From Mozambique to Purcellville, Virginia, Michael Skvarch’s teaching career has been storied. Eleven years ago, Skvarch volunteered to teach English and computer science near the southeastern coast of Africa. Now, he is at the precipice of implementing an exciting new program at Valley.
Last school year, Skvarch welcomed an entirely new position as Valley’s IB Coordinator, relinquishing his job as Student Activities Coordinator to lead this new initiative.
“It just merges everything I’m passionate about in one area and really gives me a venue to impact Loudoun Valley in a way I hadn’t expected before,” Skvarch said.
Skvarch has always enjoyed helping people to become the best they can be. Whether it’s as a coordinator or as a teacher, he aims to be of service to those who need it.
“The core of why I’ve gone into education is I want to see people grow, ” Skvarch explained. “I want to see communities grow, I want to help that growth and I want to do it because the world is just a bit better when people are looking out for each other and lifting everyone forward.”
That is not to say that every part of the process has been easy. Being an entirely new program at Valley, Skvarch is still mapping out where the IB program fits in the framework of Loudoun Valley.
“All of the next couple of years look radically different. So when I’m talking to either staff or my colleagues we’re all just trying to figure it out,” Skvarch said. “There’s a lot of uncharted territory.”
Either way, Skvarch has persevered, relying on his team and himself to make it through.
“You make decisions and at the time they might be firm, but they’re not set in stone. They have to be flexible and ready for change,” Skvarch said.
Looking ahead, Skvarch has his hopes high, both for the future of Loudoun Valley and for himself.
“I am hoping to see myself with a fully realized International Baccalaureate program here and to see that up and running and being healthy and strong,” Skvarch said.
For the time being, however, Skvarch is simply looking forward to yoga, friends and spending time with his husband at his home in Winchester.
