Bristol, Tenn. School Board Candidate: Aaron J. Brooks

Aaron J. Brooks

Age: 39

Address: 329 Galway Road, Bristol, TN

Daytime telephone number: none given

Evening phone number: none given

Cell phone number:  none given

E-mail address: 

Campaign Web site:  none given

Party affiliation: none given
Office you are seeking:  1st District Board of Education Seat, Bristol TN City Schools

Please answer the following questions about your background: 

What is your educational background, including the highest degree you
attained (high school, college, advanced degree) and the year it was
attained?

Graduate of Bristol TN High School, 1988
University of TN-Knoxville, TN-1992, Bachelor’s Business Administration-Finance
Louisiana State University-Baton Rouge, LA-2000, Graduate School of Banking
Tennessee Banker’s Association, Advanced Commercial Lending School-2009

What is your professional background, including your present employer
and job description? What other positions have you held in the past? If
you are retired, please describe your most recent employment.

My professional background is in Retail & Commercial Banking.  I have been an employee of First Tennessee Bank for over 18 years.  Currently, I serve as Vice President, Commercial Banking & Portfolio Manager for First Tennessee-Bristol.  Having spent my entire adult career with First Tennessee, I have held numerous positions with the Bank including Regional Sales Manager, Branch Manager, Commercial & Retail Lender, Client Specialist & Teller.  My current position requires that I spend a large portion of my time analyzing financial statements and underwriting & monitoring credit facilities for current and prospective clients. 

Are you married? If so, please list your spouse’s name. occupation and
any elected offices they hold or have held in the past.

I am married to Allison Carter Brooks formerly of Greeneville, TN.  She has been an educator for eleven years and is currently employed by the Bristol TN City Schools.

Do you have children? If so, how many and what are their ages?

My wife & I have two children: a six year old daughter & one year old son.

Do you presently hold an elected or appointed office or have you held
one in the past? Please list all elected or appointed posts and the
years you were in office.

No.

Have you ever been an officer in a political party, worked in a campaign
or been a delegate to a political convention? If yes, please provide
details and names of the candidates for whom you worked.

No.

How long have you lived in the area? If you have lived elsewhere, where
have you lived and for how long?

I have lived in East Tennessee my entire life.  Having grown up in Bristol, Tennessee, I attended the Bristol Tennessee City Schools.  Upon graduation in 1988, I attended The University of Tennessee, Knoxville for four years.  After obtaining a business degree in Finance from UT, I moved to Greeneville, Tennessee where I lived for ten years.  In 2003, my family and I moved to Maryville, Tennessee where we lived until June 2007.  Since that time, we have lived in Bristol.     

Who are your three biggest campaign contributors? How much money have
you raised in your campaign? Have you taken any special interest or PAC
money? How much money do you expect to spend in your campaign?

I have accepted no campaign monies.

Do you volunteer your time or give money to local causes? If so, please
list them.

I do volunteer & contribute to local organizations including the United Way of Bristol, TN/VA, Bristol Faith In Action, and the Mountain Empire Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime as an
adult? If yes, please give jurisdiction and details.
NA

Have you ever filed bankruptcy? If yes, please explain.
NA

Have you ever served in the military? If yes, please provide details, including branch of service, highest rank, years of service and date and terms of discharge.
NA

Have you or your business ever been the subject of a lawsuit, lien or foreclosure? If yes, please explain.
NA

What ties do you have to any business or organization that could profit from action as a city council member? Please explain your plan to avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. 
NA

Please answer the following questions about issues facing the school system.

What makes you the best candidate for the school board? 

I believe I bring a solid perspective to the position through my interaction and involvement with the constituencies that have a vested interest in our school system. 

(1) Through my commercial banking position with First Tennessee, I encounter and work with many local business leaders.  I often hear, first-hand, what challenges they face with our emerging workforce;
(2) In addition, given my work in credit underwriting and analysis, I have developed a solid degree of fiscal responsibility and insight that would prove helpful in budget related matters that require board approval;
(3) As the spouse of a local teacher, I am keenly aware of the challenges facing our educators and administrators.  I understand the work and tireless commitment these individuals make to their job and to our children;
(4) And, as a father, I know the importance of having a great educational system and the impact it has on our children’s academic and social development. 

What are the three best things about Bristol, Tennessee’s public schools? What are the three worst things?

Bristol Tennessee’s public school system has long been known as a quality educational experience.  I believe that three primary groups have contributed to this success:  our Educators, our School Administration, and most importantly our Students.  These are the three best things about our system.   

In my view, three areas of improvement for our school system would be facilities, teacher compensation and technology in classrooms.  While I know much progress has been made in these areas over the past several years, we as citizens & parents need to press for more. 

Facilities:  With the exception of our newest facility coming on line in early 2010, every building housing students has heating & air units that, at best, would be considered adequate.  Additionally, maintenance & repairs for our facilities has become more “reactive” than “preemptive” or “proactive” in nature.  Luckily, we have had a reserve fund available to handle some of these unexpected roof repairs & remediation jobs.  As a school board member, I would consider one of my primary objectives to be the improvement of our existing capital plan.  Through a collaborative effort with our educators, administration & city officials, I would work to find fiscally responsible ways to make significant progress in our school facilities.     

Teacher Compensation:  Without a doubt, the entry level pay for first year teachers to our school system is one of the most competitive around.  This is certainly an asset when attracting quality educators to our system.  Our challenge, though, becomes maintaining a highly competitive compensation package for those educators that have been in the system for well over ten years.  The role of these individuals cannot be minimized when you consider the degree of stability they bring to our schools and the level of leadership & mentorship they provide to younger teachers. 

Technology:  Technology in the classroom is an integral part of an enhanced classroom experience for our children.  With the introduction of the “virtual classroom” to Tennessee High School, the dawn of a whole new learning experience is upon us.  While our system’s Title I schools are the recipients of much of the funding for technology, our non-Titled schools are finding themselves at a financial disadvantage. As a school board member, I would work to help our schools find funding opportunities that would allow everyone the opportunity to experience the realities of the 21st century classroom.  (Not too far from here, in Greeneville, TN, each classroom in the city school system has wireless internet, laptop computers, a wireless LCD projector and a Gateway tablet for the teacher.  That is where Bristol needs to be.) 

Do you believe the school system needs a dress code? If so, what are some criteria the policy should include. If not, explain why you believe t is unnecessary. Should the school system consider a uniform policy for students? Explain why or why not.

Does the school system need a dress code? Absolutely.  We have a dress code policy in place.  The issue has been the interpretation and enforcement of the policy.  (Who enforces? How is it enforced from school to school?)  Over the last couple of years, it seems problems with the existing policy, and the interpretation thereof, have been at the forefront of public debate.  I think that it is imperative that we have a policy that is clear, concise and leaves very little (if any) room for interpretation.  What’s more, our principals & classroom educators must be empowered to enforce the policy without fear of being criticized by parents for unfair treatment of their child. 

I certainly feel the school system should consider a uniform dress policy as a potential solution to the current policy issues.  I would envision an open discussion involving an objective look at other systems that have implemented or tried school uniforms.  Study and understanding of the dynamics impacting these examples, I believe, would go a long way in helping the board & its stakeholders to arrive at a meaningful solution to the problems now being faced with the current policy. 

How will you encourage more students to enroll in vocational training or
higher education beyond high school?

In the fall of last year, Governor Phil Bredesen introduced the Tennessee Diploma Project for Tennessee’s K-12 education system.  The initiative represents a sweeping change to standards and curriculum that will greatly challenge our students and hopefully, better prepare them for college or the job force.  These reforms (that begin with the incoming freshman class this Fall) are being “jumpstarted” by the Tennessee SCORE initiative (State Collaborative on Reforming Education).  SCORE’s primary objective is to help schools, teachers & students meet the new thresholds being set by the TN Diploma Project. 

As a school board member, I believe it will be vital that we understand the full impact of these initiatives and are able to help provide our students with the resources necessary to meet the challenges presented by the higher State standards.  Academically speaking, the requirements for graduation are greater.  For college-bound students, this will do nothing but better prepare them for a successful post secondary learning experience.  However, we must be sensitive to those individuals who do not see college as a natural progression from high school.  The reality is that the higher academic standards could potentially make high school graduation less of a reality for those vocationally directed students.  It will be very important that we embrace these students with the tools necessary to earn their diploma.  In today’s emerging global workforce, there is no place for a high school drop-out.  It is our responsibility to see to it that these students are afforded ever opportunity to succeed, as well.   

How much emphasis do you place on art and music instruction? Please explain.

Art & Music instruction play important roles in the educational experience of our young people.  For some, the exposure represents a turning point in life that opens the door to a whole new world of opportunities that would not have been realized through standard classroom academics.  Many of our lower-income students are only afforded cultural experiences through Art & Music education.  If nothing else, Art & Music allows students the chance to channel their energies in a meaningful, constructive way.
Unfortunately, Art & Music education often seem to be the areas neglected or even cut in tough budget times.  I believe it is important, regardless of financial factors, that we do not lose sight of the benefits derived from Art & Music instruction. 

Describe your most recent visit to a school in Bristol, Tenn. When, which school, purpose of visit.

As a business leader, I participated in Read Across America at Avoca Elementary.  During my visit, I had the pleasure of reading Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax to a group of First Graders.  (This was the same class I attended First Grade when I was a student at Avoca.) 

As a parent, I had the opportunity to attend a first-grade family reading night with my daughter at Holston View Elementary.  During this visit, I was able to observe various reading techniques used in the classroom, and was given ideas of how to further enrich my daughter’s reading experience at home.