Cleveland County Schools names Brian Hunnell interim superintendent as permanent search continues

Cleveland County Schools will have an interim superintendent in place when Dr. Stephen Fisher’s retirement takes effect July 1, 2026. The district appointed Dr. Brian Hunnell to serve in that interim role as the Cleveland County Board of Education continues its search for a permanent superintendent.

The leadership change affects Shelby families, students and school employees as the district prepares for the 2026-27 school year. Hunnell’s appointment is an interim action, not a permanent selection. The district has not announced that he will become the system’s permanent superintendent.

Search drew 24 applications

The board reported that the permanent-superintendent search closed with 24 applications. The applicants represented eight states, including North Carolina.

The applicant count establishes the size and geographic reach of the pool reported by the district, but the approved materials do not identify finalists. They also do not provide a date for the board to name a permanent superintendent.

That leaves the July 1 interim appointment as the next confirmed leadership step. The available search information does not establish whether the board took additional action after its June 10 announcement about Hunnell’s appointment and the application totals.

Transition follows more than 12 years under Fisher

Fisher’s retirement was announced February 27, 2026, and is effective July 1. The district said he is retiring after more than 12 years as superintendent.

Hunnell will therefore take on interim leadership at the point Fisher leaves the position. The approved information does not specify how long the interim arrangement will last or whether the board will set a separate deadline for completing the permanent search.

Cleveland County Schools identifies its headquarters at 400 West Marion Street in Shelby and serves the city’s public-school students. For residents connected to the district, the immediate practical change is who will oversee the school system during the leadership transition; the longer-term question is who the board ultimately selects for the permanent post.

District operations continue during the change

The leadership transition does not eliminate the district’s scheduled activities. Cleveland County Schools listed a 2026-27 school jamboree for June 23, 2026, before Hunnell’s July 1 effective start date.

The timing places that event and other preparations for the next school year in the period immediately before the superintendent change. The approved materials do not describe any operational changes tied to the interim appointment.

As of the June 10 announcement, the board had reported the applicant total and state representation but had not publicly identified finalists or a final selection deadline in the accessible official materials. The next known decision is the board’s eventual selection of a permanent superintendent; no date for that decision was provided.