LOWNDES CO. – The Lowndes County Board of Education names Sandra Wilcher as the Interim Superintendent of LCS.
Release:
The Lowndes County Board of Education voted Sandra Wilcher to become the Interim Superintendent of Lowndes County Schools on June 21, 2023. Mrs. Wilcher has been a member of the OneLowndes Family since 1999. She is the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, which includes special education, public relations, central registration, school resource officers, and student support which expands to support services such as school counseling, school nursing, student behavior & discipline, social-emotional learning, the alternative program, and school social workers.
Mrs. Wilcher has served in administration within Lowndes County Schools since 2009, working closely with all schools in our district, and is known to be the person who schools and families can count on during the most challenging of times. She created and manages the crisis response program for LCS, led the system through COVID, created the Journey Program consisting of 6 K-8 classes, and developed and implemented many other procedures and programs currently in use in our system. Through her efforts, Lowndes County Schools has benefited from over $5,000,000 in grants and programs; in addition, she has been involved in the financial aspects of multiple other funding sources for the school system during her career. Mrs. Wilcher will always be found on a school campus when there is a need to encourage and support staff. It is not uncommon to find her engaging with students in and out of the classroom. It has been stated that “Most of her work occurs quietly to protect the stories of families and students, yet her impact on our students, community, and staff is powerful and enduring.” Her passion for education began when she taught informal English classes in Thailand at a university, after which she returned to Valdosta, joining the staff at Lowndes County Schools, her alma mater. Mrs. Wilcher states, “My life calling has been to help students excel by providing a first-class education while also addressing emotional, social, and family needs so that students can truly focus on learning in order to become successful members of our community.” Her vast array of experiences in and out of the classroom will be an asset as she takes on this role.
Mrs. Wilcher is a Leadership Lowndes alumni; she serves as the liaison with community agencies and law enforcement, serving on multiple community boards to support students and families. Mrs. Wilcher graduated from Lowndes High School in 1987 and comes from a family of educators. Her mother, Doris Flowers, is a retired Lowndes County Schools elementary school teacher, and her sister, Teresa Flythe-Farrar, currently teaches English at Lowndes Middle School.
She is married to Lance Wilcher, and they are active members of Northside Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon and Sunday School teacher. He is the Director of Lending for South Georgia Regional Commission. They have two children, both Lowndes High School graduates. Her son, Reid Wilcher, is a former LHS Baseball player and graduate of Georgia Southern University, currently working in logistics in Jacksonville. Her daughter Abigail Wilcher, a former LHS Competition Cheerleader, is the mother of her 6-month-old grandson, Atlas Courson. Abi graduated from Valdosta State University and starts her career as a teacher this year at Pine Grove Middle School.
Students, staff, and the community have been impacted by her leadership in a positive manner. Mrs. Wilcher received the Hero of Hope Award for the City of Valdosta/Lowndes County in 2022 and has previously received the Georgia School Social Worker of the Year award, Valdosta State Social Work Alumni of the Year, and various other volunteer recognitions. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Valdosta State University in 1991, her Master’s in Social Work from Valdosta State University in 1998, and her Education Specialist from Nova Southeastern University in 2007.
