Edina Administrator Named To Special Olympics Leadership Team

EDINA, MN — Tami Jo Cook played an integral role in leading South View Middle School to several honors from the Special Olympics in recent years. And now the assistant principal will use her experience and expertise as a member of the Special Olympics’ National Education Leaders Network.

Cook was recently chosen to serve on the team alongside about two dozen other leaders in special education, research, social equity and education leadership, according to a news release.

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She is due to serve on the Special Olympics’ National Education Leaders Network for three years. The network has been around since 2009 and was restructured in 2021. The latest cohort will serve as a think tank for Special Olympics leaders, the release states.

Edina Public Schools officials said Cook’s leadership and support for unified programming at South View Middle School was “instrumental” as the school became the first in Minnesota to earn “Unified Champion School” status from the Special Olympics in 2015.

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South View was named the “Unified Champion School of the Year” in 2019 by Special Olympics Minnesota, according to the release. “Champion” status requires a school to commit to inclusion and leadership opportunities, the release states.

Cook has served as South View Middle School’s assistant principal for two years. She served as the school’s dean of students for 15 years before her promotion in 2020, the release states.