Sam Blom was sworn in as the newest member of the Sedona-Oak Creek School District Governing Board on Thursday, Sept. 12. 

“I want to be able to help the schools in a different way,” said Blom, who coached soccer for SOCSD for the last six years. “When you’re coaching 20 children, you’re having an impact on those 20, and now I see a larger role, because I’m involved with the entire school district.” 

Incumbent board member April Payne was appointed to a new four-year term by outgoing Yavapai County School Superintendent Tim Carter that afternoon. Governing Board President Randy Hawley was also scheduled to be reappointed but had to reschedule due to a family emergency. 

Blom, Hawley and Payne’s appointments followed the cancellation of the November board election after the resignation of former board member David Price, who was also running for reelection. 

In addition to being on the board, Blom will continue to volunteer in Theresa Zaun’s second-grade classroom at West Sedona School. Blom said that educating the district’s English language learners is one challenge he sees for SOCSD after spending time in the classroom. 

Born in the Netherlands in 1950, Blom’s family immigrated to New Jersey in 1957. 

The number of ELL students districtwide has increased since February at West Sedona School, from 78 to 99 students, while the number of middle and high school ELL students has decreased from 101 to 93. The total number of students enrolled in SOCSD on Sept. 10 was 702. 

“There has been an upward trend in enrollment of ELL students in the district for some time,” SOCSD Director of Student Services Deana DeWitt said in a recent email. “As it is realistic that a nonEnglish speaking student could take several years to achieve ‘proficiency’ in English, the rate of new ELL students enrolling in the district has been outpacing the number of students exiting ELL status.” 

Price gave a brief farewell to the SOCSD board during its Tuesday, Sept. 10 meeting. 

“The first time I saw my wife was in 1975. I was 15 years old, and I told my best friend that I’m going to get old with that woman, and luckily I did,” Price said. “In 1976, I asked her to go steady. She knew I wanted to be a naval aviator. That’s all I dreamed of from the time I was three years old.” 

Price also talked about the numerous times that Susan pinned him during military promotion ceremonies and her efforts in raising the couple’s two sons and relocating 15 times over the course of his career. 

“We closed on a house yesterday [by Paulden]. We’re in the middle of moving our house [in Sedona]. It’s on the market right now,” Price said. “How do you say no to that kind of woman? As much as it meant to me to be on this school board and be involved here in the community, I couldn’t say no.” 

Awards

SRRHS Employee of the Month: Mariah McElrath 

High School Student of the Month: Karol Leija Velazquez 

Middle School Student of the Month: Kainoa Stimple 

Athlete of the Month: Colin Ledbetter 

West Sedona School Employees of the Month: Maria Ortega and Andrea Silven 

West Sedona Students of the Month: Carlos Davila Alvarez and Luna Bustos-Landa