Dr. Diana Cook has proudly served as the Director of Music and Fine Arts in the Middle Country Central School District since January 2007. She is responsible for providing vision, leadership and supervision of the music, art, theatre and dance programs for all of our district’s students.

Dr. Cook received a Bachelor of Music with a concentration in Music Education from George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, a Master of Arts in Secondary Education with a concentration in Music Education from Hofstra University, a School District Administrator Certificate from SUNY Stony Brook University, and a Doctorate in Educational Administration and Supervision from St. John's University. Her doctoral work involved the intense study of the infusion of music technology and professional development in music education.

Prior to taking on this administrative role, Diana taught for over 10 years in the Sachem Central School District, including high school band, AP Music Theory, and Music In Our Lives. She was the Director of the NY State Championship Sachem Flaming Arrows Marching Band, Jazz Band and was the founding Advisor of Sachem’s Tri-M Music Honor Society. Before this, Diana taught one year of K-5 elementary general music and 6th grade band in the East Meadow School District.

In addition to serving proudly as Middle Country's Director of Music and Fine Arts, Dr. Cook is highly involved with our county and state arts organizations. Dr. Cook is proud to serve as the Immediate Past President of Suffolk County Music Educators Association (SCMEA). She is an active NYSSMA adjudicator, specializing in NYSSMA Major Organization, Woodwinds, Jazz, All-State Woodwinds, and All-State Jazz, and has served as an Assistant Zone Rep at several festivals. She hosts NYSSMA Festivals for our own Middle Country students annually. Dr. Cook is the Executive Director of the Atlantic Wind Symphony where she also performs regularly on the baritone saxophone and for over 10 years had been the Chairperson of the annual High School Outstanding Senior Band Student Recognition and Senior Solo Competition. She is a founding member of the Long Island Scholar-Artist program and serves on its steering committee. She has previously served as a co-chairperson of the Eastern Suffolk BOCES Arts-in-Education Advisory Board. She has guest conducted festival bands in the Middle Country and Sachem School Districts, as well as for the George Mason University Bands. She had previously served, for six years, as the Web Master for the Suffolk County Arts Leaders Association and is currently serving as the SCALA Administrative Liaison. She was the founding chairperson of the NYSSMA Alliance of Music Parents (AMP). She is honored to have been recognized as the Middle Country Times “Woman of the Year in the Arts” in 2011 and with the PTA Council Jenkins Award in 2018. She holds professional membership in NAfME, NYSSMA, NYSCAME, SCALA, LISFA, NYSBDA, TI:ME, AWS, SCMEA and is a proud member of our Middle Country Friends of Music Committee.

Dr. Cook has been instrumental in continuing the growth and success of the Middle Country Music and Fine Arts Department, which has been recognized with a “NYSSMA Award in Excellence” and as a “Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America.” Through her leadership, the Arts have continued to flourish through our art program, our performing ensembles, our classroom music program, and our theatre/dance program. Dr. Cook also oversees our District’s fantastic BOCES Arts-In-Education program.

Dr. Cook was delighted to have initiated the festivities that highlighted our first class of graduating string students, including our commissioned and now published piece of music “Celebration and Fanfare” by Carl Strommen, which was premiered by our 4th-12th grade string students. She was also excited about giving our high school students the opportunity to perform on the stage of the Staller Center at SUNY Stony Brook for the 30th Anniversary of the Friends of Music Pops Concert, which, in collaboration with our Director of Technology, was our first Middle Country Video-Streamed Live event. This concert was viewed locally by our families and friends and overseas by our alumni and extended families. Dr. Cook was also happy to have brought AP Art History, Suffolk Community College Music Theory classes and College Computer Graphics classes to our Middle Country students. Beginning in the Summer of 2018, she was also instrumental in bringing the Atlantic Wind Symphony Summer Music and Art Program to our Middle Country students. Dr. Cook has been pleased to see a growing number of students recognized in county, state, and national honors ensembles, art shows, and theatre recognitions over the last few years.

Dr. Cook can often be seen capturing our special moments on camera at many of our events including concerts, musicals, and our district-wide art show. She is a member of the District Curriculum Committee, District Professional Development Program Committee, the District Legislative/Community Outreach Committee, the Employee Assistance Program Committee and the School Business Advisory Board Committee. Dr. Cook is also a performing member of our Middle Country Faculty Jazz Ensemble and Saxophone Quartet, that perform regularly at our Music Faculty recital.