CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS
OPELIKA — At a special called meeting on June 2, the Opelika City Schools Board of Education announced the new superintendent of Opelika City Schools will be Dr. Kevin Davis.
Davis comes to Opelika Muscle Shoals High School, where he was principal. He has over 20 years of experience in education, including roles as a teacher, assistant principal and athletic director.
Davis holds bachelor’s degrees in sociology and education, a master’s degree in education, an Education Specialist degree in instructional leadership, and a Doctor of Education in educational leadership. He also earned his superintendent certification through the University of Alabama and the Alabama State Department of Education.
He was named the 2024 CLAS District 7A North High School Principal of the Year and currently serves as President of CLAS District 7A.
“Dr. Davis has an outstanding record of success as a leader in education, and we are excited to welcome him as the next superintendent of Opelika City Schools,” said Dr. Kevin Royal, chairman of the OCS Board of Education. “During the evaluation process, the most consistent quality attributed to Dr. Davis by his colleagues was his genuine care and concern for the welfare of all his students. We look forward to helping him build on the foundation of excellence laid by his predecessors.”
Davis will replace Dr. Ferrell Seymore, who is leaving OCS on June 30 after 20 years of service to become executive director of the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools.
Davis said he is impressed with Opelika.
“First and foremost, I want to thank God for blessing me with this incredible opportunity to serve as the next superintendent of Opelika City Schools,” Davis said. “I also want to express my deepest gratitude to my family for their unwavering support throughout my journey.
“What drew me to Opelika was the deep-rooted sense of community and the genuine pride residents, families and educators have in their schools,” he said. “This is where people care deeply about students and are committed to educational excellence. I appreciate the trust and confidence of the Opelika Board of Education. I am honored to join this outstanding team, and I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work as we continue to strive toward our shared mission: educating every child, every day.”
During his interview, Davis told the Board, “I want to come in with open ears, open eyes and do a lot of listening to folks. I want to see what works and I want to see what doesn’t work. I want to talk to teachers. I want to talk to the community and parents. It’s about being hands-on with kids and involved in what they do. I go to every event [my school has], and that’s not an exaggeration.
“I love a challenge,” Davis said. “I love stepping up. I love projects. Now, I’ve been financially conservative with [those projects]. Finances and capital projects have always been one of the things that I wrap my head around and do really good at. I never like to hear a ‘no.’ I like to hear ‘how can we make it work?’ And I plan to be that way as a superintendent.”
Davis and his wife, Amanda, are the parents of two children, Grace, 25, and Shelton, 20. Davis will begin his contract on July 1.
The Opelika City Schools Board of Education will announce details for a community meet and greet in the coming weeks.