Reception held July 10 at Opelika Chamber of Commerce headquarters
BY ANITA STIEFEL
MANAGING EDITOR
OPELIKA — A large contingency of Opelikans showed up to welcome Dr. Kevin Davis to town.
The board of education hosted a meet-and-greet for the new Opelika City Schools superintendent on July 10 at the Chamber of Commerce building. Davis was appointed July 1 to replace former superintendent Ferrell Seymore, who left OCS after 20 years of service to become executive director of the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools.
Introducing Davis to the crowd, Board of Education President ? said he was impressed with the new superintendent’s references during the interview process.
“I heard a lot of great things,” ? said. “I talked to one state education leader who has decades of experience, and she said in her long career, that if she was forced to make a list of five people who she thought cared the most about kids, this guy would be near the top of that list. That, for me, was the most special thing I heard, and one that gives me the most optimism for the future of Opelika City Schools.”
Davis said when he visited Opelika for the interview he was “blown away” by the beauty of the city and the friendliness of its citizens, and on the drive home he told his wife he “was at complete peace” in knowing they would be happy here.
“What a gem,” Davis said. “This is a special, special place, and I mean that whole heartedly. We feel like we are home. We feel like we never left our home. I already love it.
“You’ve got great kids, you’ve got great facilities, you’ve got great community leadership, from the board of education to everybody who’s in city leadership,” he said. “My goal is to do this the right way. At the heart of everything we do should be kids, and we’ve got to make decisions that are based around them.”
Davis said he was impressed with the school administrators and feels they are doing a great job.
“I appreciate the board and the confidence they have in me, and GO DAWGS!” he concluded.
Davis has more than 20 years of experience in education, including roles as a teacher, assistant principal, athletic director and, most recently, principal of Muscle Shoals High School, where he was named 2024 7A District Principal of the Year.
He earned 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 superintendent certification through the University of Alabama and the Alabama State Department of Education.
Davis and his wife, Amanda, are parents of Grace, 25, and Shelton, 20.
