The Sedona Oak-Creek School District has undergone many changes in the past five years, but most importantly the leadership at the top.
Randy Hawley just finished his fifth year as SOCSD Governing Board president. And in response, the board re-elected him, and Vice President Lauren Robinson, for 2022. The school board president and vice president are elected to terms of four years. Every year the board chooses whether to re-elect them to continue their terms.
Hawley, who has served as the president since 2016, is currently in the second year of his second term.
After 42 years in education administration in Chicago and Milwaukee suburbs, Hawley moved to Sedona and almost immediately got involved in the school district after hearing some concerning things in the community.
“I decided I would run for the board because I thought I had some experience in school districts that I could help redirect the board,” Hawley said. “And when I got on the board, I got immediately nominated as president.”
When he first joined the board, Hawley said that every school in the district had a different approach and system when dealing with issues. And one of his first goals was to create a positive working environment where the administrators came together to help solve problems.
One of the big successes for the board in the past five years was hiring Dennis Dearden, according to Hawley. Three years ago, Dearden took over as superintendent of the district and principal of Red Rock High School. Dearden said that he believes Hawley and Robinson’s continued election is a result of great leadership in the district.
“We are blessed to have an outstanding board that puts safety and the academic success of our students in SOCSD as their top priority,” Dearden said. “Unless you have sat in the seat of a board member, you won’t realize that it is no easy task.”
Robinson has similar experience in education. For years, she worked in middle schools in Connecticut. She has been serving on the Sedona board since 2018.
“ She brings an understanding of what administrators and teachers are dealing with on a daily basis because she’s been there and she’s done that,” Hawley said.
And with Robinson, Hawley has been able to discuss the issues that have been at the forefront of the school district in the past five years. Conversations around fixing the budget, continuing education during a pandemic and closing a school in the district, have all been important issues that the board has tackled since Hawley took over as president.
“I’ve been in other districts where schools have to be closed. It’s never a popular decision,” Hawley said. “But sometimes you have to do it for the survival of the organization. And so that’s what we did. As a result of that, we have been able to offer more opportunities for the kids and we have a slight reserve in the budget. We are no longer in debt.”
Another new element to the board is the student representative which started this current school year. Hunter White, an 11th-grader, was selected for the role in 2021. He feels that students have been heard more by this board than at any time in the past.
“One of the reasons why I was put on the board was because students were not feeling as heard. And even though I think this is one of the most in-touch boards with the community that we have had, I noticed that there may have been a disconnect between the students and those making decisions,” White said.
When his term ends next year, White will select his replacement who will serve a two-year term as well.
Despite the challenges of navigating education during a pandemic, SOCSD has raised its enrollment by 117 students, as well as expanded programs such as the Wildcat Extended Day Program and The Early College Program.
“All of these and many more have been possible because we have an awesome board. They truly model our motto ‘One District, One Team,’” Dearden said.
