It’s that time of the year again as students return to the classroom with their new back-to-school clothes and notebooks, ready to see their friends and meet their new teachers.
Class began on Wednesday, Aug. 4, for Sedona- Oak Creek School District after each campus held a back-to-school night on Monday and Tuesday nights, respectively.
Superintendent and Principal Dennis Dearden said he was pleased with the back-to-school night turnout, as they had around 400 students and parents come out.
“We always have more middle school families attend, especially since two of our classes were brand new to our school,” he said. “The upper class students and parents usually know our school pretty well and many choose not to attend back-to-school night. Teachers reported it was a very successful night and they were excited to see the students on Wednesday for the first day of school.”
As for that first day of school, Dearden said it was a very exciting day seeing students return from their summer activities.
“We greeted over 500 students with over 70-plus new students joining us as new Scorpions,” he said. “We are still taking families on tours and expect that number may increase in the next few days. Students seemed very excited about their new classes.”
He said the first few days counselors are busy adjusting class schedules and making sure students are getting off to a good start. On that first day students were signing up for fall sports, which start Monday, Aug. 9.
“Our entire staff is excited about making the 2021-22 school year the very best for our students,” Dearden added.
West Sedona Principal Aaron Coleman said their first day back was “terrific.”
“I can honestly say that it has been the smoothest first day that I have experienced in my eight years as a public school administrator,” he said. “I attribute it to the shared excitement for a return to normalcy coupled with excellent district-wide preparedness. There has been an absolute buzz of overwhelming positivity, hope, optimism combined with high expectations that has been evident since last Thursday when our teachers reported back.”
Coleman said that excitement was immediately evident during their welcome back meeting with Dearden’s presentation to district staff. It continued during breakout sessions, site meetings and culminated into huge attendance at both back-to-school events.
He said their event at West Sedona School had higher attendance this week than it did in 2019 pre-pandemic.
“I greeted over 100 parents and students in the crosswalk this morning and felt the same palpable excitement and hope for an amazing school year to come,” Coleman said. “I performed walkthroughs of every classroom and I can tell you that there is something very special happening here at West Sedona.”
