Andrew Gunn elected as next superintendent of Shelby County Schools. After winning a tightly contested race, Andrew Gunn will serve as the next principal of Shelby County Schools. (File). By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor Andrew Gunn will serve as the next superintendent of Shelby County Schools after winning the 2026 Primary Election. During a tightly contested race on Tuesday, May 19, Gunn edged out his opponent with 7,509 votes at 51.23 percent of the vote, according to unofficial poll results. His opponent, Joel Dixon, received 7,147 votes at 48.77 percent. "I'm very excited about serving the students and teachers of Shelby County," Gunn said. "I'm beyond grateful for all of my supporters, and I look forward to the future of Shelby County Schools." Following the arrival of the results, Dixon reflected on his time on the campaign trail and expressed his respect for Gunn, saying that he believes both of them ran a clean campaign. "Over the course of this campaign, I've had so many amazing opportunities to meet the people of Shelby County," Dixon said. "I have faith in them, and I respect the decision they've made and will do everything in my power to help Andrew be successful because that helps our kids be successful." This will mark the first time Shelby County Schools has had a new superintendent since Dr. Lewis Brooks took on the position in 2018. Gunn will take office following the end of Brooks' term in January 2027. "I'm grateful for all of those who have supported me throughout this process," Gunn said. "I truly believe that we can create a culture that is focused on face-to-face education for our students." Gunn has served as the principal of Oak Mountain High School for the last five years after being approved for the position in August 2021. Previously, he served as the principal of Helena Middle School for four years, as well as the principal of Chelsea Middle School and as an assistant principal back at OMHS Throughout his campaign, Gunn emphasized improving face-to-face education opportunities for students as opposed to digital mediums that have become increasingly common. "I want to make sure that our instructional focus is centered around that relationship between the teacher and the student," Gunn said. "The teacher is the most important person in the classroom setting, and they have an unbelievable ability to directly impact our students as they mature, as they grow and as they learn." As Gunn prepares for his new role, he will spend the next six months shadowing Brooks, learning all he can so that he can become familiar with all of the responsibilities and adequately lead SCS following the departure of such an influential figure. "I could not think of a better man to learn from and be guided by as we prepare for this new position that I'll take over in January," Gunn said. According to Gunn, that time with Brooks over the next several months will heavily shape the kinds of things he wants to accomplish first. While there will be a transition in leadership, Gunn emphasized that the students are first and that he wants to continue the great work that SCS has already started. "I want our employees to have clear expectations for what they're expected to do in their roles and know that they'll be trusted to do those as professionals," Gunn said. Everything will begin and end with what is best for our students that we serve and what is best for the communities and families we serve. That's the mission of a public school system." This story utilizes the unofficial poll results prior to the counting of provisional ballots. Noah Wortham is the Managing Editor for the Shelby County Reporter and oversees the newsroom. A Shelby County native, Noah has been with SCR since 2022 and is a graduate of the University of Montevallo. He has won multiple awards for his work at SCR from the Alabama Press Association. Story Tags

Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS), Tennessee's largest public school district, has filed a federal lawsuit against PowerSchool over a widespread data breach that occurred in December 2023.