Miss Maria Skowronski

Hello, 8th grade! 

Welcome to English 8 at Trailside Middle School! 

I hail from the very foreign state of Maryland; I have a bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature from Towson University, as well as a Master's degree in Teaching from Shepherd University. Before coming to Loudoun County, I directed the Intensive English Language Program at Shepherd and while there, I worked with non-native English speakers to help them prepare for the heavy amounts of reading, writing, and public speaking that is required of college students. I found, though, that I was much more comfortable working with middle school students when I was a student teacher, so I decided to jump the state line and establish a home in Virginia to begin my middle school teaching career.

I am an avid runner and reader, and I try to see as many new movies as I can. Finally, I love to travel, and my favorite places to travel are right here in the United States. When my brother and I were growing up, my father centered all of our family vacations around a national park, and it wasn't until I was older that I understood their beauty and serenity. I hope to visit every national park in the U.S.! 

My goal for every student who walks through my classroom door is a simple one: I hope to help each and every one of you grow as critical thinkers, writers, readers, and presenters. I very much value collaboration; we never, in my opinion, accomplish anything on our own. We should always be observing other people, and we should always welcome constructive feedback and new ideas. I hope that every student sees the immense value of being a lifelong learner; as the German author Goethe once wrote, "The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as where we are moving." 

Let's have a stellar year!