Coeur d’Alene School Board set to hire Steven Cook as new superintendent

Coeur d’Alene Public Schools announced Monday that its five trustees have decided to hire Steven Cook to serve as superintendent overseeing the school district’s 10,800 students.

Cook, who most recently served as deputy superintendent for the Douglas County School District in Colorado, is expected to be hired by a vote Monday night by the Coeur d’Alene School Board, board chairman Casey Morrisroe said in a news release. Cook is expected to start July 1.

“Following a thorough national search, and having heard valuable input from many in our community who participated in this process, we are excited to offer this position to a career educator who will bring a high level of expertise, skills and leadership to the role,” Morrisroe said.

According to the district news release, Cook has worked 29 years in public education, beginning in Kansas and continuing with the Douglas County district, which serves 68,000 students in 89 schools.

“I am honored and humbled to stand with Coeur d’Alene teachers, building leaders and staff to provide the highest quality educational experience for every child we serve,” Cook said in the news release.

“I am grateful to the Coeur d’Alene School Board for the opportunity to serve,” Cook said in the news release. “My wife and I are truly excited to make our home in the district.”

Cook received his doctor of education degree from the University of Kansas in 2009, his master’s degree from Emporia State University in 2000 and his bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University in 1989.

He is married to Stephanie Cook, and has three grown children, one grandchild, and two Catahoula rescue dogs.

Cook will succeed Stan Olson, who was appointed to serve as interim superintendent for the 2017-18 school year after former Superintendent Matthew Handelman resigned last April to take a similar job in Washington.

Cook was selected over two other candidates, Trina Caudle, the director of secondary education for Coeur d’Alene Public Schools; and Christopher Hines, the deputy superintendent of operations for the Conroe Independent School District north of Houston, Texas.

“We had highly capable candidates apply for this position, and in the end we had a tough choice to make,” Morrisroe said. “We believe he is the right person at this time to lead our school system.”