Age: 74

Time in the Verde Valley: 19 years

Background: “Before I retired from the largest electric and gas utility company in New Jersey, I was an office manager for two facilities.”

Q: Why are you qualified to serve on the board?

A: “I think with my experience in the school district as coach, substitute teacher, and volunteer since 2010, I will bring a fresh voice to the school board. I coached the varsity boys soccer for the last six years — in 2022 our team came in second place in the state finals, for the first time in 20 years. I coached the middle school co-ed soccer team — won the championship in 2022 — for the last three years at SRRHS. I have been a substitute teacher at Big Park, West Sedona School and SRRHS. From January through May I volunteered as a teacher’s aide for one of the two second-grade classroom teachers at West Sedona School. Coaching and volunteering in the second-grade class this year has been a real joy.

“In the spring I met with each school department leader and those that were recently promoted, including both principals and the superintendent, so that I could hear firsthand their concerns and ideas.

“I am currently president of the Verde Valley Senior Center board of directors in Cottonwood; a past chair of the Sedona Relay for Life annual cancer fundraiser; and past member of the Arizona PBS Advisory Board.

“In New Jersey, I served in the Army National Guard for six years. I was a member of the board of education in my hometown of Midland Park for six years. During my years on that board, I was a founding member and was the president of a scholarship fundraiser organization that generated over $45,000 for our graduating seniors; we performed popular musicals and Broadway reviews that included local performers from the community such as the police chief and all board of education members. As a board member I also had the privilege to award my two sons their high school diploma. I was chairperson of my employer’s March of Dimes corporate committee, which consisted of 34 representatives from throughout our territory — at the time we had 14,000 employees.”

Q: What steps would you like to take to increase enrollment in SOCSD?

A: “Partner with the [Sedona] Chamber of Commerce organization and the city of Sedona government so that they would promote the benefits of attending our schools. There was a ‘locally sponsored’ marketing plan a few years ago that increased enrollment so that could be explored.”

Q: How can the district better serve the needs of its English language learners?

A: “As an immigrant myself — I was 6 years old when we arrived — I know firsthand the challenges of learning a new language. More volunteers are needed. Reaching out to the public through social media and local newspapers to promote this need could be effective. The news release should not be limited to Sedona or the Village of Oak Creek as we have students from Cornville and Cottonwood. Some students need one on-one help and encouragement with learning English.”

Q: What additional public outreach does the board need to do regarding the former Big Park Community School?

A: “There should be more public meetings in the Village of Oak Creek because there is misinformation that should be clarified. I think portions of this property that do not include the building should be sold as the district could use the funds; keep the playground, sell the remaining land. The VOC would lose a great community center if the building were sold.”

Q: How do you think the voters should vote with regard to the question of having the option to sell the former Big Park Community School and why?

A: “Each voter must decide, and it is not for me to project how they will or should vote. I think the school district should get out [of] the landlord business as soon as practical. It is a seller’s market, so let us sell at least the open land portion at Big Park.”

School Board Election

There are four candidates running for three seats on the Sedona-Oak Creek School District Governing Board; incumbent President Randy Hawley, challenger Sam Blom and incumbents April Payne and David Price.