Bristol, Tenn. School Board Candidate: Jason Rush

Jason Rush

Age: 35

Address: 132 Sycamore Dr Bristol,  TN 37620

Daytime telephone number: 423-534-7145

Evening phone number:  423-968-4430

Cell phone number:  423-534-7145

E-mail address: (Business) (Personal and any campaign related questions)

Campaign Web site: See my page on FaceBook

Party affiliation:  Independent

Office you are seeking: Bristol TN City Schools Board of Education, 4th District Seat

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?

I currently attend Virginia Intermont   College, where I am a senior in the Interdisciplinary Studies program with a concentration in Elementary Education. I graduated from Holston High School in
  Damascus VA in 1992, and after that attended Emory and Henry College,  where I studied Education and Business.   I have been working since 1996.

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.

I worked for RadioShack for almost 14 years, with 10 in management, most recently as manager of the store in the Bristol Mall. I currently am a Sales Consultant for Verizon Wireless in Kingsport, Tennessee.

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

My wife of eight years, Katherine Rush, is the general manager for Bristol Tool.  Although she is on the PTA board at Anderson Elementary, she has not held elective office.

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

We have two children, both boys. Alex, age 7, attends Anderson Elementary in District 4. Wyatt, age 4, will attend Anderson Elementary as well in the next two years.

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.

I have never held elective office.

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?

We have lived in Bristol,  Tennessee, for 8 years. Prior to that I lived in Damascus, Virginia and Abingdon, Virginia.

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?

All my campaign contributions are $100 or less, none from political action committees.  My largest contributor is Robert Havlik. I will spend less than $1,000 total.

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

I have helped with various events at Anderson Elementary,  and the recent citywide Health Fair hosted by the Anderson PTA.

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

No.

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

No.

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.

No.

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

No.

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.

I have no conflicts of interest that would preclude my service in any public office.

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

What makes you the best candidate for the school board?

Most important to this position, I bring the ability to bridge the gap between our families and educators. As a parent and a future educator, I can understand both sides of the successes shared and the challenges faced by families and educators. Because my son attends our neighborhood school, and our family is committed to Bristol, I share a vested interest in the future of our children and community.   With years of management experience, I bring the ability to gather ideas and resources to resolve the challenges facing our school system. With better communication and clearer understanding from both sides, we will make a strong education system stronger.

What are the three best things about Bristol, Tennessee’s public schools?
  What are the three worst things?
 
  Our students are most important to our school system. Their commitment is impressive. We improve our numbers each year, with graduation and promotion rates high, and
  absentee numbers low. I can attribute their success to our second “best thing”, our teachers and administrators. Collectively, these hard-working individuals make up a system of highly qualified and dedicated educators. While we may not always agree with decisions they make, we should have confidence that they want what’s best for our children. A third important asset is the system’s collective commitment to our students. We spend almost $1,000 more per student per year than our state average. Our teachers and educators continuously use their “off time” during the summers to advance and build on their own educations. This commitment allows our school system to keep up with constantly changing methods and technology.

As for the three worst things about our school system, I’m not running for school board to question decisions prior to the beginning of my term. Second-guessing is counter-productive. There will be time to identify and discuss the opportunities that lie ahead, and I will help ensure that correct decisions are made. I would also hope to invite each of you—parents,  educators, and community members—to be present in the education of our students.

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 it is unnecessary. Should the school system consider a uniform policy for students? Explain why or why not.

I believe we should evaluate any option which may lead to better education for our students. The most important step we can take is to facilitate open and honest two-way communication between our administrators and our families. We are already collecting data on the subject. In fact, the best way for folks to weigh in on this matter is go to http://www.btcs.org/ and share their opinions via the survey on that site. It is listed under the local headlines on the main page. The more opinions we have from our community, and the more data we can collect from school systems that have school uniforms, the better qualified we will be to make the best decision for our students’ future.  I will say, in discussing this matter with people who stand on either side of this issue, the common concern is what is best for our students. I will keep that in mind.

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

Education is the one way everyone can move up. No matter the job, education plays a major factor not only in acquiring a position, but in advancement as well. This also is true for the self-employed and small business owners. As technology advances, education is the only way for us to keep up with the rest of the world. To encourage more students to enroll in vocational training or higher education, I would start with resources we already have. In our schools we have counselors to help students with their plans. We can use these talents by improving communication among students, parents and counselors. This is critical. We should make sure that all parents are aware of the resources our schools have to assist in planning for student’s futures. One of these opportunities is the co-op system between the schools and businesses,  and I would like to see more local businesses participate. While managing local RadioShack stores, I had several opportunities to participate in the co-op program and had great success with the students I employed.   I also would like to see the school system develop closer partnerships with our area colleges. We have seven colleges within a 30-mile radius, and that is not counting the Higher Education Center,  which has offering from numerous other colleges.

How much emphasis do you place on art and music instruction? Please explain.
 
  I believe art and music instruction are vital elements of our students’ education. From cultural development to individual expression,  music, theatre and art instruction contribute to a social development in our students that other classes do not develop. Without the experiences these elements of education provide, our students are left out of a part of history and culture, as well as any opportunity in life that may result from their studying art and music.

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

Because my son attends Anderson Elementary, I have many opportunities to visit that school – dropping him off, helping with class parties, attending regular conferences. As an aspiring educator, and as a proud parent of a student at Anderson,  going into the school gives me great pride in our school system, and especially in Anderson Elementary. Seeing the students’ work displayed on the walls, the level of communication available from my son’s teachers for the past three years—all very impressive. Andrew Brown, the Principal at Anderson, greets his students outside the school every morning regardless of the weather, and he is visible and available to any parent who would take the opportunity to speak with him. Collectively these small things shape our students, not only as students, but also as people and as good citizens. We should be proud of our students and we should show our pride in our system by continuing to support our neighborhood schools.  Although the whole city votes on all seats on the Board of Education, the system has seen fit to dedicate certain seats to represent certain districts.  Because my children attend and will continue to attend Anderson, I have a sense of pride that I would be able to represent the families of the 4th District.