Michael Thomas, now retired, formally served as the district director of the Choctaw County Vocational Center, a rural school serving 1,900 students in Ackerman. In an effort to reverse a trend that has for "too long separated theory from practice," Mr. Thomas had been particularly attentive to models and strategies that integrate academic and vocational training. Working with the State Department of Education, Mr. Thomas implemented the Tech Prep initiative, a program that emphasizes the link between knowledge and application. Under his leadership, the school had also developed the math, science and technology lab, which created the conditions for hands-on learning. This collaborative project involved both the business and industrial communities, faculty from area schools and the State Department of Education. A close working relationship with the business community allowed Mr. Thomas to have a detailed understanding of the changing dynamics of that community and to address those changes in the content of his curriculum.
Retired but very active in education and community issues. Serve as President of the Choctaw County Board of Education, Board of MS School Board Assn., Holmes Community College Board of Trustees, State Workforce Investment Board, Past Pres. of the MS Manufacturers Assn., and Board/Ex. Committee Golden Triangle Regional Solid Waste Mgt. Authority.
1974 Mississippi State University, University of Arkansas
