Brook Nichols, Vice President

I moved to the Cedar Springs area in 1997 with my husband and daughter.  We really appreciate living in a smaller community and have made several lasting friendships.  We have two daughters, born in 1996 and 2000.  We have enjoyed watching them grow up and become more and more independent as they learn new things and develop their own unique personalities.

I grew up in Southern Michigan and attended Grand Valley State University, where I met my husband.  I graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor's degree in Biopsychology.  After graduating from school, I worked as an Administrator for a company that provided housing and supplemental services for adults with development disabilities.  I made a career change a few years later and began working in the Financial Services field.  I am currently working as a Chartered Financial Consultant, helping people accomplish their retirement and other financial dreams.  I have met some wonderful people through my career and really enjoy what I do - whether it's simple budget planning or comprehensive planning for all areas of a person's financial life.

I wanted to become involved in the schools and help in various activities when I could.  Two board member vacancies became available in 2004, and I felt like this would be a great way to be involved on a larger scale.  I have learned so much from being on the board and appreciate the opportunity to serve.  There is still much work to do, especially funding from the State and Federal governments.  Our employees have worked together to reduce costs across the district and have done a great job!  There will always be changes and sometimes change is difficult, however, I am so proud of the accomplishments of our district and feel that we are heading in the right direction.  Our graduation rates have gone up and changes have been made at all ages to ensure that our children can meet the tougher standards that will be mandatory in the next few years.  The world of today is not the same as it was even 5 years ago and we need to prepare our children for success in an ever changing environment that requires a higher level of skill and knowledge.

I am honored to be part of the process in this role and appreciate the support I have received.  I am so proud of our district!