Superintendent
Welcome!
I am Randy Wilkes, and I am honored to serve as the first Superintendent of Orange Beach City Schools. Since opening our doors in 2022, our district has remained committed to creating an exceptional educational experience for every student. Our website serves as the central hub for district information, and I hope you find it a valuable resource as you learn more about our schools, students, and community.
Orange Beach City Schools has quickly established itself as one of Alabama's premier public school districts. Ranked the #2 school district in Alabama on the Alabama State Department of Education Report Card and recognized as the #1 Best School District in Baldwin County by Niche, our district continues to demonstrate excellence.
Our students consistently excel in the classroom. Orange Beach City Schools ranks among the state's top-performing districts in academic achievement, including 1st in Science, 2nd in Mathematics, and 4th in English Language Arts. Over the past three years, our students have demonstrated remarkable growth, reflecting the dedication of our teachers, staff, families, and community.
Orange Beach Elementary School continues its tradition of excellence as a National Blue Ribbon School and one of Alabama's highest-performing elementary schools, earning a 99 on the 2025 State Report Card. The campus is also home to Sea, Sand & Stars, our award-winning science and nature center, where students engage in hands-on, immersive learning experiences that spark curiosity and deepen their understanding of the natural world. Featuring a saltwater aquarium, marine touch tank, planetarium, outdoor classrooms, nature boardwalk, and interactive exhibits, Sea, Sand & Stars provides unique opportunities for both our students and the broader community.
Orange Beach Middle & High School prepares students for success beyond graduation by offering rigorous academics alongside exceptional opportunities in athletics, fine arts, career technical education, leadership, and service. Students have access to Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment, career pathways, foreign language instruction, performing arts, graphic design, hospitality and tourism, and more than 20 athletic programs, allowing every student to discover and pursue their passions.
Providing a safe and secure learning environment remains one of our highest priorities. Our schools utilize comprehensive safety measures, including School Resource Officers on every campus, secure entrances, advanced security technology, emergency response systems, and ongoing staff training. We believe students learn best when they feel safe, supported, and connected. Orange Beach Middle & High School is a two-year recipient of the Attorney General’s Safe School Award (2024, 2025).
The success of Orange Beach City Schools is made possible through the unwavering support of our dedicated teachers, staff, Board of Education, parents, business partners, and community members. Together, we are creating opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom while ensuring responsible stewardship of the resources entrusted to us.
As we continue building upon our strong foundation, we remain focused on preparing students not only for graduation, but for meaningful lives as leaders, innovators, and engaged citizens. Thank you for your interest in Orange Beach City Schools. We invite you to explore our website and discover why Orange Beach City Schools is a place where students thrive, excellence is expected, and the future is being built every day.
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The School Superintendents of Alabama organization announced its Superintendents of Distinction in June 2026. Orange Beach City Schools Superintendent Randy Wilkes was recognized for 15 years of service!
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Randy Wilkes is the first-ever Superintendent of Orange Beach City Schools. He served as superintendent in Crenshaw County, Alabama, from 2011 to 2014 and in Phenix City, Alabama, from 2014 to 2022. He is entering his 16th year as superintendent and his 37th year of service to public school students.
Personal
Randy earned his education specialist degree from Auburn University at Montgomery and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Troy State University.
Randy was named Troy University’s Alumni of the Year in 2021. He graduated from Troy in 1989 with a bachelor's degree and in 1992 with a master's degree, both in secondary mathematics education. He is also a member of the 1987 National Championship Football Team and a team member from 1985 to 1988.
Randy was selected by his peers as Alabama Superintendent of the Year in 2019. He serves as president of District IV School Superintendents of Alabama and is a member of SSA, AASA, CLAS, AASSP, AASB, and other professional organizations.
Randy has been married to Cathy Wilkes since 1988. Cathy is a retired sixth-grade science teacher. They have two sons, Haden (Kaylee) and Ryan, one granddaughter, Hadley, and one grandson, Will. Haden works in the insurance industry. Kaylee is a teacher at Orange Beach Elementary School (OBES), Hadley is in the third grade at OBES, and Will was born in December 2025. Ryan was an inspiration to all who knew him; he recently passed due to complications due to Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy.
Orange Beach
Since becoming the first Superintendent of Orange Beach City Schools in 2022, Mr. Randy Wilkes has led the successful launch and rapid advancement of one of Alabama's highest-performing public school districts. Under his leadership, the district has built a strong operational foundation, risen to become the #2 ranked school district in Alabama, achieved exceptional academic growth, expanded innovative learning opportunities through Sea, Sand & Stars, prioritized student safety and well-being, and overseen the development of a transformational $46 million athletic complex. Through a steadfast commitment to excellence, accountability, fiscal responsibility, and community partnership, Mr. Wilkes has helped establish a culture where students thrive, educators excel, and Orange Beach City Schools continues to set the standard for public education across the state.
Phenix City
In the spring of 2022, Phenix City Schools became the nation’s largest district to have all 11 schools receive Cognia STEM certification.
With a system poverty rate of 71%, Randy’s primary focus has been to “STEM Students from Poverty™.” Phenix City has a diverse population of 37,000 and is host to Alabama’s fourth-largest affordable housing development. Spurred by the i3 Initiative, which emphasizes inquiry-based instruction, innovative strategies and resources, and impact on college, career and life skills, the system is providing transformative educational opportunities today to supply the ever-changing workforce needs of tomorrow. The system is unique in that what it provides for one, it provides for all – no child is excluded. The results of the i3 Initiative’s implementation over the past four years are nothing less than astounding! The socioeconomic gap in Phenix City Schools (PCS) is rapidly closing. The percentage increases in mathematics proficiency scores from students of poverty are most notable: grade 3 – 44%, grade 4 – 29%, grade 6 – 23%, and grade 8 – 28%. In the same time span, the federal graduation rate for students of poverty has increased 19%.
Additionally, in 2019, PCS’ graduation rate increased to 97% as opposed to 51% in 2010, increased in the number of eighth-grade students earning high school credit by 81%, increased the number of collegiate credits earned by high schoolers by 62%, and reported a record amount in scholarships received of over $20 million (an average of $53,000 per graduate). In 2019, Phenix City Schools earned its first-ever “A” on the State’s report card and was recognized by the state’s media as the most improved school district in the state of Alabama, with every school improving in every major category.
Comradely philia is prevalent in the Valley! Tapping into the area’s vast resources, Randy led efforts to garner the support of individuals, businesses, and industry to raise more than $1.1 million for state-of-the-art technologies. Beginning in kindergarten, students are completely immersed in STEM education. All students attend the SmartLab® in their local elementary schools and are engaged in a curriculum containing modules of renewable energy, coding, digital media, engineering, robotics, and circuitry. In the Dyer Family STEM Center, on the campus of Phenix City Intermediate School, all sixth and seventh graders annually receive nine weeks of instruction in each of the following laboratories: virtual science, coding, digital media, and engineering. All eighth graders participate in 12-week courses in coding/robotics, engineering, and digital media. All high school students may choose from 13 different academies including business, health occupations, advanced coding, engineering, and television production. In less than four years, PCS completed its quest to become a 1:1 school district; every student in grades K-12 has an electronic device.
Randy has much leadership experience with board policy revision, strategic planning, accreditation processes, and facility assessment which was reflective of the system’s most recent accreditation score of 340 compared to that of 270 previously. As superintendent, he provides professional development for school leaders including the development of Professional Learning Units for practicing and aspiring leaders via the system’s Leadership Academy.
Randy understands classroom improvement begins with appropriate teacher training. His first undertaking as superintendent in Phenix City was to convert a dilapidated cafeteria into a professional development center. Today, PCS invests over $1 million of local funds annually to provide staff with customized training. Of particular mention are the 24 teachers who have participated in more than 160 hours of STEM training and were deemed STEM-certified in the spring of 2019. The premise of all of PCS’s instruction rests in the four Cs: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Believing one must inspect what one expects, Randy has demonstrated his conviction by conducting more than 150 teacher observations annually, as well as serving as an executive coach to the administrative leaders in his district.