By Jon Watje Managing Editor The Mustang Board of Education announced the hiring of current Deer Creek Superintendent, Sean McDaniel, as the district’s new superintendent effective Nov. 5. The announcement was made at the regular school board meeting on Monday, Oct. 8. Previous superintendent, Bonnie Lightfoot, retired from the position on Oct. 1. “Due to the recent resignation of the CFO Kay Metcalf and the current vacancy of the superintendent, the board feels a sense of urgency to speed up the time line in hiring a new superintendent,” said Chad Fulton, Mustang School Board President. “After a thorough review of all interested applicants and the completion of several interviews, we believe it is critical to get the new leadership in place as soon as possible. Therefore, we the board need to take a vote on the employment of Mr. Sean McDaniel being as the next superintendent contingent upon the release of his current employment.” The board approved the hire unanimously. McDaniel has 27 years of experience in education, 17 years of administrative experience and 11 years of superintendency. “I feel really blessed to join the Mustang School District,” McDaniel said. “The district has a wonderful reputation across the state and I am looking forward to meeting its students and teachers.” He began his career as a basketball coach at Mapleton Public Schools in Denver, Colo. and taught for a year at Oaks Indian Mission Schools and taught four years at Coweta Public Schools in Oklahoma. He served nine years at Bishop Kelly High School in Tulsa as an English teacher, coach and dean of students. His first superintendent job was at Coweta, where he held the post from 2002 to 2008. He was the superintendent at Englewood Public Schools in Colorado for two years before being named Deer Creek’s superintendent in July of 2010, where he currently works. “Students are the center of everything I do as an educator,” McDaniel said. “Just as many teachers, coaches, and administrators made a difference in my life, my objective is to be a difference-maker in the lives of others. To communicate passionately the mission and vision of the district, to embrace diversity and strive toward a set of common goals, and to create and develop opportunities for students to succeed are the hallmarks of my philosophy as an educator.” McDaniel is married to his wife, Traci, and have two children, Erin and Mac. “We conducted a very extensive search to find the right candidate,” Fulton said. “We looked from Maine to Michigan and Arizona to Texas. I spent 75 to 90 hours a week the last two weeks searching for someone.” A special school board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the administration building where the school officials will discuss McDaniel’s contract and salary. The Mustang Board of Education also accepted the retirement of Deputy Superintendent Belinda Rodgers. Her retirement will be effective Jan. 1, 2013. Also, Board Vice President Jeff Johnson announced that he will not run again for the school board. “It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve on this board for over 15 years,” Johnson said. “As a district, I think we have done some great and awesome things.” The filing date for board position three, a five-year term, will be from Dec. 3 to Dec. 5 of this year with the election on Feb. 12, 2013.