Two district leaders retire after decades of service on behalf of students
June 26, 2015
Two school district leaders who have focused on the well-being of children throughout their more than 35-year careers in education are retiring at the end of June.
Jill Skarvold retires after working for Moorhead Area Public Schools for 14 years as executive director of Learner Support Services. Skarvold began her 38 years as an educator when the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was known as P.L. 94-142 and the law’s regulations first went into effect for schools.
Anne Moyano retires after working in the district since 1976. She spent two years as a speech/language pathologist in Illinois before coming to Moorhead where she has been a speech/language pathologist, coordinator of speech/language services, child study facilitator and elementary principal. In 1994 she was named principal of Probstfield Elementary. Since 2004 Moyano has been principal at S.G. Reinertsen Elementary.
According to Superintendent Lynne Kovash, both Skarvold and Moyano are leaders in their professions.
“Jill has worked hard to assure inclusion for all students,” Kovash said. “She is a leader in looking at data and research-based practices and determining instructional supports that will help all students be successful in Moorhead Area Public Schools.”
Moyano has had a positive impact on many areas of the district, Kovash said.
“Anne was a leader in the earlier years of special education in our district, she helped establish the Spanish Immersion Program, and she led the district’s reorganization of the elementary schools and implementation of professional learning communities in 2004,” Kovash said. “She has been one of the strongest principals in our district.”
Throughout their work, Skarvold and Moyano have been focused on the students they serve.
“When I worked directly with students my goal was to guide and teach them to communicate more effectively with their classmates, their teachers and their families. No matter what level of communication the students attained and whether they spoke more fluently or more clearly, with a richer vocabulary, or in greater depth, my goals for them were to make their needs known, improve their interactions with others and be more successful in the classroom,” Moyano said.
As she moved into other positions in the district, the well-being of children continued to be her focus.
“As a principal, I became one of those adults children could count on, positive and encouraging, but with high expectations,” Moyano said. “I helped them understand how their actions affect other people and how to take responsibility for what they do. I worked with all school staff to create schools where all students and families were welcome and where we provided the curriculum, instruction and supports those students needed.”
“Anne is always reading and looking at the research to determine next steps for her students and staff,” Kovash said. “She is a model of inquisitive lifelong learning, focused on improving the quality of education for all students.”
Skarvold spent 15 years in Maryland as a teacher, researcher and special education supervisor. In 1991, she moved to Dickinson, N.D., where she started the first day treatment program for the school district before becoming state assistant director for special education. She returned to the school setting as an assistant director for a regional co-op, then as a principal of a Dickinson elementary school, and then the district’s director for Student Services. After 10 years in North Dakota, Skarvold became director of Moorhead’s Learner Support Services.
“It has been all about giving my time and energy, whether as a teacher, researcher or administrator, for work that has improved academic and social learning for all students — because I care about students,” Skarvold said.
Kovash acknowledges Skarvold’s effort in adding programming to support students’ needs.
“Jill has been the leading force in our district for Response to Intervention, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, and expanded early childhood programming, which are just a few of the programs in place because of her leadership,” Kovash said.
“My work has always had at its core the belief that together we can make a difference every day with students,” Skarvold said. “I hope others remember the work with school and community partners to build a system of academic and mental health interventions for students to help students succeed on their own when they leave the district. I hope people remember that my work in Moorhead was driven by commitment to students as well as a belief in the mission of this district. I have never had all the answers, but hopefully people will remember that I was always willing to listen, did what I said I would, trusted staff, and worked to find solutions to even the most challenging problems so that we could achieve the best district.”
Moyano says when you work surrounded by young children there are small memorable moments every day. Her memories include being part of starting the Spanish Immersion Program, being part of opening a brand new school, and Reinertsen Elementary receiving a Minnesota Department of Education award as a sustaining exemplar PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports) school.
“Big projects like these succeed because a team of dedicated people worked together,” she said. “I’m proud to have been part of those teams.”
Skarvold said every single day in the district is memorable.
“How could it not be when I get to work with educators who humble me every day by their capacity to help the youngest learners to our oldest learners,” she said. “It’s also been a joy to find ways to work with agencies to create partnerships for services as well as to write grants and develop projects for interventions and other supports, securing over $3.6 million in additional funding since coming to Moorhead.”
Skarvold also was selected as the president of Minnesota Administrators for Special Education (MASE) and is currently the liaison for Minnesota to the national special education administrators organization (CASE), which gives her the opportunity each year to represent Minnesota in Washington, D.C., meeting with legislators on Capitol Hill to advocate for education and special education.
Moyano appreciates the opportunity to have been part of a quality school district.
“The long-standing support of children and young people through support of our schools makes Moorhead very special,” Moyano said. “Previous generations created a school district where I could contribute and my own sons could receive a great education. In retirement I will still have a sense of pride and responsibility for the role of public education to educate all children and to be committed to high standards and high expectations for all.”
“Being a part of Moorhead Area Public Schools has helped me grow, learn and enjoy the work we’ve done in this fantastic district,” Skarvold said. “As I’ve been saying over and over this spring, I’m heeding the direction of Dr. Seuss who wrote, ‘Do not cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.’ I’m sure glad my life in Moorhead happened!”
Skarvold’s plan for retirement is to breathe.
“Working hard and playing hard has always been part of what I do,” she said. “I’ll continue to do both, but even though the ‘work’ won’t be the same, the work will continue to be about finding ways to serve others. Retirement will give me more time to give to the community organizations of which I’m a part.”
“One thing I’ve learned in my career is that I can make big changes and find interesting new challenges and opportunities,” Moyano said. “I think retirement will be the same. I don’t have it all planned, but I’m looking forward to starting that on July 1.”
Besides Moyano and Skarvold, the other staff members who were recognized at the May 26 retirement reception hosted by the School Board are Betty Bierdeman, Robert Asp Elementary; David Bowe, S.G. Reinertsen; Vicki Breneman, district; Tim Costello, Moorhead High School; Deb Eidsmoe, S.G. Reinertsen Elementary; Christy Elias, elementary schools; Peggy Emmel, Moorhead High School; Jeff Ensrud, district; Janelle Halverson, S.G. Reinertsen Elementary; Sherry Harmon, Moorhead High School; Peggy Haugstad, Moorhead High School; Leah Hoffman, S.G. Reinertsen Elementary; Ellie Johnson, Moorhead High School; Lynn Johnson, Horizon Middle School; Donna LeQuire, Red River Area Learning Center; Joann Lien, Robert Asp Elementary; Eugene Life, S.G. Reinertsen Elementary; Linda Matthews, Horizon Middle School; Sharon Mattson, Ellen Hopkins Elementary; Jackie Migler, district; Sharon Nelson, Horizon Middle School; Barb Olson, Moorhead High School; Barb Osvold, Robert Asp Elementary; Marilyn Proulx, Horizon Middle School; and Karin Schumacher, Moorhead High School.
Photo Captions:
During the School Board’s retirement reception in May, Jill Skarvold, executive director of Learner Support Services, hugs Superintendent Lynne Kovash before accepting congratulations from School Board members Matt Valan and Bill Tomhave.
School Board members Bill Tomhave and Matt Valan recognize Anne Moyano, S.G. Reinertsen principal, during the board’s retirement reception at the end of May.
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