Rock Hill schools name director of secondary education

Bill Cook Jr. has been named Rock Hill schools’ executive director of secondary education. He replaces Judy Mobley, who retired in December.

Cook, who has a 25-year career in public education, most recently served as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in Gaston County schools, the ninth largest school district in North Carolina with about 32,000 students.

He will begin work Jan. 19.

In Gaston County, Cook oversaw curriculum and instruction, including budgeting and financial resources. He facilitated a career and technology education committee that had a focus on studying the expansion of such programs there.

Cook began his career in 1987 as a marketing teacher at Sun Valley High School in Union County, N.C., where he taught for six years before moving into administration.

He has completed stints as either an assistant principal or principal at five schools in Union County, including seven years at Marvin Ridge High School, where the school achieved the highest performance scores of all North Carolina comprehensive high schools.

He facilitated the implementation of the International Baccalaureate program there.

While principal of Walter Bickett Elementary School in 2004, Cook was named the district’s Principal of the Year and also North Carolina Southwest Regional Principal of the Year.

Cook holds a bachelor’s degree in business education and a master’s degree in educational administration from East Carolina University. He also holds a specialist degree in educational leadership and a doctorate in educational leadership from Wingate University.

This story was originally published January 14, 2016 at 10:30 AM with the headline "Rock Hill schools name director of secondary education."