March 9, 2021
By News Director Jared Atha
The Elk City School Board met on Monday night in regular session and formally approved the hiring of the district’s next superintendent.
Mike Sparks was approved to take the reigns as the district’s next leader during the meeting. His first day on the job will be July 1.
Sparks, who currently serves as superintendent and principal at Pioneer Public School in Chickasha, says he has always had an admiration for Elk City while he served as a coach, teacher, and eventual high school principal at Anadarko.
After graduating from Laverne High School, Sparks earned both his Bachelor and Masters in Education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford.
While serving as a classroom teacher at Anadarko, Sparks was selected twice as the Anadarko High School Teacher of the Year in 2005 and 2008. In 2007-2008 he was named the Anadarko Public Schools District Teacher of the Year.
Prior to moving into administrative roles, Sparks served as a baseball coach for 18 years and received multiple coaching awards during his tenure.
In 2012 Sparks became a full-time administrator, serving as the Anadarko High School Principal.
Sparks said he’s looking forward to applying what he’s learned as a principal towards promoting student growth throughout the district.
Sparks said he will be working closely with current Superintendent Rick Garrison during the transition period between now and July 1.
In other area school news, it was announced Monday after the Weatherford School Board meeting that current Canute Superintendent Jill Henderson will assume the same roll at the Weatherford School District. Henderson will be replacing Chad Wilson who resigned from the job last fall.
