New OKCPS Supt. On Stability, Student Success, Working Relationships

<p>Dr. Sean McDaniel&rsquo;s contract as Superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) began July 1.&nbsp;</p>

Wednesday, July 25th 2018, 10:26 pm

By: News 9


Dr. Sean McDaniel’s contract as Superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) began July 1. Since then, he’s been busy getting to know the district.

As Dr. McDaniel talks with people, he's been met with some curiosity - in part - about how long he plans to stick around.

“I am going to be doing this job, I believe, for ten years,” he said. “That’s a lofty goal, particularly in light of the history of this school district. I don’t think anybody has ever stayed that long, but those are my intentions. I want to do that.”

Beyond just being at OKCPS, he said he is committed to creating a safe atmosphere for kids, managing equity issues, and focusing on student success.

“We’ve got to improve our test scores in this district, but equal to, maybe more importantly, we’ve got to find out where our kids are coming from, what are the challenges they have and if we can solve those challenges and meet those needs, a lot of these other things are bound to follow,” Dr. McDaniel said.

Dr. McDaniel comes from Mustang Schools and has 16 years of experience as a Superintendent.

“I love kids and so that’s where it begins with me,” he told News 9. “Second thing that I think people should know about me is I believe that education is about two groups of people. It’s about kids and teachers and that’s it. Everybody else is here to support those two groups.”

When asked to describe an ideal working relationship with the school board, he said it would include acknowledging their shared purpose, communicating effectively, and collaborating.

“I think it’s a matter of them getting to know me and how I work, me understanding their perspectives and what role and responsibility they like is theirs and then just making sure we’re on the same page and we’re moving together,” Dr. McDaniel added.

The new Superintendent said he’s seen a lot of talent and pockets of excellence throughout the district. He is excited about the potential.

School starts August 1.

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