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From Staff Reports

Dr. Lewis Brooks, superintendent of the Shelby County School District, has been named District Superintendent of the Year for District Five of the State Superintendent’s Association (SSA). Brooks is one of nine district winners for SSA that will now compete for the overall state Superintendent of the Year award.

“I am blessed and honored to be recognized by my colleagues,” Brooks said. “I am very grateful to serve the students and the greater Shelby County community. This award is not just about me, but about all of the individuals who make Shelby County such a great place for student learning.”

Each SSA district selects a District Superintendent of the Year finalist in August. SSA uses a panel of judges to review the applications of the district finalists and select the Superintendent of the Year for Alabama. The Alabama Superintendent of the Year is then eligible to compete at the national level to become the National Superintendent of the Year awarded by AASA: The School Superintendents Association in February each year.

Brooks was elected superintendent of Shelby County Schools in 2018 and re-elected for a second term in 2022. During his tenure, he has led Shelby County Schools through several challenges, including a world pandemic and the aftermath of a tornado. He has ensured that academic progress is the chief focus resulting in student data that continues to trend upward.

He has led the district to undertake a $43 million capital campaign project, providing classroom upgrades and facility improvements across the county. He has fostered innovation through instructional initiatives including a new surgical technician program, a medical diagnostics program and a substantial increase in dual enrollment class offerings throughout the district.

He has received numerous awards for his service, including the Samford University Learning for Life Award, the Alabama Association of Prevention and Support Services Leadership Award and the University of Montevallo Distinguished Alumni Award. He was inducted into the University of Montevallo Student Athlete Hall of Fame and named a Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association. He was recently honored as the 2022 Public Servant of the Year by the Greater Shelby County Chamber.