OKLAHOMA CITY — Dr. Jamie Polk, a 33-year veteran education leader and leader in Oklahoma City Public Schools since 2019 has been selected as the next Superintendent of Schools.
In a special meeting called for Saturday morning, the OKCPS Board of Education turned in a unanimous vote for Polk, the current Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education.
“The Board looks forward to collaborating with Dr. Polk to ensure that our policies reflect the diverse needs of our community and prioritize the success of our students and families,” said Board Chair, Paula Lewis. “With Dr. Polk’s leadership, we are confident in the bright future of Oklahoma City Public Schools.”
Dr. Polk will officially begin in that role on July 1, the beginning of the next fiscal year for the district.
“I truly believe that our previous success will be the recipe for our future endeavors,” said Polk in a prepared statement after the meeting. “I am looking forward to the journey together. I need YOU. Families, I need your support as we guide your child through this pathway for them to find their unique purpose. I need our staff. I need them to continue with the promise and expectation that every child can succeed. It’s a village and it will take all of us.”
Polk, an intelligent and outgoing leader, has had a challenging job since she arrived in 2019 to take the role of leading the district’s elementary education efforts.
Twelve elementary schools in the district have been on the state’s “F” school list which is supposed to show levels of quality in a school but too often is more indicative of the hardships of poverty in a school’s population and community.
Yet, under Polk’s leadership, 11 of those 12 schools eventually met the standards this year to exit their “School Improvement” (SI) status with the Oklahoma State Department of Education:
- Adams Elementary School
- Arthur Elementary School
- Bodine Elementary School
- Britton Elementary School
- Cesar Chavez Elementary School
- Coolidge Elementary School
- Douglass High School
- Fillmore Elementary School
- Heronville Elementary School
- Hillcrest Elementary School
- Monroe Elementary School
- Prairie Queen Elementary School
- Rockwood Elementary School
- Roosevelt Middle School
- U.S. Grant High School
- Wheeler Middle School
Outgoing Superintendent Dr. Sean McDaniel praised the leadership of Polk and her team when the announcement was made in April.
“This remarkable achievement reflects the unwavering dedication of our students and educators, as well as the steadfast support of our community,” said McDaniel.
Successor to Dr. Sean McDaniel
McDaniel shocked many when he resigned from his position in February effective the end of June.
So far, he has been unwilling to cite anything else except “differences” with a certain board member on the authority of board members over the day-to-day operation of the district.
While there has been speculation about who that board member is, there has been no confirmation so far.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
