Kingfisher Public Schools’ Board of Education will be conducting its second superintendent search in as many years.

Board members on Monday received a letter of resignation from Dr. Daniel Craig, who was hired for the position on May 3 of last year. The resignation is effective June 30.

The KPS board has called a special meeting for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 25. The agenda includes accepting any resignations received to date as well as a proposed executive session “to discuss the employment of a superintendent.”

“We are sad Dr. Craig is leaving. He has put the school in a better place than it was,” said Jim Perdue, president of the board of education.

“I just wish the community could come together instead of pointing fingers at each other and get Kingfisher back to the place that we know and love. I wish Dr. Craig the best of luck.”

Prior to submitting his resignation, Craig was approved as the new Business and Industry Services (BIS) safety trainer at Chisholm Trail Technology Center. That board held a special meeting at 8 a.m. at NBC Oklahoma in Kingfisher.

Board members Rondi Andrews, Debbie Biehler, Chase Farrar and Jeff Hyatt voted unanimously to approve the hire, which was recommended by CTTC Superintendent Max Thomas and Administrative Manager Kurt Thomas.

CTTC board member Loren Parham was not at the meeting, but did listen in via speaker phone.

Craig will begin his new position July 1.

According to Kurt Thomas, Craig will work to coordinate training for businesses in CTTC’s district, work with sending schools and coordinate work-based learning for students who are working in industry as they attend CTTC’s programs.

He said his dealings with Craig in their respective professional capacities over the last year helped lead him to believe Craig was the right person for the CTTC position.

“Some things Dr. Craig did really impressed us as I worked with him this year,” Kurt Thomas said. “Number 1, he’s a great relationship builder, which I think will be a great asset as he goes out and builds relationships with businesses, his work ethic and I’d say his character…just watching how he’s handled some tough situations this year.

“So we really felt like he’d be a great fit for this position and a great asset for our school.”

Craig is a 1989 graduate of KHS. On top of working in public education early in his career, Craig has held positions at the Office of Accountability, State Department of Education and was most recently the executive director of the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability before coming to Kingfisher.

“The only agency I haven’t worked for in education so far is CareerTech,” Craig said. “This is going to be a great opportunity they’ve given me and I’m looking forward to learning and doing great things with CareerTech.

“They (CTTC) have a great program, a great staff and a really good vision and mission.

“I would love to finish my career at CareerTech.”