Dr. George Benjamin Brooks, Jr. has been selected to fill the vacant Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board seat by Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools Don Covey.
Brooks, who was sworn in August 20, will represent Ward 2. His first Governing Board meeting will be Thursday, September 3. He fills the seat vacated by Rev. Jarrett Maupin II, who resigned April 17. The term for ward representatives runs through December, 2010.
Brooks is an environmental scientist and consultant specializing in sustainability. A native of South Phoenix, he is the son of the late Rev. George Brooks, Sr., a civil rights leader in Phoenix. He has followed in the family’s tradition of public service, serving on a number of boards and committees, including the City of Phoenix’s South Mountain Village Planning committee, Central Arizona Project, and Executive Director of the Arizona Commission on African American Affairs within Governor Janet Napolitano’s administration. Two of his interests, science and education, were piqued when he was a board member of the Elementary Institute of Science in San Diego.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to serve,” Brooks said. “I believe my expertise in education, bioscience and sustainability can create additional connections and synergies between the Governing Board and those dedicated individuals seeking to move the district into tomorrow. Today’s 21st century global needs are knowledge-based. We must train our students whether they are scientists, politicians or technicians to meet these needs with excellence.”
“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Brooks to the Governing Board. He will be a tremendous asset to the Board and to the District because of his professional expertise, his involvement in the South Phoenix community and his personal connection to Phoenix Union,” Governing Board President Amy Kobeta said. “He has a real commitment to making sure that every student has success in career, college and life.”
Brooks, 53, is a graduate of East High, a former Phoenix Union High School District school. He holds a B.A. in Zoology from ASU, a Masters in Marine Biology from San Diego State and a Ph.D. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from the University of Arizona.
He is married with four daughters, including one who attends South Mountain High School, which is in Ward 2. The ward includes an area of Phoenix generally south of McDowell Road and east of Central Avenue. The downtown Bioscience High School is also in Ward 2.
The Phoenix Union Governing Board is made up of five members who represent wards or geographic districts, and two at-large members who represent the entire school district. Current members are Amy Kobeta, President, Ward 3; Linda Abril, Clerk, Ward 5; Dr. Cristy Lopez, Ward 1; David Lujan, Ward 4; Lela Alston, At-Large and Ben Miranda, At-Large.
* Governing Board Ward Map is available at www.PhoenixUnion.org/BoardMap
Source: Phoenix Union High School District
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1 comment:
this is exciting, finally an intelligent person in school administration.
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