BY CAROL MOSLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
BROOKER — Saturday was a celebratory recruitment day for Brooker Community School. The goal was to recruit both staff and students for the August grand opening. The new principal, Dr. Felecia Moss, was interviewing prospective staff in a quiet room while future students signed the roster, rung the bell, and took a photo in front of the “Pit Stop” replica made of balloons.
The theme of the day was “Touch a Truck,” and the lot was filled with giant machines of every kind for the kids to explore. John Propes, co-founder of the Funtastic Fire Brigade, let the kids sit in the fire truck cab as pretend firefighters, equipped, of course, with a little fire cap. He also distributed safety and anti-bullying educational coloring books. The sheriff’s office sent a special operations truck to tour. About a dozen local companies provided trucks that wowed the kids, including enormous tractors, haulers and diggers, many with tires taller than the children. Meanwhile, food trucks kept attendees fed and hydrated.
Other participants included Bradford County Fire Rescue, Bob Dyal, T.J. Mann, Hoyer’s Express Tree Service, Hamilton Custom Services, Hamilton Environmental Services, Circle H Ranch, Clay Electric, Division of Forestry, Vette Set, Danielle’s Delicious Country Cooking, Kettle Creations, Snowie Gator and the Balloon Booth Company.
Why try to keep an elementary school in Brooker when the brand-new school will be opening in Starke? Board Secretary Jerome Kelley said it is important to have a community school and pointed out that studies show students get a better education in a small setting. Others pointed to the distance from Starke since Brooker is located at the western edge of the county.
A prospective teacher and mother with a fourth-grade daughter, Freya Shelton, said these are little kids and that is too far to travel by bus. Sheriff Gordon Smith pointed out that a community school is the “life blood” of a community, and Principal Moss called community schools “vital” to a community.
“We don’t want to be the forgotten end of the county,” said active volunteer Patsy Pullen.
The day was deemed to be a great success with a good selection of candidates applying as teachers and other staff. And a whole lot of kids signed up, excited to start at the community charter school as a new option or returning to a familiar space that’s now reopening with new possibilities.
For instructions on how to enroll a student or apply for a staff position visit www.brookercommunityschool.com.
