Orange Beach City Schools Superintendent Randy Wilkes announced his retirement effective July 1, 2027, concluding a 38-year career in education, including 16 years as a superintendent.

The announcement came during an Orange Beach City Schools Board of Education meeting Thursday Nov. 12. According to a press release from the school district, his retirement “aligns with a timeline mutually agreed upon” by Wilkes and the board in December 2025, which set his contract to conclude on June 30, 2027.

Wilkes has served as the district's first superintendent since its establishment in 2022 after splitting from Baldwin County Public Schools to create the county’s second city school system, following Gulf Shores’ split a few years prior.

Since opening its doors on July 1, 2022, Orange Beach City Schools has consistently ranked among Alabama's highest-performing school systems, earning the distinction of ranking second in the state on the 2025 State Report Card. The district also celebrated 100% graduation rates for both the Classes of 2025 and 2026. The district has also accumulated about 10 months of operating reserves without receiving state Foundation Program funding.

"Together, we built a high-performing school system," Wilkes shared in his remarks to the board. "We established a vision, mission and belief system around what we wanted Orange Beach City Schools to become. We put systems, structures and processes in place that created consistency, accountability and, most importantly, a new level of academic excellence for our students."

There were rumors of his firing earlier this year, amid which Wilkes affirmed to Gulf Coast Media that he would be in the position for months to come.

Wilkes told Gulf Coast Media after a July 9 school board meeting that “people who live here, they see me in that capacity (as the district’s leader). They know that I was at the board meeting and ran the board meeting in June and, of course, did it again tonight and will do it again next month and the month after that and the month after that and the month after that."

Wilkes emphasized on Thursday that his decision to retire stems from a desire to spend more time with his family.

"For most of my adult life, I have balanced work on one side and family on the other. When I leave Orange Beach City Schools on June 30, 2027, family wins," Wilkes said. "At this point in my life, I would rather be known as Pops than Superintendent."

Wilkes said he will continue serving the district through June 30, 2027, emphasizing that the remaining months of his tenure will remain focused on continued progress and a successful transition.

"There is still work to do, and I intend for these remaining months to be productive, positive and focused on continuing to move this school system forward," Wilkes said. "I have no intention of coasting to the finish line."