Melissa Cook joins the Lick-Wilmerding High School community this year as Director of Safety, Security, Health and Emergency Preparedness. “This kind of was the best of both worlds, you know, helping people dealing with the kids and making sure that the house is safe. That’s just what I do,” she said.
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Cook has been in the Bay Area for 19 years. Over the course of her career, she has worked for organizations that support unhoused people who are struggling with domestic violence, and helped with investigations in the realm of organized retail crime. “The career kind of chose me, so I didn’t really choose the career, and then I just kind of stayed with it,” she said.
Heading into this year at LWHS, Cook hopes to create a safe place for students and teachers to feel at ease and prepared for any situation that may occur. “They feel safe when they’re here, and that they can count on us, count on me at least, to be ready if something, God forbid, does happen,” Cook said.
Outside of school, Cook lives with her two Huskies, grandson and two sons. She has five children in total, and mentioned that, “I always said I want to have a bunch of kids so we can be tight. We can go on vacations together and just do all kinds of stuff.” Her love of children is what led her to a career working with students in schools today.
At LWHS, Cook’s aim is to be someone who students can turn to, whether they are going through a difficult time or simply need help. “If students feel like they have hurdles, or they need to talk, or they want to bounce ideas. I want to be that. Ultimately, I want to be that person that they trust.”
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