This week, Sedona-Oak Creek School District Superintendent David Lykins is in an unlikely place, doing a necessary thing: Recruiting teachers for all Verde Valley school districts.
The trip began with a shared concept. Admitting a lack of federal and state funds for Arizona school districts — and the associated difficulties of attracting and retaining qualified teachers — the Verde Valley’s seven superintendents approached Yavapai County School Superintendent Tim Carter, asking him to solicit funds from the Forest Fees Management Association.
“The FFMA board allocated $25,000 to the Verde Valley superintendents to recruit high-quality teachers who are preparing to graduate in May,” Lykins said. “Myself, former Clarkdale-Jerome School District Superintendent Kathleen Fleenor and Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District Human Resources Director Rebecca Wilson were selected to be available to offer letters of intent for all districts.”
According to Lykins, the three district representatives started their recruitment efforts at the Michigan State University Education Fair in East Lansing before moving on to the Western Michigan Teacher Fair in Kalamazoo. By week’s end, they will have visited two more institutions, in Ann Arbor at University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti.
“The choice was made by the group to skip the lesser of the state universities in terms of numbers and quality of graduates from Central Michigan University,” Lykins added. “The state system indicates they and their graduates are behind the curve.”
Lykins stated that he is aware of the trust placed in him — as well as the trust that each of the Verde Valley’s districts has in each other to act in the best interest of area students. Lykins highlighted the principles of “collegiality and collaboration,” in particular, in referencing the relationships between superintendents.
“I feel very honored to have this assignment, as it indicates the confidence and the trust the other six superintendents have in me to be professional, equitable and fair,” Lykins stated.
