[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 11, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF THE OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP OF DR. WANDA COOK-ROBINSON 
             AS SUPERINTENDENT OF SOUTHFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 11, 2014

  Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a local 
education leader in Metropolitan Detroit, Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson, the 
superintendent of Southfield Public Schools for the last seven years. 
In recognition of the profound impact of her leadership on the quality 
of public education in Southfield, Dr. Cook-Robinson was honored in 
2013 as the Michigan Superintendent of the Year by the Michigan 
Association of School Administrators.
  Dr. Cook-Robinson became the superintendent of Southfield Public 
Schools in 2006--directly serving the community she has called home for 
the last 30 years. She brought with her a wealth of knowledge and 
experience in the realm of public education as an instructor for both 
graduate and undergraduate education classes at Grand Valley State 
University, Marygrove College, and Wayne State University, as well as a 
tenure of service as Assistant Superintendent for Student Performance 
and Human Resources for the Oakland County Intermediate School 
District.
  The constant theme of Dr. Cook-Robinson's term has been promoting 
collaboration with staff and community stakeholders across all sectors 
of Southfield to fully leverage the maximum educational experience for 
her students. Among the fifty-two active partnerships Southfield Public 
Schools' has engaged in on Dr. Cook-Robinson's watch, is the Revolution 
Read program which has brought together local elected officials, the 
higher education sector, and small businesses with the goal of having 
every Southfield Public Schools' student reading at grade level by the 
end of their fifth grade year. It is a program that has already seen 
success as reading scores on state assessments improved in the 
program's second year. Dr. Cook-Robinson has also overseen the 
Southfield Public Schools' accreditation in the AdvancED program of the 
North Central Association Commission, which requires high academic 
standards to obtain--a distinction that had been achieved by only five 
other school districts in Michigan at that time. Additionally, Dr. 
Cook-Robinson has been directly involved with the creation of high 
school preparatory academies for Southfield students, providing a 
uniquely tailored small-class-size environment for students as they 
transition from middle school to high school in the eighth and ninth 
grades.
  For her outstanding record at the forefront of leadership in the 
public education sector, Dr. Cook-Robinson has been recognized by many 
organizations. She has been honored by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, 
Inc's Southfield Alumnae Chapter as its Educator of the Year, and has 
been named a Distinguished Educator by the Wayne State University 
College of Education Alumnae Chapter. Dr. Cook-Robinson remains an 
active leader across a number of local organizations including the 
Southfield Community Foundation, Wayne State University Board of 
Visitors, the Oakland University Department of Educational Leadership 
and the Southfield Area Chamber of Commerce, where she continues to 
build partnerships that are providing Southfield Public School students 
the tools they need to succeed.
  Mr. Speaker, as we continue to move into a future where knowledge is 
an increasingly critical component to our nation's enduring prosperity, 
providing a world class education that prepares our youth to meet this 
demand is crucial. The work of educators, like Southfield Public 
Schools Superintendent Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson, is key part of the 
continuing success of the Greater Detroit region, the State of Michigan 
and our Nation. I congratulate Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson on her 
achievements and know that as she transitions to new responsibilities 
at the Oakland Intermediate School District, that she will continue to 
play a vital role in preparing our youth to meet the challenges and 
demands of our changing world.

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