Clarke Central High School Associate Principal Reginald Thomas stands in front of the CCHS ceremonial entrance on April 28. Thomas believes that despite being an administrator since 2007, he can still connect with teachers. “I went from being a classroom teacher on-level with my peers. Then (as an) assistant principal, (I was) somewhat of a supervisor towards them, but it never really was a problem from my perspective, and I really think (that’s) good,” Thomas said. “To this day, I still believe I can feel what a teacher feels, (even though) it’s been a while (since I was a teacher). This is my 13th year as an administrator, so that’s about nine years as a teacher, but I still see a lot of things that the classroom teacher deals with, and I think (that’s) unique.” Photo by Gretchen Hinger
Growing up in Statham, Georgia, Clarke Central High School Associate Principal Reginald Thomas initially did not imagine going into education.
Clarke Central High School Associate Principal Reginald Thomas is shown in his senior yearbook photo in 1988. Thomas moved into his position as Associate Principal in 2019 with him becoming an administrator in 2007 when he moved into an Assistant Principal position, and he feels that this experience in the same building has given him an advantage. “I like to think this is my 13th year as an administrator and that’s about nine years as a teacher, but I still kind of see a lot of things that the classroom teacher deals with,” Thomas said. “I think it’s unique because not only did I go from being a teacher to an administrator, it’s in the same building, so you still got to feel for the staff, and you got to feel for how the staff thinks, because you were one of them one day and then the next day you’re not, but you still got to feel for them and respect them and understand what they do.” Photo courtesy of the Winder-Barrow High School 1988 Yearbook
After graduating from Winder-Barrow High School in 1988, Thomas headed off to Georgia Southern College, now known as Georgia Southern University. Thomas’ father was an educator at WBHS for nearly 30 years and advised his son not to enter the field of education due to upcoming changes. As a result, Thomas pursued a very different career path while a college student.
“I went into criminal justice. I got out and did odd jobs, working with students who are already in the juvenile system for various offenses. That wasn’t really what I wanted to do,” Thomas said.
After marrying his wife, Clarke County School District Superintendent Dr. Xernona Thomas, in 1995, helped him decide to go back to school and get his Master’s degree in social studies education from the University of Georgia, graduating in 1998.
“(My wife and I) were trying to figure out my life path. My wife could tell, in conversation, when you get to know somebody, you can tell where a passion is. She detected that my passion was working with kids, and that my passion was also history,” Thomas said.
For CCHS class of 2007 alumna Chantell Sheats, who is currently a security officer at CCHS, Thomas’ personality made him memorable.
“(He was) my (track) coach, (so) we had a good relationship. He was funny, he cracked jokes in between (school) time. He had like little insider,” Sheats said. “He was the snack man. He had hot Cheetos, my favorite. He had all the snacks, everyone came to Coach Thomas for the snacks. He was flexible with the time that was given for tests (and) makeup work. He wasn’t strict, but he was cool (and) was laid back.”
Clarke Central High School Associate Principal Reginald Thomas (far right) stands for a social studies department Gladius Yearbook photo in 2000. After student teaching at CCHS in the spring of 1998, Thomas started his teaching career as a social studies teacher at CCHS in the fall of 1998 and felt that this career was a natural fit. “I was familiar with the school, familiar with the students (and)the culture of the school, but I admit, those first couple of years were really tough on me,” Thomas said. “A Black male teacher teaching a core class is, you don’t necessarily see that as often, if you really think about and reflect on it.” Photo courtesy of 2000 Gladius Yearbook
While no longer his student, Sheats still learns from Thomas’ example.
“I (am) still learning from him, (like) how to be patient and maneuver through the halls with the kids and how to approach them differently. So he’s still a teacher to me because he’s still teaching me certain things,” Sheats said.
Throughout Thomas’ 23 years in education, he has strived to support students in whatever form they needed him in.
“I want to see students be successful, and I feel like I can really help them in this role as a teacher. You could take care of your students and I was a track coach, so I had (a) group of students who weren’t necessarily in my classroom, but I had a big impact on them whether it was positive or negative, I like to say it was positive,” Thomas said.
Thomas’ daughter Camille, a CCHS senior, believes her father is a relatable figure at CCHS and one who is willing to reach students first.
“I think he is very determined. He’s very kind to people. I don’t know many people, if anybody, who’s told me that he’s a mean administrator or that he’s not nice,” Camille said. “He’s nice to everybody, gives everybody a chance, and if you work with him, he’ll work with you. I just think he’s a very good person.”
Sheats feels that Thomas was one of the teachers that truly cared about students and her life may not have been the same without him.
“I came to him one time about a situation, (an) altercation really and he talked me out of getting in trouble, basically, and he (said something like) ‘never let anyone distract you from your goals’. It was like a heart-to-heart conversation,” Sheats said. “A lot of teachers, back then, were more close to kids than they are now. Back then teachers actually cared, you can tell that some teachers care about the students.”
Clarke Central High School Associate Principal Reginald Thomas works at his desk in his office on the Freshman Academy Hallway on April 28. In his own schooling experience, Thomas was not fond of middle school, but once he reached high school he found himself enjoying education more. “There were parts of school that I enjoyed, parts of school that I didn’t enjoy so much. Elementary school was okay (as a) young kid. I never really did like middle school. Me and middle school never really hit it off too well, (but) at least back then it was just two grades,seventh and eighth,” Thomas said. “I was in middle school for two years, and then I went off to high school, and high school things were much better.” Photo by Gretchen Hinger
Camille feels that Thomas’ position is important to CCHS and Thomas is successful with his ability to help students on a personal level.
“I think he has had a big impact considering, (ninth) grade is one of the hardest years, because it is a transition from middle to high, and he’s a ninth grade administrator. I think that is a crucial time for students,” Camille said. “He is really good at pulling students in, keeping students who might not have been kept, if that makes sense, you know, helping students find their path, find which way they are going to go. This is a time where they are finding themselves, and think he does a good job of helping them do that.”
CCHS Assistant Principal Latinda Dean feels that Thomas’ positivity is one of his most notable traits.
“(Thomas) is always willing to do what is necessary, and when I say help, I mean anyone. That may be colleagues, that may be students and maybe parents, community members. He is always willing to extend a hand to help. I think that is probably the biggest thing that stands out about him,” Dean said. “He is always positive. That is another thing that I think stands out about him. You’re not going to catch him having a bad day, or with a frown on his face or anything like that. He is pretty positive, and he tries to spread that to everyone in our building.”
After 23 years in the building and having served as a teacher, a track coach and as two separate administrative roles, Camille feels her father deserves more recognition.
” He’s been, I think, one of the three people who’s been there for years and years, and I think that Clarke Central should recognize that a little bit because he’s done a lot for Clarke Central, and poured a lot into Clarke Central,” Camille said.
To give this recognition, Camille believes Thomas should be awarded the Golden Apple award for his hard work and commitment to CCHS.
“Clarke Central has this thing called a Golden Apple, and administrators and I believe teachers as well, are allowed to get that,” Camille said. “I’m not sure how many times it is given out throughout the year, and my dad has been at Clarke Central for (23 years and) he has yet to receive his Golden Apple, and it’s really important to him, so I think that is one way that he can be recognized.”
Dean is thankful for the work Thomas does as her coworker and the guidance he has given her over the years.
“He has been able to show me the ropes and help me to understand how different things work, and when I am confused or lost about something, I can go and ask him and know that he will be willing to help me, and that he is going to have the answer, nine and half times out of ten,” Dean said. “It is definitely advantageous to have someone like that on your team, so I really appreciate having Mr. Thomas here.”
Clarke Central High School Associate Principal Reginald Thomas’ yearbook photos over his time as a faculty member in the years 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2020 are shown. Thomas has worked at CCHS for 23 years and has been able to see his students go through CCHS and sometimes have their children do the same. “I don’t always like to say it, (but) it’s special to me. It may not be special to anybody else, but as of right now, there are only two full-time faculty members who have been here longer than me,” Thomas said. “I take pride in that, (teaching at the) same place with that many years and seeing that many people come and go.” Graphic by Gretchen Hinger and photos courtesy of Gladius Yearbook
Moving from a teacher in 1998 to an Assistant Principal in 2007, to now an Associate Principal in 2019, throughout his entire 23 years at CCHS, Thomas has maintained the same values, no matter what position he was in.
“(I enjoy) being able to stay at this school, staying in this job throughout several changes, and being able to see that I helped somebody. If somebody tells me, whether it’s a student or another teacher, that ‘Thank you, I appreciate you. I don’t know what I would have (done) without you,’ that just always feels good,” Thomas said. “(It) always makes me feel good when past students or parents acknowledge that I didn’t do anything that hurt them, (and) I did all I could to help them.”
“(I enjoy) being able to stay at this school, staying in this job throughout several changes, and being able to see that I helped somebody.”
— Reginald Thomas,
CCHS Associate Principal
In the long run, Thomas wants to make sure that when he does leave CCHS, he leaves a positive impact on the community and students.
“My goal is to leave Clarke Central in a better place than it was when I found it, and that’s by continuing to (make) relationships with students, continuing to work with staff members, to help us all understand culture, (like) what’s culturally relevant and what’s acceptable, and what’s acceptable to talk about and learn how to understand each other,” Thomas said. “(I want to be) able to just show that you can be a compassionate person, you can care about those you work with, but you can still expect them to do their best (and) to bring their best to the table every day, and I’m sure to try and bring my best to the table every day.”
