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Meeting Malcolm: Thomas Pays Surprise Visit To Northview High School
March 7, 2009
For a few minutes Friday morning, Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas was not focused on the 40,000 students in the district, but on Northview High School senior Timeka Marshall and an assigned paper.
“You’ve got to persuade people with what you write,” Thomas told Marshall in the school’s media center. She was working to prove in her paper that television is harmful to people.
“How can you prove that? How can we find information to prove it?” the superintendent asked.
“I’m looking up a lot of facts,” she said. “I’ve got a lot so far.”
Thomas, sitting at a Northview media center table and reading over Marshall’s notes, asked what she planned to do after high school.
“Probation officer,” she responded. “I’ve been accepted to Faulkner State, and I plan to apply to others.”
“Good plan,” Thomas said. “This girl has got it together. I’d be proud to call her my daughter.”
That’s the way Thomas spends many of his mornings…visiting one of the district’s schools or centers. He’s not talking to just the administrators, but to the teachers, staff and the students. Northview made 53 schools he has visited since taking office.
In the school office, he met senior Ashley Snow (pictured left) who works for the school under a cooperative education program. She also works at the Movie Gallery and is looking at a job at the Atmore YMCA.
“Work her hard so she’ll know what the real world is like,” Thomas said.
In the media center, Thomas also met senior Shaquaina Lewis. She was also working on a paper. The subject? Helping mentally ill patients recover without pills.
“They should be able to,” she told the superintendent. “And if they can’t, I’m going to be the one to figure out how to make them recover one day.”
The smile on Thomas’ face was apparent. Later, outside the media center, he said it was students like Lewis that inspired him.
“She has a goal,” he said. “She’s going to do her paper, and if she finds out that it can’t be done, her goal is figure out how to get it done. She has a real future.”
That is Thomas’ goal…to get it done. But in order to meet that goal, he believes his school visits will help understand the way to accomplish his goal of building the best school district that he can.
At each of the schools he visits, he asks at least two teachers or staff members three questions: “How’s your family?” “Do you have the tools you need to get your job done?” and “Give me the name of somebody that has helped you do your job better or has improved the school.”
When he gets home at night, he hand writes those helpful people a thank-you letter and mails it to their homes. He even buys the stamp.
In these days of budget cutbacks, school closures and money, money, money — Thomas is not about to make the district pay for his early morning trips to the schools in the district.
In fact, he won’t let the district pay for any of this travel, whether it be to Northview or Gainesville.
“That’s what you do when you lead,” he said. “In these hard times, you have to lead the way.”
Thomas said the school visits are one of the best parts of his job.
“Everything we do is about the people in the schools,” he said. “I enjoy meeting them face to face.
Pictured top and bottom: Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas helps Northview Senior Timeka Marshall with an assignment. Pictured middle: Thomas meets NHS senior Ashley Snow. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
12 Responses to “Meeting Malcolm: Thomas Pays Surprise Visit To Northview High School”
Keeping it real, As far as Malcolm’s response to becoming a teacher, “They make a difference”, it’s been said many times by others. You act like he coined the phase. Be original get your own response.
Ole’ Willie, no truer words have ever been spoken. Let there be controversy, these are the first ones in front of a camera or the first ones to speak(negatively). Let there be something for students and you can’t find them, especially if you need help. As for Mr. Thomas, he knows what it takes to be successful and he will do his best for the students.
Mr. Thomas ,the vast majority of the northend residents support you and we understand the difficulties you and the district are facing.
I have noticed that most of your detractors have never volunteered to help out at Northview . It is easier to gripe than to offer a helping hand.
Not only is Mr. Thomas an encourament for the students, but he is an encouragement to the parents and gaurdians. I agree with Nikki, Mr. Paul never sat down with any students from any school that I know about. Way to go Mr. Thomas, keep up the good work!
My daughter is an EWMS cheerleader. When the EWMS cheer squad went to National cheer competition in Feb and placed 2nd Mr. Thomas personally mailed her a handwritten card in the mail congratulating her on her accomplishment. I think we should be thankful we finally have someone that cares about our students and people’s jobs.
I agree with Nikki. I get so frustrated when people speak, or type, on things they know nothing about. People need to get their facts straight before they go spitting out false and misleading information and making accusations. Bottom line, Malcolm Thomas is not doing “damage control”. He didn’t create the problems at Carver/Century. He is doing what he was voted in to do, which is to keep the school district running effectively and looking after ALL kids in the entire district. Malcolm Thomas has NEVER looked at the north end of the county as anything inferior to the rest of the county. His recommendation for closure is not personal, even though many are insinuating it is. Now, that’s the truth.
Way to go Nikki I agree with you 100%!!!
Century girl wrote — Spare me…keep your $2.00 bills and coins at home….
Huh? Where does it say he was handing out $2 bills? The $2 bills were handed out to the Century kids. If you read that story you will find out they were given out by the foundation for excellence. it is a non-profit group that people contribute their own money too. It is not the county’s money.
He did these visits to the century elementary and middle school too early this year, so you cannnot complain about that either.
Find me a picture or story about jim paul sitting down and helping north end kids with their term papers. We have an improvement in Thomas.
Way to go…looks like Malcolm Thomas is may be trying to do damage control to improve his image in the North-end of the county. Spare me…keep your $2.00 bills and coins at home….maybe if you would cut some of the expenses of the top….there would be more money for teachers and schools. Yes, give to the ones doing the work!
I am a huge Malcolm Thomas supporter. Everyone keeps saying that they only “want what is best for the kids.” Well, you got it! Malcolm’s number one priority is providing Escambia County students the best education possible. I challenge the people who are upset with him (primarily due to the recommendation of Carver/Century’s closure) to truly step back and look at this man. See what he did before he taught, why he decided to give up a well-paying job to teach, what he ended up teaching, how he got the prestigious honor of being the Escambia County Teacher of the Year, and all the data analysis he performed while the head of Evaluation Services. Malcolm is going to take this school district and make it the best!
As an educator, I am often reminded how little money I bring home and the countless hours I work, with no overtime. However, Malcolm sums it up best when asked why he decided to go into teaching. When asked didn’t he know what teachers make, he simply responded with “Yes. They make a difference.” You go, Malcolm. This will forever be my response as well.
I am impressed with our new superintendent…I believe he is trying hard to make a positive change for our children.
ahhhh I love you Meka!!!!!!!
Hope to see you soon!!!!!!!