Brooke Gipson
Give description of background and brief summary of yourself.
I am a nurse practitioner with over a decade of experience working with individuals in underserved populations. I hold a national certification with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in Family Practice.
I work as the school based health clinic nurse practitioner for Moberly Public Schools and the Northeast Randolph County R-IV School District. This has been a dream come true for me. I have spent countless hours looking for a way to bring healthcare into the school system to fill the gap; and create access to care for individuals who do not have a regular primary care provider. This dream became a reality when I joined Clarity Healthcare in October of 2019.
I enjoy outdoor time with my husband of 14 years, Bradley and our three children, Gus (5th grade), Georgia (3rd grade) and Dovie (1st grade). My husband and I are both 90’s graduates of Northeast R-IV and we are proud to still be living and raising our three children in such a supportive community. When not being a nurse practitioner, wife or mom, I will often be found soaking up the sun in or around the pool or at the lake. When I can’t be outside I enjoy a good Netflix binge.
What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the Northeast Randolph Co. R-IV School District?
In my experience as a Northeast R-IV graduate and as a parent of three students, the strength of our district lies in the hands of our leadership team, educators and support staff who all believe in what they do. Amidst the unprecedented hardships that this pandemic has imposed on our administrators and educators over the last year, a greater love and respect has been acknowledged through this parents’ eyes.
The genuine care and concern they showed by making sure students still had access to meals, providing availability to behavioral health and primacy care services through their school based health clinic, all of the after-hour support to students and families having difficulty with virtual learning and a being an integral support system for the whole community during a time of fear sets an example of how a school district should operate.
Their willingness and creativity in adapting to the unknown and rapidly changing landscape over the last year shows their strong commitment to the students and families of the district. We also have so many passionate parents who are actively involved and willing to donate their time or lend a helping hand to ensure our students have the best learning experience possible. This pandemic has made our district and community stronger and together we stand united. It has been a blessing to grow up in a community that has made our school top priority.
While I don't feel we have many weaknesses, I do feel one of the biggest challenges facing our school district is the ever changing needs of our students being prepared to be successful, whatever their vocation. We need to make sure we continue to have quality teachers to prepare students and to make sure we provide the needed resources to help support these students navigate our rapidly changing world.
What do you feel is your role as a board member?
As a board member my commitment would be to uphold and defend the vision and goals of the Northeast Randolph Co-R-IV school district. Supporting the decision-making process is of utmost importance along with ensuring our school is responsive to the values, beliefs and priorities of its…
Students: Ensuring each student has the best possible educational experience. Ensuring the decisions and actions taken into account serve the best interest of each and every student.
Staff: Ensuring we provide a safe, respectable and friendly work environment. Ensuring trust and transparency in the decision making process.
Community: Ensuring I am a positive and approachable liaison between the board and community. Ensuring community members are able to address their needs and or concerns in a judgement free zone.
As a board, our job is to set the tone and culture for the district.
What jobs, experiences, or talents will you bring to the board?
With nearly 20 years in the healthcare field and owning/operating a small business over the last 3 years, I have held numerous and varying positions that provide a wide range of experiences.
Some of my previous responsibilities/experiences include, grant and project management, advocating for local policy changes in schools and communities, promotion of individual and community health—by assisting individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors and how to maintain or improve those behaviors.
As clinic supervisor it was my job to make certain to maintain the highest possible customer service, compliance with all health and safety requirements, and maintain efficiency and financial viability of the clinical operation.
As a business owner, I feel I can be forward thinking in my ideas when it comes to discussing budgets and monitoring spending activity.
My family and I are active members of the Jacksonville Cairo Chrisitan Church. I served on the church unity board, and continue to be involved in several other committees and activities. I volunteer my time and services at the school and am an AmeriCorps AHEC Professional Corps Member.
What is your vision of the Northeast Randolph Co. for the next five to ten years?
I would like to see the Northeast R-IV school district continue to advocate for the development of confident, responsible, respectful and independent students; students who desire to reach their full potential in an environment that is fun, supportive, safe, welcoming to all opinions and all are treated equally; an environment where failures are acknowledged and corrected and an environment that celebrates all successes.
With the rapid evolution of technology, and the world moving more and more to a digital environment, I feel it is important to have a plan in place to continually update the curriculum to include the most recent trends and upgrade and maintain the latest technology for students and faculty.
I would also like to put in place a multi-year plan to pave the back parking lot and teachers parking to help improve our campus.
What prompted you to run for election to the Board of Education?
I have kids that will be involved with this district for many years to come and I want to have a direct impact on their learning experience and on behalf of all children in our community. I have a strong love for our youth today and wanting to see them succeed and grow into their full potential. When a student has been equipped with quality education and a strong understanding of the opportunities available, one will have a much greater chance to fulfill their talents and interests in their lifetime ahead.
Specify why you feel qualified to represent the Northeast Randolph Co. community on the Board of Education.
I feel my past and present professional experiences have helped shape me into the person I am today, along with the strong foundation I received while attending Northeast R-IV. In my years of service in public health, advocating for local policy changes in schools and communities, it will be a natural fit for me to put the district, its employees and students best interests first.