Mustang school board hires interim leader

MUSTANG — With time running out on the Sean McDaniel era, the school board has chosen an interim leader and picked a consultant to assist with the search for a fulltime superintendent.

Deputy Superintendent Charles Bradley will lead Mustang Public Schools on an interim basis, the board voted Monday night after meeting behind closed doors.

Bradley has served as an interim high school principal and the district’s top academic officer. He has picked up some of McDaniel’s responsibilities during the transition of leadership.

“He checks all the boxes,” board President Chad Fulton said after the 5-0 vote. “He’s a great candidate to be the next superintendent, but we’ve got to make sure we look at all candidates.”

McDaniel served as Mustang’s top administrator for six years. He was hired May 22 to lead Oklahoma City Public Schools. His first day as that district’s superintendent is July 1.

The board also approved retaining Oklahoma State School Boards Association to manage the process for selecting and hiring a full-time superintendent.

Members considered whether to hire the school boards association after a presentation by Shawn Hime, executive director, and Stephanie Hyder, director of executive search services.

The association’s proposal would cost the district $6,000 for basic services and additional costs based on services provided.

Fulton previously said the panel would move quickly to find McDaniel’s successor without a consultant like the one the Oklahoma City school board used in its search.

Monday night, Fulton said he’d like to have a new superintendent on board by Aug. 16, the first day of school.

“We’re just looking at every possible avenue to bring in the best candidate possible,” he said.

Oklahoma City Public Schools paid the school boards association $27,500 for its help in landing McDaniel.

The association, which is well-connected in Oklahoma, worked with a four-member board committee to establish a search timeline, advertise the vacancy, recruit candidates, respond to inquiries about the opening and schedule interviews with finalists, among other services.

“We want you focused on the candidates and making a good hire,” Hyder told the Mustang board.

The association, which provides additional services to member districts, has assisted with more than 50 superintendent searches in the past five years.

Other state searches included Tulsa, Norman, Edmond, Bixby, Shawnee, Stillwater, Mid-Del, Yukon, Duncan, Bartlesville, Miami, Perry, Seminole and Wagoner.

Also Monday night, Dr. Jim Davis, a former board vice president, announced that he would resign from the panel effective immediately.

“This will be my last meeting,” Davis told the board. “I’ll be stepping down.”