Introduction: 

My name is Patrick Scharf. I am married with three sons; one  is a school counselor in Rochester, NY, one has received his DVM from the Vet school at Virginia Tech and is working in Denver, Colorado (see link at bottom of page to meet his animal-loving friend in NM), and the youngest is finishing graduate school at VCU.  I am in my seventeenth year of teaching at LCMS. I have a biology degree from Mary Baldwin University, and am endorsed for secondary biology and middle school science. I have always loved teaching, and find great joy in sharing my passion for science. I use my sense of humor to create fun energy in discussions and lessons. My expectations for learning and putting forth effort are quite high, and the students rise to the occasion. I believe that students should begin to own their actions regarding academics and because of that belief, I do not call home to remind parents of missing assignments. My expectation is that parents monitor the portal to see if work is missing. Students should be ready to push themselves, and be willing to take risks for personal growth. Their best success will come from discussing what they learned that day. This class is not about the grade, but is instead about developing skills, and identifying how they learn best. Now that we have gone on our many WorldStrides trips to Florida (2018, 2021), Alaska (2019) the Galapagos Islands (2022), Costa Rica Coastline (2023), and Iceland (2024),  Costa Rica interior (2025)I am looking forward to my last trip as I venture back to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Although this trip is full, I will discuss the possibility for a second group. Stay tuned for announcements in August. Please visit the field trips pages to see photos or trip videos, and to see what your child could experience on our trips.

Prior to teaching, I had been a rehabilitation engineer, providing increased independence for people with functional disabilities (mostly spinal cord injuries), and consulting for insurance companies throughout USA.  I served as executive VP with a retirement community, and helped a friend start a sporting goods business. I am also a part-time employee with UVA athletics, working at the scorer's table for softball, baseball, and wrestling events.  M hobby is making one-of-a-kind wooden boxes As you can see, family is important to me, which is why I try so hard to foster a family-like environment in my class.

If you have any concerns about the events in class, or about assignments, please feel free to contact me.

Email: scharfpt@lcps.k12.va.us

Phone: 540 894-5457 

Plus you can text me using the Remind app