Anthony Fiducia is reporting in The Daily Mail new Catskill schools chief Ronel Cook has prepared a list of objectives in preparation for his first day of work on July 1. He tells the paper his first priority is listening to what the community has to say. “I want to establish listening sessions so I can get to hear concerning issues from the board of education, teachers, other staff members, parents [and] students,” he said. “I want to be a listener. I think before you make changes, it’s important to observe and listen.” Cook hopes to address a number of issues, including parent involvement, closing the achievement gap, and school safety and security. Cook has been working weekly with interim Superintendent Annemarie Barkman during the transition. He has already met with the teacher leader teams from each school and attended some school events. Cook began his career as a classroom teacher in the Poughkeepsie City School District, and taught for eight years before moving into administration. He was appointed superintendent by the Catskill Board of Education in April. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.