Henrico's Top Teachers – Catherine Latcovich, Deep Run High School

The sudden and unexpected transition last March to virtual teaching presented challenges of all varieties for teachers throughout Henrico. But perhaps none were as prepared to make the shift as Deep Run High School psychology and leadership teacher (and social studies department chairperson) Cat Latcovich.

That’s because she’d already been doing it since 2008 through Virtual Virginia, a Virginia Department of Education program that offers a variety of courses for students statewide.

“It’s been very interesting to get to know some students throughout the entire commonwealth and to know that virtual education can be successful, even prior to this year,” she said.

When colleagues lamented the limitations of virtual learning, her advice was simple: “It can work for you.”

Latcovich’s assistance didn’t go unnoticed.

“As a department chair and natural leader, she facilitated this transition for many, many teachers in her building,” a nominator wrote. “She helped them prepare for success, troubleshoot problems, and improve virtual delivery of course content.”

That assistance was just one more role Latcovich took on willingly, adding to a schedule that by most human standards already would be untenable.

In addition to teaching two different subjects every year at Deep Run – and a third, social studies, some years – she also still teaches Virtual Virginia courses and is taking graduate school courses herself. Her day at Deep Run runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., then she has an hour-long break to get home and get settled before teaching Virtual Virginia courses from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. each weekday.

“It’s been sort of ridiculous,” she said of her schedule with a chuckle.

But, you get the sense she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Latcovich began her career teaching at Atlee High School in Hanover County for seven years, then went to work full time for Virtual Virginia for three before moving to a part-time role there when she accepted a full-time job at Deep Run.

Though her first love is history and she still teachers it every few years as needed, Latcovich now teaches mostly an Advanced Placement psychology course and a leadership studies course at the school.

She takes pride in the fact that the psychology course is now open to any sophomore, junior or senior who wants to take it – even those who may not necessarily be AP-ready.

“It’s so relatable to the students,” she said. “They can see things – theories that we’ve talked about in class – in their own lives.”

The leadership course has become a melting pot of students from a variety of backgrounds and talents, she said – and that’s due in part to her own diligence inviting students from all segments of the high school to consider the course. She realized that initially, it was attracting the type of students traditionally viewed as leaders – those who were the most confident or most popular – rather than others who might not even have realized the leadership qualities in themselves yet.

“In high school, they tend to associate that with the kid who talks the most,” she said.

Now, each current class of leadership students is part of the selection process for the following year’s class – creating application questions and hosting interview sessions for them.

“She is 100 percent invested in helping each of her students achieve their academic and personal growth goals,” a nominator wrote. “I can't tell you how many times I've heard students gush about Ms. Latcovich and her tireless devotion to her students. [It] means she is never off the clock.”