(Meet the newest member of Sedona-Oak Creek School District's Governing Board)

Allen Elfman, a recent transplant to the Sedona area from Coral Springs, Florida, will take his seat on the board in January, 2005.

The newcomer to the board will fill the position left open by Becky O'Banion who is moving out of the school district. O'Banion served on the board for six years and was board president for three years.

The Governing Board Members will decide their new president in January.

Elfman grew up in Boston before moving to Florida when he was 20.

He spent the next 16 years in Florida working as the head of a missing persons investigations firm, a Web Designer, an Assistant Coordinator of a gifted children's program for Mensa, a bar restaurant manager.

He is the father of three boys. His oldest son, Joshua lives with his mother in the Midwest.

As Elfman's other two boys, Jarod, 5, and Alexander, 2, began to come of school age, their father and his wife, Theresa, started looking for a good place to educate their kids.

"That's why we picked Sedona" Elfman said of his family's move to the city one year ago.

"Florida is what woke me up. There, it was more about watching out for yourself than anyone else."

The couple found a house on the internet and moved their two children without a second thought.

Elfman did not yet have employment, but vowed to work two jobs to give his wife the freedom to raise the children full time.

" I may work two jobs, but she works much harder," Elfman said, joking that Theresa works for a nonprofit corporation. " I might bring in the money, but she does a lot more than I do."

Theresa is also an Artist with a small business called Mystical Reflections.

Elfman currently is in charge of Public Relations for Visiting Sedona.

His son Jarod, began kindergarten this year at West Sedona School.

Elfman said he will bring commitment and plenty of ideas to the school board.

"I'm not here to change anything," he said. "I'm here to build on what we have. I always want to Exceed Expectations."

Elfman said he would like to see Arizona rise from 49th place to the top of the nation in education funding.

"We don't have anywhere to go but up," he said

The new board member also believes school is important to all members of society and parent involvement is the key to a child's success.

"Children are the future and I want to stress the importance of parent interaction because education doesn't end at school."

Elfman said children should be challenged in school.

"Our children are like sponges, if we only drip on them, they're only going to absorb so much. I'd rather pour it on and let them absorb as much as possible," he said.

The newest board member also said he will be a strong voice for the parents.

"I want the parents to know I'm on their side. I'm not afraid to speak my mind," Elfman said. "I'm not going to say what people want to hear, I'm going to say what I feel. I'm here to make a difference, not add this to resume."

Elfman also plans to make himself available as much as possible to parents, teachers and anyone else who would like to speak with him.

"I will be their window into the school system"

"A board member's attendance should reflect the type of grade they would want in school," he said. "I want an A'."

Elfman also is a member of the West Sedona School Parent Teacher Student Association.