Dysart Unified School District governing board member Traci Sawyer-Sinkbeil has been appointed to the Professional Practices Advisory Committee by the Arizona State Board of Education.

Her term will expire July 31, 2023.

The PPAC serves as the advisory committee in regards to educator certification or recertification matters related to immoral conduct and/or unprofessional conduct. Ms. Sawyer-Sinkbeil will complete the remaining term for a departing member, at which time she may be reappointed for a full four-year term.

“I am honored to have been appointed to this position on the Professional Practices Advisory Committee,” Ms. Sawyer-Sinkbeil said in a news release. “I strongly believe in the importance of public education and the certificated teachers and administrators that lead the charge. It is important that we have the right educators in place, teaching our children on all levels. While serving on this committee, I welcome the opportunity to ensure its compliance in disciplinary matters of certificated individuals and applicants of certification and to protect all of Arizona’s students from incidents of professional misconduct. We all share a passion for great education and I welcome the opportunity to serve in this capacity.”

Ms. Sawyer-Sinkbeil has been a DUSD board member for 11 years and previously served on the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners Social Work Committee.

She holds a masters of business administration and bachelors in business and public administration, both from Ottawa University, and has many years of human resource experience in education.

The Professional Practices Advisory Committee, a committee of the Arizona State Board of Education, is responsible for conducting hearings on certificated individuals to which allegations of immoral and/or unprofessional conduct have been made.

The PPAC is comprised of two alternating groups of seven members — one elementary classroom teacher, one secondary classroom teacher, one principal, one superintendent or assistant/associate superintendent, two lay members (one of which is a parent of a student in an Arizona public school) and one district board member.

At each PPAC meeting, the committee may review applications for initial certification, renewals of certification, and conduct hearings on complaints filed against existing certified individuals.

After each case is heard, members make findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a recommendation to the board to approve or deny an application for certification; or in the case of a complaint hearing, make a recommendation regarding whether the board should impose discipline on a certificate.