Tarachell Thomas

Principal, Pine Jog Elementary

Tarachell Thomas is an educator who has worked with a variety of youth in Urban Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Tarachell Thomas attended school in her earlier years within the Broward County school system, which was the very school system she would begin her teaching career. She completed her undergraduate studies at J. B. Stetson University with a major in Biology.

She began her teaching career at Lauderdale Lake Middle School as a seventh grade science teacher, and a few years later decided to make the move to high school. During her high school teaching career, she had the opportunity to teach many of the biological sciences, and spread her love and joy for science. As a high school teacher, Tarachell Thomas had the opportunity to encourage the students to further their education by attending college. During the process she was motivated to expand her own knowledge of science education. Thus, she obtained two post graduate degrees from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

With a desire to touch more than the 120 students she encountered in her classroom daily, Tarachell Thomas took the necessary steps to become a school leader. In 2008, she began her career as an instructional leader, and served as an assistant principal and intern principal in one of the largest school districts in the country. While serving in those roles Tarachell Thomas always led the science and industry career departments, which allowed her to foster collaboration between the two teams who would lead those schools in S.T.E.M. education.

Tarachell Thomas is currently the principal of Pine Jog Elementary School in West Palm Beach, Florida. Pine Jog Elementary is a school with a unique partnership with Florida Atlantic University’s Pine Jog Environmental Center. The campus is arranged on a 152 acre property of which 132 acres is a natural wildlife preserve. The school and environmental center have been collaborating for over 10 years to provide professional development to teachers, and a sound science curriculum to students with an environmental focus. Pine Jog Elementary School has been recognized as a Green School of Excellence, U. S. LEED Gold School, Healthy School Award Recipient, and as an Everglades Champion School. Tarachell Thomas has had the pleasure of caring on the work at Pine Jog Elementary since 2015.