Students Achieve Remarkable Gains in School Grades. In the 2024/2025 school year, West Sedona Elementary earned a high B, and Red Rock Middle and High School also earned a high B. Congratulations on your hard work!

The Sedona-Oak Creek USD Educational Foundation board is excited to announce $675,000 in funding for the 2025/2026 school year, aimed at enriching the educational environment of the Sedona-Oak Creek Unified School District. This support has allowed for the hiring of a Curriculum & Instruction Director to improve educational strategies, a Community Education Director to lead and oversee educational programs, and a dedicated Theater teacher to foster creativity in the arts. Additionally, it will provide financial support for a teacher and staff for a second Preschool class, enabling more young learners to begin their educational journeys. The funding will also help support key programs such as Athletics, Extended Day services, and essential supplies, ensuring our students have access to a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.

A new position, the Director of Curriculum & Instruction, will be funded by the Sedona-Oak Creek Unified School District Educational Foundation this 25/26 school year.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Chelle Kemper as Sedona-Oak Creek's new Director of Curriculum & Instruction! Dr. Kemper brings a wealth of experience. She has served as a classroom teacher, teacher-leader, principal, Director of Special Education, and Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment, as well as a school-improvement specialist for both the Kansas and Arizona Departments of Education.

Over the past four years, she has partnered with Arizona campuses to raise achievement, close subgroup gaps, and boost graduation rates...and Sedona was already a collaborative partner, so she knows firsthand the great work happening here. Through Arizona Project Momentum, she has coached principals and districts in rapid, data-driven turnarounds, empowering educators to translate data into action and elevate student learning. Dr. Kemper is eager to roll up her sleeves and collaborate with our staff to advance our vision that every student engages in critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-reflection every class, every day. Let's give Dr. Kemper a warm Scorpion welcome as we continue to raise the bar together!

What the school district can imagine and the State does not provide funding for, the Sedona-Oak Creek Educational Foundation will be there to help.

Paying for added programs takes dollars away from the operating budget of the regular curriculum and administration of the District. Without the financial backing of the newly revived Educational Foundation and Community Organizations like the Rotary Club and Northern AZ Healthcare Office of Philanthropy, to name a few, it would be difficult to maintain these added programs.

Strong Art, Music and Theater programs inspire students. The performing arts bring young people to the on campus Sedona Performing Arts Center both on stage and in the audience. These programs strengthen the relationship between the SOCUSD School District and the Arts Community in Sedona. With a dedicated teacher in Cody McKesson and some help from the Chamber Music Sedona, the Music Department is active. Now we have an experienced and talented theater director. The Performing Arts, along with the existing Visual Arts Department, are a focus of the Sedona-Oak Creek School District. 

A robust sports program contributes greatly towards a town's high school spirit, especially in the fall for homecoming! However, of all the sports football is the most expensive, and it requires the most players. To the disappointment of kids, parents, and the community, the team was cut from the sports program at the Sedona Red Rock Jr/Sr High School more than 5 years ago. 

The new Superintendent would like to bring back a full fledged tackle football team back at Sedona Red Rock Jr/Sr HS. As we grow, SOCUSD Educational Foundation can help with that as well. The district recently won it's appeal to play football at a 1A level, bringing us a step closer to having "Friday Night Lights" in Sedona!

This before and after school program at West Sedona School has been a game changer for working parents. It's also been a boost for the kids.  We've been fortunate to have the support of wonderful community members and organizations keeping it open thus far through the Educational Foundation.

The future vision is to make the Wildcats Extended Day program more of an educational supplement, but it will take a significant financial commitment year after year. The Educational Foundation along with The Rotary Club of Sedona will be there to make sure that happens.

In past years Sedona-Oak Creek Unified School District has only had enough in the budget to offer the community one preschool class of 20 and a waiting list. Some states include funding for preschool, but not in Arizona.

This year, the district added a second preschool class and is charging a nominal tuition with a sliding scale to partially cover the cost of two preschool classes. The Educational Foundation is making up the difference.

When fully funded, the Foundation is hoping to put the entire cost of preschool on its financial agenda, rather than burdening an already strained budget. This will allow the District to focus on the Primary School's and Jr/Sr High School's regular and extra curriculum programs.