexity as closing a facility.”

Surber, speaking as a member of the public prior to the vote, predicted the board would preserve BPCS. “I believe we will backpedal and I believe we will keep Big Park,” she said. “We should have listened harder; we should have listened sooner.”

As she walked back to her seat on the stage, the audience cheered and gave her a standing ovation.