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Editorial: Great job by schools on shared services


5/3/2012 1:09:00 PM

 2012 is shaping up as the most important year ever in the history of Upper Verde Valley education.

By every indication, the Cottonwood-Oak Creek and Mingus Union school districts are committed to maximizing efficiency through shared services agreements for facilities and administrative staffing. In the wings, Clarkdale-Jerome school officials are keeping a close eye on this courtship.

Already this week, the two districts approved the hiring of Pam Fenstamaker to serve as Special Education Director for both districts. This comes on the heels of prior agreements to share transportation and maintenance/grounds services.

What’s especially encouraging about this current effort is the unified approach of both school boards and administrations. We’re seeing none of the turf protection battles that were so prevalent in past discussions over the past three decades concerning consolidation and unification of the districts.

There is still much study to do before the two boards take up the touchy issue of administrative and financial leadership of the two districts. The boards have contracted with the Warner Group to make recommendations on those politically charged issues.

In the meantime, our hat goes off to all the members of both school boards, superintendents Tim Foist and Barb U’ren and both of their admin teams for being true professionals in their approach to this proposed marriage.

Keep up the good work.


 

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