HCA Welcomes New Headmaster Marcus Skipper

Biography

My post secondary educational career began at Cape Fear Technical Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1986.  After spending one semester at Cape Fear in a general course of study I applied and was accepted at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the spring of 1987.  While at UNCW I majored in History and was accepted into the Watson School of Education earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education. 

My first full time teaching assignment took place at South View High School in Hope Mills, North Carolina.  While at South View I taught a broad spectrum of Social Studies courses ranging from Civics and Economics to Advanced Placement European History.  South View also afforded me the opportunity to coach several sports over my five year tenure there.  I will always have fond memories of South View because it gave me a strong foundation as a teacher and coach.   

After five years at South View I applied for a teaching and Head Varsity Basketball coach position at Topsail High School.  I was offered and accepted the position as an In School Suspension Coordinator and Head Varsity Basketball Coach.  I stayed at Topsail High for three years and had a great experience as a teacher and coach. 

After my third year at Topsail High School I applied to Masters in School Administration program at UNCW.  I was accepted at UNCW in the MSA program and also was recruited to teach at Lakeside Alternative High School in New Hanover County.  My experience at Lakeside was invaluable.  I taught low socio- economic students and students that were removed from the regular high school setting for various reasons and also became the assistant varsity basketball coach at New Hanover High School.  At Lakeside I discovered that all students were capable of learning if given the opportunity to work in a flexible, safe and structured learning environment.  I became very fond of my students at Lakeside and had the opportunity to see them grow socially and intellectually.  While at Lakeside I finished my Master’s degree at night as a part time student.  In my last year of the MSA program at UNCW, I received a full time administrative internship position with the state of North Carolina.  I was placed at Snipes Elementary School in inner city Wilmington for the fall semester and New Hanover High School for the spring semester.   

After earning my Masters I went into Administration full time.  I served as Assistant Principal at Johnson Elementary School in Wilmington, Trask High School in Rocky Point and then became Principal of Topsail Middle School in Hampstead.  After two years at Topsail Middle I applied for and received the Principalship at Topsail High School.  

My wife, JoEl and I have been married 18 years and have a daughter, Chandler who will be a junior at Topsail High this year.

In June of this year I interviewed for the Headmaster’s position at Harrells Christian Academy.  After several interviews I was offered the position as Headmaster at HCA.  I gladly accepted and feel very fortunate, blessed and honored to be at HCA.  I hope to continue to enrich the great tradition of HCA with “Excellence in Education through Christian Motivation.”