• Mr. Douglas Cook

    It’s a pleasure to welcome you to our school’s website. I’d like to take a moment to share my background and the tremendous progress we’ve made together.

    With 30 years of experience in Leon County Schools—15 years as a teacher and 15 years as an administrator—I’ve devoted my career to helping high school students prepare for their futures, whether through post-secondary education or skilled career paths. Over the past 14 years at James S. Rickards High School, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing and contributing to remarkable growth in student achievement and school performance.

    One of our proudest accomplishments is increasing the graduation rate from 72% to 84% over the past five years. In the 2018–2019 school year, Rickards earned a School Grade B—our first since 2011—and continues to score above the statewide average on IB exams.

    As part of our ongoing commitment to career readiness, we’ve introduced industry certifications in Adobe, Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, welding, and Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). Over the past three years, our CNA students have achieved an impressive 85% pass rate on the Certified Nursing Exam. 

    Rickards is recognized throughout Florida for its academic excellence in STEM and mathematics. Our Mu Alpha Theta teams consistently perform at a high level, and our Science Olympiad team has earned multiple first-place awards in state competitions. Students have also taken top honors in the State Science Fair.

    I firmly believe that students thrive in safe, nurturing environments where they feel supported by teachers, staff, and their families. That’s why I am deeply committed to fostering strong relationships within our school and local community. My mission is to advocate for student success and champion educational opportunities that benefit all learners.

    Thank you for visiting our website. I hope you find it informative and helpful. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

    Go Raiders!

    Go Raiders!