Brad Bates announces candidacy for Jefferson City school board

Brad Bates will seek a seat on the Jefferson City School District's Board of Education in the April 2020 election.

After watching the board's accomplishments for several years, Bates is intrigued by the work that remains to be done, he said in a news release Tuesday.

"I am a proud graduate from our Jefferson City School District and want to do everything I can to help our kids, their families and our educators today," Bates said. "That's my motivation - ensuring we are doing absolutely everything we can so our kids have the tools they need to succeed in life and our teachers and staff have the support they need to be great."

He said work remains in improving academic performance, finding a workable solution to disruptive behavior in classrooms and ensuring students have access to quality programs and facilities, regardless of which school they attend.

"With academics, you can never do good enough," Bates said. "You always want to do better. That's what kids have when they leave the district."

Bates has two children who are students in the district.

He has been involved with major district initiatives on quality and improvement since the early 2000s, including chairing the 2007 school bond campaign, adding all-day kindergarten and construction of Pioneer Trail Elementary School, he said.

He also serves as a Jefferson City Parks and Recreation commissioner and was the commission's president from 2016-19.

Three seats on the school board will be available in 2020, according to the district website. Candidate filing opens Dec. 17 and closes Jan. 21. School board members are elected for three-year terms.