WS Chronicle

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Paula Wilkins and Constance Hash will lead Cook Literacy Model School as the school is restarted with a focus on literacy. Wilkins will be the school’s principal, and Hash will be the school’s executive director. The district announced the school’s restart last month and had several meetings with parents and staff. Cook was chosen after considerable effort and investment in the school did not lead to increases in students’ performance. The school will use several literacy models throughout the curriculum, and teachers will serve as models for others through-out the district.

“As we looked for a principal/executive director, it was clear that we needed a combination of innovative thinking and experience leading turn-around schools,” Superintendent Beverly Emory said. “We found this combination in Paula and Constance.”

Wilkins has been the district’s director of professional development and recruiting since 2014. In that role, she led the district’s professional development for all departments and recruitment efforts.

Hash is a longtime principal with experience turning around schools, most recently at Forest Park Elementary School. She retired in 2013 and has been Cook’s interim principal since January. Wilkins and Hash’s next step is to form a design team of teachers and parents as they plan for the 2016-17 school year. The school  will have a new staff next year. Current staff members can reapply to work at Cook or work with the district to find equivalent positions at another school.