Profile
of the month

April 2021

Mr. Matthew James Schvaneveldt

Deputy Director - Head of Middle School - Math Teacher

Field: Middle School

How long have you taught at IST?
This is my 15th year teaching at IST and since 2004, when I started, have seen us add a High School, add a soccer pitch and now even a gym. It is great to see the school full of…people!

Describe IST in 3 words.
Committed to Growth: From our teachers to students to administrators, we are always trying to find ways to grow. Whether that is the beauty of our campus, our academic program, or our character education…IST pushes towards improvement.

What is your favorite thing about the community?
The students. I have met so many great students throughout the years and always feel blessed to have had a small part in their growth.  Being able to teach the same students for many years (one poor student I taught every year for 10 years!) helps develop a type of teacher-student relationship that allows me to witness their progress and enjoy seeing what they do even after university.

What are the typical characteristics of an IST student?
Our typical students are curious and competitive. You see their curiosity in the type of questions that they ask (often unexpected) and their competition in wanting high marks… or winning the House competition.

What is your favorite memory at IST?
My favorite memories are when I see a “light bulb” moment with my students in Math. When they finally understand a difficult concept they marvel that they didn’t understand it before. I love that. A close second would be any of several House competitions when I saw Kleos really putting in all their effort to win (or lose). Once that meant that I had my eyebrow split playing basketball…by my own teammate!

What would you be if you weren’t a teacher?
If I was smarter, I would have loved to have been an astronaut. Since the invention of email, I have dreamt about being a farmer.