Beckye Justice Thomas is in her 26th year as choral director at CHS. Prior to teaching at the high school level, Mrs. Thomas taught elementary and middle school music in the Knoxville City School System. Her professional affiliations include the American Choral Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference, Tennessee Music Educators Association, Sigma Alpha Iota, and Delta Kappa Gamma.  She has served on the board of ETVA, as well as chaired both Tennessee All-State East Women’s and Mixed Choruses. She has also served as a fine arts evaluator for the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools and has been an adjudicator for the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts, the Master-Card Inter-Collegiate Talent Showcase, the University of Tennessee All-Campus Events, beauty pageants and talent shows. She also serves as a UTK All-Sing director and choreographer whose groups have consistently won trophies or "Best Overall" awards in this traditional college competition for the past 19 years. Mrs. Thomas has also been the recipient of the UTK Alpha Tau Omega’s Service Award for her commitment to ACE. Recently she served as vocal music camp director at Carson-Newman College.

She has been presenter at TMEA conferences and in-service sessions and has served in the National Forum of Advisors for Mid-America Productions, New York. She has been the recipient of a BEST award sponsored by the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce and University of Tennessee. In 1986, 2002, and 2004, CHS students voted Mrs. Thomas as “Teacher of the Year” and runner-up in 2005. Former students have nominated her for membership in “Who’s Who Among American Educators,” NHR’s “Outstanding American Teachers,” and “Who’s Who in America.” She has also been honored as a Tennessee Lottery/WBIR TV Teacher of the Week and recognized as a Tennessee Governor's School Outstanding Teacher.

Mrs. Thomas was an All-State flautist in high school band and orchestra. While pursuing her music education/vocal emphasis degree at the University of Tennessee, she was blessed to have studied privately with Ms. Lorne Michalopulos and to have been involved with the UTK Opera Theatre under the direction of Mr. Edward Zambara.

Beckye Thomas has been married to her husband Bob for 36 years. He is the Assistant Superintendent of Business for the Knox County School System. They are proud parents of one son, Brandon, who graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and is currently attending graduate school for Engineering at the University of Tennessee.