Twenty-seven years ago I went into education to teach art, but soon realized I needed to be an administrator to ensure that students and teachers have what they need to be successful. I retired as a school administrator but soon wanted to go back to my first love – teaching art. This is my 8th year at Seligman HS. I not only teach Kindergarten through 12th grade art, but I also am the HS Lead Teacher, and the Student Council sponsor.
Our HS team is great at communication and at helping each other be successful. We truly want our students to succeed, not only at school, but also in life. Through our HS Team meetings and Professional Learning Communities we constantly endeavor to provide each other insights into each students’ needs and struggles. We go beyond just academics. We want each student to prepare for his or her own future, to be able to chart their own lives, and to determine their own destiny, no matter what life throws their way. It starts with a great attitude, some serious coping skills, and knowledge that each day brings with it decisions and activities that will determine what tomorrow will bring.
One of my favorite mantras I’ve used since I myself was in high school is, “Each and every day, in every way, I get better and better.” After reflection, if it isn’t so, make it so. As my grandmother used to say, “ When things go wrong, come up smelling like roses. How? You make it so.” That’s self-determination.
As a Lead Teacher I am also on the School Leadership Team. The team is run by our superintendent Mr. Lindblad, and includes Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Hrutkey, Mr. Flynn, Mrs. Curley, Mr. Knott, Mrs. MacAtee, Mrs. Robison, and Dr. Wallace, with Mrs. Lindblad filling in for the Consortium ( Professional Services provider). In meetings we constantly strive to manage the school in the best interest of our students going forward. We utilize our federal and state laws and school board policies to provide sound planning for fiscal accountability to deliver supplies, services and activities, to maintain our facilities, and to forecast our needs going forward. We’ve gotten new technology for both teachers and students, facilities improvement projects are on track, new equipment, and we will get an updated, modernized website. The list is endless.
We’ve done a lot to add value to the HS. Our class scheduling has evolved for students to be able to graduate in three years by taking an additional two online courses. Our yearly calendar seemingly is the best one ever that is appreciated by the community at large, the staff, and the students. We’ve added curriculum and teachers, and brought our school district into compliance with many state and federal mandates. All working together, the HS is no longer an F school, a designation we’ve suffered under since 2020 when the Covid shutdown froze our designation until just this year. Much paperwork and many man hours have gone into proving to the state that we are a great school. Thanks to Mr. Lindblad we’ve gone to new testing platforms and have provided more effective intervention programs for reading and math.
Our library is now tied into the Yavapai Library system and we have added students onto Sora, a check out system for students. Our K-8 has been added already and we are looking for a date in November to be able to add all the HS students. The pool is open every Friday, and we have added a Friday School to help kids keep up with their work.
As the STUCO Sponsor, we manage the student fundraising activities within the school. We just started a monthly MOVIE NIGHT with our new 11 foot blowup screen. We are going to need better speakers. Next movie is a Pool Party for the HS with a scary movie (PG-13), and in December Nightmare Before Christmas will show. We have restocked our popcorn machine and put new supplies in. The 11th grade will manage and host our Halloween Carnival. Every year the Seniors put on the Haunted House, but the locker rooms are just not an ideal location as there is damage to the locker rooms every year. This year we’ve worked hard to bring our vision of a Haunted House that we can use from year to year and keep improving the concept. We are pleased to announce that this year the Haunted House will be created in the old Tennis Courts. We can have fog machines, spooky music, and every year it will get better and better. In December STUCO sells Christmas Goody Stockings and the elementary school has a Winter Program. STUCO puts up a Christmas Tree in the lounge, and we bring in Santa Claus to give out goody bags for the little ones. That last day before Winter Holiday we do a Cookie Decorating Station and have hot chocolate for our students while they open their cards and well wishes.
The Seniors sell Valentine Day Roses to the community, and STUCO sells St. Patrick Goody Bags and Mardi Gras Beads. STUCO also puts on the Spring Carnival which is more a showcase of student activities but does include fundraising opportunities for all classes. The seniors will also put on the Prom this year. In late April or early May in honor of Earth Day, the HS goes to the hill to repaint the S and to do campus cleanup. STUCO provides the special luncheon. Hopefully this spring our pool will be working so we can do a pool party afterward.
In late February Mrs. Campbell will host the Mr. and Miss Seligman HS Pageant, which has evolved into a very special evening with some amazing prizes. Mrs. Curley as our Athletic Director keeps our sports programs alive and is on top of our schedules. We are very grateful to have Mrs. Fraser, Mrs. Lindblad, Mr. Burrell, Mr. Campbell, Coach Ravi, and Mr. Curley as our coaches. We are such a small school that for some sports we rely on partnering up with the Ash Fork programs.
Maintenance and the IT department keeps the campus and our connectivity running. Plans are constantly evolving to improve what we have and position our district into our future needs. Dr. Wallace maintains our CTE program and as such is tasked with providing Career and College Readiness Development. She is responsible for all the various military and college counselors who come to work with our students.
Schools just don’t happen. There is so much more that goes on and the process is so much more complex to ensure that students have the courses they need to graduate and the personal skills foundations they need. Every one of our teachers go far beyond just teaching their own topic. I feel very humbled and grateful to work with such an amazing and accomplished group of teachers and staff. I also am constantly amazed at our students and we all love to see the accomplishments and ways that they grow. Lots of time consuming work, but it’s all fun and I love each day working at Seligman HS.