Well, it’s official — Sedona will soon be home to a middle school.
By a unanimous vote on Tuesday, Feb. 2, the Sedona-Oak Creek School District’s Governing Board directed staff to move forward with adding sixth grade to the Sedona Red Rock High School campus in the fall. The district’s seventh- and eighth-graders have been at the high school since the 2016-17 school year.
Superintendent Dennis Dearden said this will benefit the school because it allows more flexibility with courses being offered and for the students it gives them three full years to participate in activities such as orchestra and theater as well as athletics.
“It will also give us an additional year for students and parents when transitioning to high school, which I think is very important,” he said. “This increases the middle school culture and engagement and helps build a strong school community with sixth, seventh and eighth grade being there.”
Before this decision was made, the district had several discussions with staff and parents and the overwhelming response was in favor of the move.
Some of the benefits of moving sixth grade to create a middle school include:
■ Aligns with other districts in the Verde Valley.
■ Four core teachers working together as a team to get middle school students best prepared for entering high school.
■ Access to increased electives such as orchestra, theater and athletics and club participation classes taught by content area specialists.
■ Earlier college and career talks.
This will reduce costs as well, as two teaching positions will be eliminated. However, the reduction of teachers will be through attrition or absorbing those positions in other areas within the district.
Dearden pointed out that the middle school will be gaining around 10 students since this year’s eighth grade class is much larger that the current fifth-grade class — 75 and 43 respectively.
He also said that when the seventh and eighth grades were moved to the high school, which was prior to Dearden’s arrival, there was some concern about interaction between the high school students and those in the junior high.
“We really haven’t had any of that,” he said of issues between the younger and older kids. “I think it’s a normal transition that we’re doing now. I’m excited about it.” Board Vice President Lauren Robinson agreed and said research has shown that the middle school or junior high experience is more effective when it’s three years as opposed to two.
“That third year gives them a real emotional and cultural attachment to what they’re doing,” she said. “I think it’s positive all the way around.”
