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Jeff Brooks (Central Valley School District, District
Jeff Brooks (Republican Party) ran for election to Central Valley School District, District #1 in Washington.[1]
Elections
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jeff Brooks completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Brooks' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Married for 32 years and raised our two kids in the CV School District. We have lived in the same house in the Spokane Valley for 31 years. Physical Therapist for 28 years, currently serving independent well elderly residents in a retirement community. Naval nuclear engineer in the submarine service. Raised by a single mother with 2 siblings in Puyallup, WA. Foster in need dogs including puppies. Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. Pilates instructor.
- The curriculum is failing the students. Only 44% of students are passing math at grade level, only 51% in Science and 55% in English Language Arts. I plan to form parent committees to audit the curriculum and institute changes to restore excellence in education.
- The District's budget has been in crisis for 2 years. The 2022-2023 budget was modified at least twice. I will institute a forensic audit on day one to find the waste and eliminate it. The state provides for a quality education. I plan to ensure that happens within the budget allowed.
- The current School Board has not been as transparent as they could be with instituting policy changes and additional expenditures to budget. I will speak in open forums or one on one coffee meetings with parents to understand their concerns more clearly.
Again, I am personally committed to restoring excellence in education much like I received in High School and at Eastern Washington University. Math should not be so complicated that parents can't help their kids with their homework. The students in the Central Valley have the right to a quality education as promised by article 9 of the Washington State Constitution. That includes robust courses in Math, up to and including calculus. Science should be taught without social biases but simply physics, chemistry, and the biologies. And, students should be able to read and enjoy classic books such as Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Tale of Two Cities and more but at the moment only about half of students would be able to read and comprehend these amazing books. Students in most charter schools thrive because they are taught how to think and solve problems. Students are poor readers because they are not taught how to read but to simply memorize words. In essence, they are not taught how to think and solve problems. It is also important to understand that people learn differently. Some learn best through seeing, others by hearing and others are kinesthetic learners. Teachers need to be given the tools to allow them to tailor their lessons to meet the needs of each student. The simple strategy is to return to a classic education where all students are challenged, and allowed to fail if need be. They will learn from their mistakes and be better for it.
US Representative Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, State Senator Mike Padden, Family Policy Institute of Washington, recommended and vetted by the GOP of Spokane County, Kevin Humphreys, Derek Cutlip, Kelly Scott, Bob Peck, MJ Bolt, Pastor Rick Sharkey.
The Apollo 11 Moon landing. I was 8 years old. I was profoundly impacted by that event as I felt that all things were possible with hard work. If they could study and learn about the math and physics needed to get astronauts into space and safely home again I was in. I studied hard and hoped that I might make the space program but unfortunately, my eyes weren't good enough to pass the requirements at the time. But, my studies in the sciences helped me later in life by being accepted into the US Navy Nuclear Power Program and having a successful 6 year career as a mechanic engineer on a special projects submarine. This same work ethic helped me edge out 600 other possible candidates for Physical Therapy School at Eastern Washington University. I have loved the sciences all my life and promote them as often as I can to young people as a way to reach farther and be the best they can be at whatever career path they choose.
A good teacher is one that recognizes that each student learns differently. Some by sight, some by hearing, and still others by doing something. It is that exceptional teacher that is able to tailor their class to each individual student to make them feel as if they received a private lesson. The success in this method can be seen through comprehension of the subject matter. Including the ability to repeat it or even teach it to another student. Test scores are the ultimate measurement of success to the state but the ability of the student to comprehensively speak about and demonstrate at subject is more important. I will encourage teachers to look at their students with those eyes that see that each one is an individual and that they will learn better with a slight modification in the curriculum to match the student's learning style.
I would like to see stronger math and science programs that are available at all grades that are appropriate. In addition, it's clear that no two students are alike. And not all are cut out for college. Some are highly kinesthetic, excellent with their hands and spatial orientation. These students should have the opportunity to learn a skilled trade that they have the best aptitude for and willingness to try. I hope to have electricians from the community, as well as plumbers and skilled carpenters create apprenticeship programs inside the schools that they would run in cooperation with faculty to give young students an opportunity to find a career that they might truly enjoy and be successful with.
I plan to conduct a forensic audit as soon as I arrive to determine where and how the taxpayer's money is spent. I will meet with staff at all levels to locate wasted and eliminate it. It's clear that the taxpayers are frustrated with the ever increasing levies that they are being asked to support. Good stewardship and fiscally responsible practices need to be applied to follow the State Constitution that dictates that the schools will provide a high quality education in math and the sciences. The Constitution does not require an excellent football team or any other extracurricular activities. Simply a high quality education. That need has to be met first. Then the funding for the luxury activities can be revisited. I will meet with parents at all schools and grade levels to determine what is most important to them, show them how much it costs, and how much they will pay in taxes to fund that activity. Most people have no idea how much they are paying in taxes to support their schools. This is an important conversation to have.
My hope is to leave the district better than I found it. If I am able to restore academic excellence, fiscal responsibility, and board transparency I will have felt I was successful. I don't care who gets the credit. It's important to me that the students get what they need to be successful and have the opportunity to be an astronaut like I always wanted to be but wasn't able to. Student should be able to feel like they have accomplished something great each and everyday they go to school. And, when they graduate to the next class, or from High School they feel that they are ready for the next challenge.
Only Jesus by Casting Crowns. I saw them in concert when I was volunteering for Compassion International and fell in love with the lyrics of the song. "I don't care if they remember me, only Jesus". I also ended up sponsoring another child that night for a total of 3. Two in Guatemala and one in Bolivia. It's a great day when I get a letter from one of them as I know how hard it is for them to get letters out, especially during the Covid pandemic.
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External links
[1] ↑ Submitted to Ballotpedia's candidate survey in 2023.
