Carol Vetter

I hold a Master of Arts in Teaching with a focus on Elementary Education (K-5) from Bellarmine University. I also have a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Virginia Intermont College. With over 15 years of experience working in various school settings, I have worked with students in both early childhood and elementary classrooms. After several years in the early childhood program at Chance, I returned to school to pursue my Master's degree, and I am thrilled to return to Chance as an elementary teacher this year.

I was first introduced to progressive education at a preschool where I worked after graduating from college. One of the things I noticed immediately was the level of choice students were given, from selecting the centers they wanted to explore in the classroom to deciding how to use art materials to create whatever they wanted. I was in awe of and inspired by this approach, which felt intuitive to me and aligned with my personal beliefs on how children learn best. I spent several years at home caring for my children before returning to the workforce at another private school. In 2016, I discovered the Virginia Chance School during my search for a school that embodied the progressive ideals I had encountered earlier. I love that at Chance, students' voices are honored, learning is experiential, and classrooms are caring communities welcoming all.

The nature-based component of Chance School is another important aspect that brought me here. In working at schools where time spent outside was valued, I saw how this impacted children's social, emotional, and physical well-being. Free time exploring outdoors leads to learning about the world around them, fostering compassion for all living creatures, risk assessment, and working collaboratively to solve problems, to name a few of the reasons it is important to me. I love how we incorporate time outside in nature every day at Chance School.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family - my four sons, taking walks, being in and learning about nature, knitting, reading, and continuing to pursue my passion for ballet. Yes, I am still dancing!