Jim Hammond: Educator and former Idaho State Senator.

There are many excellent classroom teachers who have made their mark in the world of politics. One of these is Jim Hammond, a teacher from Post Falls, Idaho, who has served in the Idaho State Senate.

Jim was born on June 18, 1950, in Missoula, Montana. He was raised there, graduating from the city’s Loyola High School. After his high school graduation, Jim earned his Bachelor’s degree in Education from Carroll College, a Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Helena, Montana, in 1973. He earned his Master’s degree in Educational Administration in 1977 from Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington.

Once he completed his education, Jim inaugurated his career as a teacher in the Post Falls School District in Post Falls, Idaho. He taught there from 1973 to 1975. For the next four years he was employed in Coeur d’Alene Schools in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He then returned to post Falls School District as a principal. He stayed there until 1981. From 1981 to 1996, Jim returned to Spokane, Washington, where he served as a principal in the East Valley School District.

Jim entered the political area when he was elected to a seat as a council member for the City of Post Falls in 1982. He served in this position from 1982 to 1991. Next, the talented educator was elected to the position of Mayor of the City of Post Falls, where he served 1991 to 1996. He was the City Administrator in Post Falls from 1996 to 2006. From 1996 to 2012, the former educator represented District 5 in the Idaho State Senate. In that body, he served on the Committees for Finance; Health and Welfare; and Legislative Oversight. During these years, Jim was also a founding member of the Post Falls Education Foundation and served on the Idaho State Board of Education. In 2002, this Chalkboard Champion was named Post Falls Citizen of the Year.

Throughout his lengthy career as a politician, Jim has always been a strong supporter of public education. “We’re in the business of providing an education to our children, first of all, so they can be active citizens in our government, and secondly so that they know how to live in this modern day world,” he once expressed. “Teaching is worthy of greater respect from our society than what we currently give it,” he declared.

To read more about Jim Hammond, see this posting at Ballotpedia.