Auburn’s College of Education fuels Shannon McCurdy’s rise in school leadership

When faced with the challenge of becoming a stronger, more informed leader, Shannon McCurdy turned to Auburn University’s College of Education.

“Becoming a teacher was not a difficult decision for me,” McCurdy said. “My mom dropped out of high school the first week of her tenth-grade year because of harsh words a teacher spoke to her, so I set out to change the climate of public education.”

After spending 10 years as an AP English Language Arts Teacher, McCurdy decided to transition into a leadership role and became an assistant principal at Foley Intermediate in Foley, Alabama. McCurdy soon realized she needed to grow to find success in the new role, so she began pursuing an education specialist degree in administration of elementary and secondary education, K12, at Auburn.

Upon completion of that degree, McCurdy was so inspired by her professors in the College of Education that she immediately enrolled in a doctoral program studying educational leadership.

“Classes at Auburn played a significant role in nurturing my confidence and ability as a school leader by guiding me through research studies, broadening my interests and supporting my role as a practitioner in school transformation efforts,” McCurdy said. “Dr. Ellen Hahn and Dr. Lisa Kensler were instrumental in fostering my passion for supporting high-poverty, low-performing schools.”

In 2020, McCurdy helped open a new elementary school, Florence B. Mathis, remaining closely involved in all parts of the process while still carrying out her duties as principal at Foley Intermediate.

Under McCurdy’s leadership as principal at Florence B. Mathis, the school achieved STEM certification, earned the designation as a Purple Heart School and was voted Best of Baldwin Elementary School three years in a row, among other accomplishments. McCurdy was voted Best of Baldwin Principal for those three years, and she was nominated for NAESP Distinguished Principal of the Year in 2025.

At the start of the 2025-26 school year, McCurdy took on a new challenge and started as the assistant superintendent for elementary education with Baldwin County Public Schools.

“I am honored to be assistant superintendent,” McCurdy said. “With the role comes many responsibilities, but I feel fully prepared through my varied experiences in the school system and my studies in the College of Education. My Auburn University degrees have given me the confidence and vision I needed to be a successful principal and advance my career.” 

Through her work in the public school system, McCurdy has been a trailblazer and has found her “why” in supporting students at all levels of ability and giving them the opportunity to be the best version of themselves. Though much has been accomplished, McCurdy knows the work is not finished.

“My time in Auburn’s College of Education taught me to reflect but not spend too much time staring into a rearview mirror,” McCurdy said. “As an educational leader, one should look forward as a visionary and bring the possibilities into reality.”