Bend-La Pine Schools’ new superintendent will take the reins starting this July, replacing Interim Superintendent Lora Nordquist.
Cook is currently the superintendent for the Coeur d’Alene School District in Idaho and served in various leadership roles, including acting superintendent, for the Douglas County School District in Colorado prior to that.
“I am excited to come to Bend-La Pine Schools and continue to build upon the district’s strong education tradition and help bring to fruition the district’s efforts on equity, diversity and inclusion, while ensuring an unrivaled opportunity for innovation and an excellent education for every student,” Cook shared in a press release. “I look forward to developing strong relationships with our staff members, our students and our community in ways that empower our students to be their best selves in the classroom and beyond.”
BLPS board members said their search was based on four key competencies identified by the community, including hiring someone who was a visionary leader, an advocate for equity, a community partner and a capacity builder.
“Steve is a bold and innovative leader—he has stood up against inequities based on income in the communities he has served,” wrote BLPS Board Vice Chair Melissa Barnes Dholakia. “And, he is deeply rooted in an educational vision that promotes student agency, places a focus on student-driven learning, and tends to the whole child—academically as well as socially and emotionally.”
This article appears in Winter 2021.
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In a recent conversation with Central Oregon Black Leaders Assembly (COBLA) president, Riccardo Waites, this choice was illustrative that things are not changing in Bend.
Although the competing candidate, a well educated and experienced woman of color (black), did not possess all of the experience Mr. Cook offers she was/is more than capable of filling the position.
According to Waites there were four council members who threw their support to Cook and for one reason alone. They were uncomfortable in “the risk” of bringing the first black superintendent and a woman at that…into a position of power in Bend/LaPine.
Amidst the turmoil, sometimes violence, and verbal/written commitments of Bend’s leadership to advocate, promote, and effect meaningful Change in Central Oregon…when provided the opportunity to have done so they “clutched”…afraid of “the risk” of actually doing so.
Waites offered had “the other candidate” for the position been hired she could, and would have brought new perspectives, experiences, and candor to the schools at large. Something sorely needed.
Instead, the power brokers went with the tried and true solution. Another white male with a masterful ability to say all the right buzz words.
No risk there.