About Ms. Vitale

I am excited to begin my twenty-second year teaching at Conant School. I am looking forward to a great year with your children. I’m not sure how much you know about me, so let me take this time to tell you a little about myself.

My name is Betty Ann Vitale. I grew up in Boston and attended Wheelock College in Boston. I majored in Primary Education and Special Education. I also minored in Art. I graduated in 1989. My first teaching job was at Tufts Educational Day Care Center at Tufts University in Medford. I worked for four years with pre-school aged children and a wonderful team of teachers who I am still friends with today. The center served a wide range of families from the Tufts community and the surrounding cities. The center also welcomed many children with special needs. I attended Graduate School at Tufts, while teaching full time. At Tufts I majored in Child Study and fulfilled my fieldwork requirements by supervising student teachers in a variety of educational settings.

After completing my Graduate Degree I decided to try something new. I moved to Barrow, Alaska (the most northern point in the U.S.). I taught preschool for two years and then taught first grade for two years. While in Barrow, I had the chance to train as a Reading Recovery teacher. Living in the arctic in a small Eskimo community (accessible only by plane) was truly a learning experience.

When it was time to warm up again I moved back to Massachusetts. I moved to Maynard, (where I have lived for the past 28 years). Prior to coming to Conant, I taught in the Somerville Public Schools for seven years. I taught in a special program committed to a Constructivist Model of Education. Carefully designed classrooms and lessons allowed children to be active participants in the learning process. The program was also committed to welcoming parents into the classroom on a regular basis. In Somerville I taught Kindergarten, grade one and grade two.

Twenty one years ago I joined the Conant Community. I've taught first and second grade here. My own son attended Conant when he was young. He's all grown up now. 

I have also taught adults in a number of settings. In Alaska, I taught in the evenings at the local college. I have been a consultant to schools through the Center of Applied Child Development at Tufts in the areas of anti-bias curriculum and classroom management. I have also led workshops in literacy and math.

Over the years, I have had the chance to travel to some great places. I have been to Mexico, Europe, and Australia. One year I spent the summer driving across the U.S. I also traveled to Reggio Emilia, Italy to study about their world-renowned preschools and infant toddler centers.

I spend summers in NH at Lake Winnipesaukee with my family. I am rejuvenated from my summer break and enthusiastic about returning to school. This is my 37th year and very last year of teaching! and I am happy to say that I remain very committed to providing your children with the best possible educational experience. Each new group of children is a unique community of learners. I look forward to getting to know all of you. Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions. I can be reached by email at bvitale@abschools.org or you can send a note with your child.