CENTER SAVED, NEW COURSES DEVELOPED, COOPERATION WITH HIGH SCHOOLS ON ITS WAY, CTE IMPROVING AND MORE . . .
Three years ago Dr. Penelope Wills had decided to close and sell the Sedona Center and had reduced by a substantial number the courses being offered on the Verde Campus. Her unwise decisions caused an uproar in the Verde Valley. However, because of strong advocacy on the part of Verde Valley citizens and their Board representatives, Deb McCasland and Al Filardo, the Center was saved and programs are finally beginning to return. There is also a new era of cooperation being forged between the College and the high schools and the Joint Technical Education District, V’ACTE.
Evidence of a new era was apparent as Verde Valley Dean James Perey sounded an optimistic report about the Center and cooperation at the February 14 Board meeting. He outlined a number of new programs including culinary and theater arts that will be offered at the Sedona Center in cooperation with the local high schools in the Valley. He also listed several new courses that are now being offered in the Verde Valley and said the College intends to invest in a new floor to help get its theater arts program off the ground at Sedona Red Rock High school.
Finally, he gave strong support to developing more enhanced, cooperative Career and Technical Education programs between the College and V’ACTE. The programs will allow high school students to take various coursers offered at the College through the JTED program.
Wow. What a change serious advocacy makes!
Below is a video containing Dr. Perey’s four minute presentation to the Governing Board. Listen and learn.