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    Home » WSS Principal Will Not Seek Contract for Next School Year
    Sedona

    WSS Principal Will Not Seek Contract for Next School Year

    March 19, 20152 Comments5 Mins Read
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    By Tommy Acosta
    Associate Editor

    Dr. Lisa Hirsch
    Dr. Lisa Hirsch

    Sedona AZ (March 19, 2015) – West Sedona School Principal Dr. Lisa Hirsch will not seek a new contract for WSS for the next school year, according to an email reportedly sent by her to the Sedona Oak Creek Unified School District Governing Board and the district superintendent dated March 18, 2015.

    In her letter Hirsch wrote that she voluntarily made her decision not to seek the new contract after having 21 “magnificent” years serving the district as a founding teacher, sports coach, curriculum coordinator and principal.

    “It has also been an honor to work with a terrific staff district wide and to work with amazing students and their parents in all of my roles for this district,” she wrote in her letter. “I have developed deep connections to this community and I will continue to serve as a citizen of Sedona.”

    Hirsch did not give a reason in her letter for her decision not to seek a new contract.

    In her letter she listed her accomplishments during her service, stating that she:

    • Was the first girls basketball co-coach for Sedona Red Rock High School.
    • Co-created the Humanities Curriculum and had it published by the Gates Foundation.
    • Was the first and longest serving teacher of AP US History at Red Rock High School.
    • Was a leader in establishing the Graduation by Exhibition Program, which won a 
Golden Bell Award from the ASBA. Led the Youth Forum for 5 years at Red Rock High School. One result was the Teen Center.
    • Brought the Rose Ceremony to the High School graduation program and was the keynote speaker twice.
    • As curriculum coordinator brought the district to a new level with curriculum mapping 
and differentiated teaching practices. Led staff development and nurtured incredible teacher leaders.
    • Brought SMART boards to our district and set up tech training.
    • Founded the Literacy Council.
    • Founded the STEM Council.
    • Raised community awareness of STEM and have raised over $60,000 for STEM efforts. Also, West Sedona is the proud recipient of training and leading in the STEM School of the Future Movement with NAU, APS and the AZ Science Center. Had INTEL trained teachers, and all teachers are Highly Qualified.
    • Brought the arts immersion programs to West Sedona school and also raised over $23,000 for teaching Tolerance using the arts and the work of the ADL at both the high school and West Sedona School.
    • Raised well over $10,000 for teaching health, gardening and physical activity through national grants and partnering with the City and MATForce.
    • Nurtured the connection with both Rotary Clubs, the Lions, Elks, Sedona 30, Re- tired Teachers and the Kiwanis.
    • Nominated teachers that won County Teacher of the year, Teacher of the year for their age levels and most recently the state award for Citizen Teacher of the Year. Many of our teachers have also won grants based on their merit and expertise.
    • Raised the bar for student compliance to rules and regulations set forth by the teachers at West Sedona School, and through Character Counts and other efforts by the guidance counselor there are fewer bullying incidents and drug incidents since she began at the school. The connection with the Sedona Police Department and Fire Department remains strong and integrated for student safety.
    • Through the Title One leadership she helped develop a comprehensive system for teaching reading foundations. It has been incredibly successful thanks to the teachers’ hard work, and the work of the volunteers for the Literacy Center.
    • She worked with NAIC and the SCF to bring English classes to our parents in our family center.
    • She mentored leaders, teachers and students to higher heights and feels completely at ease with leaving West Sedona School where it stands on a trajectory for success with STEM, art, music and PE and our Special Education and Gifted programs, the new math curriculum, focused goals and a very well-behaved student body.

    Hirsch stated that she is proud of the trusting relationships she established during her time at the district.

    “Most of all I am proud of the relationships I have built and worked on with all of the amazing staff, students and PTA, Site Council and parents,” she wrote. “Education is nothing without strong, trusting relationships and a focused mindset of continuous improvement. I am proud to be a role model for the community and I have learned more than I have taught.”

    SOCUSD Governing Board member Zach Richardson acknowledged the impact she had on the district.

    “No doubt Dr. Hirsch in her 21 years of service has left a lasting impression on students, teachers, parents and the district itself,” Mr. Richardson said. “What she has done here will be long remembered.”

    Fellow governing board member Bobbi Surber, a close personal friend of Hirsch, acknowledged her contributions to the district and wished her success in her future as an educator.

    “Dr. Lisa Hirsch has been an outstanding educator and leader in our school district for over 20 years,” Surber said. “Her professionalism, integrity, efforts and success at always placing our students first will not be forgotten.  Her willingness and ability to go far above the call of duty each day to further the educational enrichment of our children has been an inspiration to me over the years. I wish her the very best on her future endeavors.”

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    2 Comments

    1. N. Baer on March 23, 2015 9:53 am

      Unbelievable loss for our community.

    2. John Neville on March 23, 2015 10:45 am

      We’ll all miss Lisa’s drive and commitment to our children. I hope she’s staying in Sedona and just moving on to other activities here.

    Paid Political Ad Paid For by Samaire for Mayor
    Paid Political Ad for Samaire Armstrong
    Paid Political Announcement by Samaire For Mayor

     THE MOMENT IS UPON US

    Dear Sedona,

    The moment is upon us. The time for a united effort to shift the focus back to our community is now.

    The ability to thrive in our community, our environment, our workforce, and the tourist industry, is entirely possible because we have all the resources needed for success.

    Still, we need a council that isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions, that makes decisions based on data and facts, and through discussion, rather than moving and voting in group unison as they so regularly do.

    This is my home. I have been a part of the Sedona community for 28 years. I witnessed the road debacle, the lack of planning, the city circumventing the local businesses ability to thrive, while making choices to expand the local government and be in direct competition with private industry.

    I am a unique candidate because unlike the incumbents, I don’t believe the government should expand in size, nor in operations, nor would I attempt to micromanage every aspect of our community.

    City government should stay in its lane and allow the competitive market of local private industry to prosper. And it should defend our community from corporate takeover and infiltration of our town.

    I do not agree that we should sign onto International Building Codes and regulations by signing Sedona up to the ICC. It is imperative that we remain a sweet, rural community.

    Where are the arts? Where is this organic thriving element that we allege to be animated by. Where is our culture? Where is our community?

    The discord between the decision making process and the desires of the community have never been more clear. It has been nearly a decade in the making.

    It is time for a new era of energy to take charge. An energy that is reflective in the ability to succeed rather than be trapped in out of date consciousness.

    It has been a great honor meeting with each of you. I hear your concerns over the insane and out of control spending and I echo them. A budget of $105,000,000 in a town of 9700 residents is completely unacceptable. A parking structure (that looks like a shoe box) originally slated to cost 11 million, now projected to cost 18 million, is incomprehensible. Especially, considering there is no intention of charging for parking.

    For those who are concerned that I lack the political experience within our established system- that is precisely what Sedona needs… Not another politician, but instead a person who understands people, who listens to the voices within the community, and who will act in service on their behalf with accountability, for the highest good of Sedona. What I am not, will prove to be an asset as I navigate the entrenched bureaucracy with a fresh perspective. Business as usual, is over.

    Creative solutions require new energy.

    Every decision that is made by our local government, must contemplate Sedona first.

    • Does this decision benefit the residents?
    • Does this decision benefit the local businesses?
    • Does this decision actually help the environment?
    • Will this decision sustain benefit in the future, or will it bring more problems?

    What we have now is a city government that expands to 165 employees for 9700 residents. Palm Desert has 53,000 residents and 119 city employees. Majority of our city department heads are not even in town. I find this problematic.

    Efforts towards championing in and courting new solutions for our medical needs are imperative. We are losing our doctors. We must encourage competition with other facilities rather than be held hostage by NAH, who clearly have their own set of dysfunctions.

    We must remember that so many move to Sedona for its beauty, hiking, and small town charm. Bigger, faster, and more concrete does not, in broad strokes, fit the ethos of Sedona.

    The old world must remain strong here in balance, as that is what visitors want to experience. Too many have noted that Sedona has lost its edge and charm.

    As Mayor I will preserve the rural charm of our community, and push back against the urbanization that is planned for Sedona.

    As mayor I will make it a priority to create opportunities to support our youth.  After school healthy, enriching programs should be created for our kids, and available to the Sedona workforce regardless of residency and regardless of school they belong to.

    As Mayor, I will create an agenda to deliberately embody the consciousness of our collective needs here, allowing private industry to meet the needs of our community rather than bigger government.

    I hope to have your vote on Aug 2nd. I am excited and have the energy to take on this leadership role with new eyes, community perspective, and the thoughtful consciousness that reflects all ages of the human spectrum.

    Thank you deeply for your consideration.

    Sincerely,

    Samaire Armstrong

    Sedona elections
    Armstrong vs. Jablow: The Main Event
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    In the Blue Corner stands Scott Jablow and in the Red Corner of the ring stands Samaire Armstrong, ready to rumble to the bitter end in their fight to become the next Sedona mayor. Jablow weighs in with 1,137 primary election votes (36.13%) under his belt, having wielded his advantage as sitting Sedona City Council vice-mayor to his favor. He brings his years of serving in that capacity into the fray and waged a solid fight in his campaign to make it to the run-off. Armstrong, however withstood a blistering smear campaign from the other opposing candidates and their supporters to make it to the final bout with 967 votes under her belt (30.73%), an amazing feat for a political newcomer. Unfortunately, for the other two candidates, Kurt Gehlbach and sitting mayor Sandy Moriarty, neither put up enough of a fight to make it to the championship bout. Read more→
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