2024 MASE Legacy Award
Jill Skarvold to Receive MASE Legacy Award
Updated October 24, 2024
MEDFORD, MN -- The Minnesota Administrators for Special Education (MASE) has named Jill Skarvold, Specialist at the Lakes Country Service Cooperative (LCSC), recipient of the 2024 Legacy Award. Skarvold was honored for her commitment to encouraging, developing, and mentoring leaders who reflect the MASE mission at a statewide recognition ceremony during the 2024 MASE Fall Leadership Conference, October 20-22, 2024, at Madden’s on Gull Lake, Brained, MN.
Skarvold has dedicated 48 years to the field of education and administration. She has served for the past nine years as a Specialist for LCSC. Prior to her time at LCSC, Skarvold was the Executive Director of Learner Support Services for Moorhead Area Public Schools for 14 years. Before her work in Minnesota, Skarvold held several positions in North Dakota, including Director of Student Services, Assistant Director of Special Education, Principal, and State Assistant Director of Special Education. She began her career as a Special Education Teacher and Department Chair in the St. Mary’s County Public Schools in Leonardtown, MD. In addition, Skarvold served as an adjunct professor for the Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) Educational Leadership graduate program.
“Jill has set a high standard of excellence in our field. Her unwavering dedication, commitment to training and mentoring, and empathetic approach to problem-solving have created a lasting impact on special education in our region and across the state," wrote Shannon Erickson, Director of Special Education for the Fergus Falls Area Special Education Cooperative, in her letter of support. "Jill’s contributions have been invaluable, and she is more than deserving of the MASE Legacy Award.”
As a member of MASE, Skarvold has served as Board President, Area Representative, and Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) Liaison. She has also served on numerous committees, including Professional Development, Nominations, Legislative, Strategic Planning, Federal Advocacy, the Stenwick Benson Scholarship Review Committee, and the Minnesota Special Education Leaders Foundation Board. Skarvold has represented MASE on the Minnesota Department of Education Task Force on Recruitment Issues for Special Education, the Mild Disabilities Advisory Committee, the State Advisory Committee on RtI, and the Restrictive Procedures Workgroup. Beyond Minnesota, she also served on the executive boards for special education administrators’ associations in Maryland and North Dakota.
Skarvold has served on the Dean's Advisory Committee, Speech Language Hearing Services Advisory Board, and the Special Education Advisory Committee at Minnesota State University Moorhead. She has also been actively involved with various community organizations, such as the Children's Services Coordinating Council and the United Way Board of Directors in North Dakota, as well as the Children's Mental Health Advisory Board of Clay County and the HOPE Board of Directors in Minnesota.
Skarvold was the recipient of the 2018 CASE National Special Education Administrator of the Year and the 2017 MASE Special Education Administrator of the Year.
Skarvold earned her master’s and specialist degrees in Curriculum & Instruction and Administration from the University of Maryland. She received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from the University of North Dakota.
The MASE Nominating Committee selects the Legacy Award recipient based on a review of biographical information provided in the nomination materials. The recipient must be a current active MASE member (or active at the time of their retirement) who has contributed to the professional growth and development of others through a service history as a long-standing, contributing MASE member. The recipient must demonstrate a commitment to the field of special education through training, mentoring, personal support, modeling, and demonstrating an impact that is considerable and measurable over time; and contribution at the local, regional, and state levels.
MASE is a professional association organized to promote programs and services to improve the education of children with disabilities, to foster high-quality programs of professional development, and to study problems relating to serving children with disabilities and improving the leadership of administrators for special education. MASE members are administrators for special education in public or private schools, cooperative regional, state and other educational administrative units, college and university professors of special education teacher or administrator preparation programs, and administrators, coordinators or consultants for the Minnesota Department of Education.
Photo of Jill Skarvold | PDF Version
MASE
P.O. Box 427, Medford, MN 55049
members@mnasa.org | 651-645-6272
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