School Board · Lakeside Unified · 2026

Practical leadership for Lakeside Unified.

Every classroom deserves the resources to succeed — and every family deserves a board member who shows up, listens, and gets things done.

Denise Brooks
On the ballotNovember 3, 2026
Endorsed by Lakeside Teachers Association Lakeside Council of PTAs Lakeside Fire & Rescue Retirees Greater Lakeside Civic League
Priorities

A clear plan for our schools.

Three practical commitments built around what teachers, students, and families in Lakeside Unified actually need every day.

Fully Funded Classrooms

Fully Funded Classrooms

Teachers should not have to pay out of pocket for basic supplies. Denise will push for a transparent per-classroom budget and work with the board to close chronic funding gaps — so every student has the books, materials, and technology they need to learn.

Retaining Great Teachers

Retaining Great Teachers

Lakeside cannot afford to keep losing experienced educators to neighboring districts. Denise supports competitive pay reviews, reduced administrative burden, and meaningful mentorship programs that help teachers build long careers here — not elsewhere.

Safe, Welcoming Schools

Safe, Welcoming Schools

A school where students feel safe is a school where students learn. Denise will advocate for updated safety infrastructure, clear emergency protocols communicated to parents, and counseling resources that address students' social and emotional wellbeing alongside academics.

Denise Brooks
Meet the candidate

Steady, prepared, and present.

Denise Brooks has spent the past twelve years working alongside Lakeside Unified — first as a classroom volunteer, then as a founding member of the district's Curriculum Advisory Committee, and most recently as chair of the Ridgeline Elementary PTA. She holds a degree in education policy and spent five years as a program coordinator for a regional literacy nonprofit before her family put down roots in Lakeside.

Denise and her husband are parents of two students in the district — one in middle school, one in elementary. She ran for this seat because she kept seeing the same fixable problems year after year: supply shortages, teacher vacancies left open too long, and parents who felt like they had no real voice at the board table. She believes the board's job is to listen first and lead second — and that most of what families are asking for is simply reasonable.

Denise BrooksCandidate for School Board, Lakeside Unified
Endorsements

Leaders who trust Denise.

Endorser
Mayor Patricia Harmon
City of Lakeside

"Denise brings the kind of steady leadership our schools need right now. She listens before she acts."

Endorser
Commissioner Ray Vega
Lakeside County

"I've watched Denise advocate for families in this district for years. She has my full support."

Endorser
Dr. Leila Nassir
Lakeside Education Foundation

"Denise understands the real challenges teachers face every day. She will be a champion for our classrooms."

Organizations supporting Denise

Get involved

Lend a hand.

Volunteer at a school event, host a neighborhood conversation, or put a yard sign up on your street. Leave your details and we'll find the right fit for you.

— Denise

Join the campaign