So many were shocked and saddened Wednesday when we learned of Cherie Labat’s passing.

According to news reports, the former Columbus Municipal School District superintendent died from an illness in Little Rock, where she had worked since May as CEO for eStem Public Charter Schools.

Taking stock of her four years leading CMSD, which ran from June 2018 to August 2022, it’s fair to say her tenure was, at times, complicated. It’s equally fair to say she left the district better off than she found it.

Anyone who met Dr. Labat quickly learned she was an absolute dynamo. She was a tireless advocate for student success and safety, on and off campus, and she shared that passion with whomever would listen.

She had incredible resolve, standing for what she believed even in the face of resistance. This trait, in particular, produced imperfect results, but the good she did in Columbus speaks for itself.

Under her leadership, CMSD raised its state accountability grade to a C, breaking a 13-year streak of being a D-rated district. The Mississippi Department of Education bases those grades, in large part, on end-of-year benchmark exam scores and graduation rates.

Labat also guided a new vision for the Hunt campus after it was badly damaged in a February 2019 tornado. An equalization school for Black students in the segregation era, it was being used as an alternative school before the storm hit. With federal and state emergency management funds secured, the reimagined campus will house sixth-grade students and should be finished by at least early 2025.

When Labat died this week, some lost a family member; many more a friend and coworker. But the education field, in general, lost a force of energy who loved kids.

She will be greatly missed.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.