Sarah Wishnewsky takes on 4th grade at West Sedona School2 min read

Along with teaching fourth grade at West Sedona School, Sarah Wishnewsky teaches college-level English classes online. David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers

Where are you from?
I have lived in Sedona for three years and came here from San Luis Obispo, Calif.

What interested you in this position?
I have always loved the natural beauty of Sedona and I love working with children, so this job seemed like a great fit.

What are your hobbies and interests?
My hobbies include teaching, reading, writing and, most of all, spending time with my family. My husband Tony and I share two daughters, ages 6 and 1.

What is your background in education?
I have been teaching college-level English courses since 2015 and I continue to do so. This is my first year in an elementary school classroom and it has been great so far.

Wishnewsky moved to Sedona from San Luis
Obispo, Calif. David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers

How were you able to build a classroom community on the first days of online school? We built community with one another by asking a lot of questions and having fun discussions about our likes, dislikes, hobbies, families, etc. I already feel like I know my kids pretty well and we have had a great time.

How do you feel about switching to in-person learning?
There is nothing like person-to-person interaction. Wearing a mask for long periods can certainly be difficult, but I will follow orders and mandates to do so.

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Anything else?
These are certainly interesting times we are living in, but I am happy to be part of a community of teachers that values education and is working hard to provide quality instruction to each and every student. We are all committed to making this a great year, despite the circumstances. The kids are always number one, and I am constantly inspired by the dedication and innovation that I see my fellow teachers exhibiting every single day.

Alexandra Wittenberg

Alexandra Wittenberg made Northern Arizona her home in 2014 after growing up in Maryland and living all over the country. Her background in education and writing came together perfectly for the position of education reporter, which she started at Sedona Red Rock News in 2019. Wittenberg has also done work with photography, web design and audio books.

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Alexandra Wittenberg made Northern Arizona her home in 2014 after growing up in Maryland and living all over the country. Her background in education and writing came together perfectly for the position of education reporter, which she started at Sedona Red Rock News in 2019. Wittenberg has also done work with photography, web design and audio books.