Reid Named Next Vidalia Superintendent
At the regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, October 10, Vidalia City Schools Board of Education unanimously approved naming Assistant Superintendent Sandy Reid as the District’s next superintendent.
During last month’s meeting, Superintendent Garrett Wilcox announced that he would be retiring at the end of the school year. “I am just at a point where I can retire,” he explained. “I’m grateful to have had the opportunity [to be superintendent], and look forward to watching [Vidalia City Schools] move forward.”
In that same meeting, the Board voted to make Assistant Superintendent Sandy Reid the sole final candidate to succeed Wilcox after retirement. The final decision laid on the table for 30 days, giving the public time to make requests for further information and to share their thoughts and concerns on the decision.
The official approval made on October 10 solidified Reid’s role as the next superintendent, as she will assume the new position on July 1, 2024. Reid is the 15th superintendent for Vidalia City Schools, and the first female superintendent that the system has ever had.
“Vidalia City Schools is part of who I am. For the past 22 years, it has been a part of my everyday life,” Reid commented. “I completely understand how critical the role of the school system is in the success of the community, and at the end of the day, that means the world to me – the success of the students, the staff members, and the community. So, it is an honor…I’m just very excited.
“With that being said, it is also very bittersweet because Dr. Wilcox has been such an integral part of the development of the school system, and it’s hard to imagine him not being here,” she continued. “I’m thankful for his leadership, his guidance, and the role that he has played as superintendent and principal in the last several years. I’m very thankful for the opportunity to have worked for him and really excited for what is to come.”
Board Chairman Julee Torrance also commented on the decision. “Dr. Reid has a long track record with us that's just stellar. She's extremely smart, she's datadriven, she's protocol-driven, and she's exactly what we felt as a Board that we needed to take our school system to the next level,” she remarked.
Torrance added, 'I just feel confident that she can do this [the position]. All the Board members were unanimously behind her being placed as the next Superintendent, and the confidence is based on her history here, her track record as well as her advanced degrees, along with her process of being data-driven. That is so critical in today's educational system. And she's always looking for solutions to issues before they become issues, so we are very proactive under her care.'
Reid assured, 'The responsibility of this role is not one that I take lightly. These children deserve an educational environment where they feel safe, where they are treated with kindness, and where they are provided high-quality learning opportunities, regardless of background or circumstances. Our staff members deserve the same. I am committed to fostering a culture of excellence, equity, and innovation in our schools.
“This journey will not be without challenges, but we have a community, inside and outside of the school system, that has shown time and time again our ability to come together to meet challenges. Together, as a community of stakeholders, we will overcome challenges and reach milestones we have never reached before.'
Dr. Sandy Reid
