Dr. Laine Reichert talks in her temporary office, the city school board conference room, on Tuesday. Reichert’s first day as the new superintendent for the city schools was Thursday. 

THOMASVILLE — Thursday was a busy day for Dr. Laine Reichert.

The day marked the starting point of Reichert’s superintendency of the Thomasville City Schools.

Her first official day as superintendent was spent in a district-wide leadership summit. 

“My first day, I’ll be in meetings all day,” Reichert told the Times-Enterprise Tuesday.

The summit, which will last for two days, will offer Reichert a chance to express expectations for the city schools and build relationships with those throughout the school district.

At the core of the summit is Rechiert’s care for each student throughout the five different city schools achieving success — a dedication that ignited a decades-long career in education.

“I am immensely passionate about kids,” Reichert said. “My expectations revolve around every student experiencing success.”

Reichert added, “Our job is to look below the surface and realize every student has the potential to develop.”

Reichert’s passion for students began in 1984 as a high school science teacher and cheerleading, track, and softball coach at Thomas County Schools.

“I still communicate with students that I had back in the ‘80s,” she said.

Throughout the years, Reichert moved through the echelon of various administrative roles in Thomas County Schools and Brookwood School. The administrator role brought the realization of being able to reach more students, Reichert said.

“Kids have changed me more then I’ve changed them,” she added.

Prior to being named superintendent of the city schools back in mid-March, Reichert was the superintendent of Bacon County Schools. She spent four years in Alma before coming back to Thomasville.

The city school system has around 700 more students than Bacon County Schools, Reichert said.

“It feels bigger,” Reichert said. “It feels that there is a lot more moving parts.”

Despite the added responsibility of more students than the previous school district she served, Reichert said the response from the community has been positive.

“I have felt welcome from the moment I got back,” she said.

The return to Thomasville marked a tradition as Reichert’s parents are graduates of Thomasville High School, and her mother retired from the high school. The birth of her first grandchild also marked another reason to return to the City of Roses.

“I knew this is where I wanted to come back,” she said.

Following a two-month transition period between her and predecessor Sabrina Boykins-Everett, Reichert is beginning to plant the seeds for growth within the city school system.

“Trying to come up with the best way to unify and meeting individual needs is a task, a challenge,” Reichert said.

In the fall, Reichert plans to conduct community town hall meetings to garner input regarding the future vision of the city schools and see what parents are looking for in a Thomasville High School graduate.

“I want to make sure every student is prepared for college and career and that their individual needs are meet,” she said.

Reichert said there are three “r”s in education — rigor, relevance, and relationships.

Stressing the importance of the three factors, Reichert said it is key to develop and foster relationships with students, “so they know we care.”