Juli Vitello, Grade 7 & 8 Social Studies & Language Arts

Juli Vitello marks her fourth year at Green Woods Charter School with a leap from the third grade classroom to teacher of seventh and eighth grade Language Arts and Social Studies.  An honors graduate in Literature from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania, Ms. Vitello spent many years using her communications skills in radio, public relations, and as an Emmy award winning television producer.  In 1999 graduate school beckoned.  Ms. Vitello earned her Masters’ in Education at Chestnut Hill College with a certification for middle school.

As an instructor, Ms. Vitello embraces an inclusive classroom and “real life” learning such as current events, dissecting media and its messages, and understanding how we are governed.  Students need a strong understanding of these areas in order to take their rightful place in tomorrow’s world.  Language Arts and Social Studies are naturally integrated and will be taught concomitantly.  Since no two students learn the same way, course materials will include novels, non-fiction text, readers’ theater, primary documents, and websites.  Ms. Vitello’s goal is for students to recognize that learning opens many doors. 

Ms. Vitello is an avid reader and big fan of vocabulary words.  Her family includes her husband Don, a television director, her son Carson, a guitar-playing honor student at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School, and a precious little dog named Buster.  Ms. Vitello studies the mandolin and is an active member of the Philadelphia Folksong Society.

Green Woods Charter School is a great place to teach.  The serene setting fosters an understanding of the importance of nature in staff members and students alike.  The small size of the school makes each child stand out as an individual and allows teachers to teach each child in a positive way.  Collaboration by the staff is complete and friendly.  If it truly “takes a village,” then Green Woods provides one with involved parents, many siblings, and a safe, nurturing environment.  In addition, there is nothing like seeing a heron swoop low over the playground on a sunny day, or watching a turtle walk across the road to lay eggs in the brush.

Jean Wallace, Academic Director

As the Academic Director and CEO, Jean is responsible for guiding the design and implementation of our unique K-8 curriculum and for supporting the direction of all areas of school life. Jean works in collaboration with the Board of Trustees and Green Woods' Business Director to build on our successful past toward an even greater future.

Jean is responsible to the Department of Education for ensuring that Green Woods students are receiving a standards-based learning experience within the guidelines and mandates of Federal, State, and Charter School Law. In addition to the many responsibilities associated with curriculum and instruction, Jean supports Green Woods through successful grant writing, ongoing website communication, developing our student voice through the Jr. SLT, and by networking with key partners from within and outside the Green Woods community.

Jean's volunteer efforts as a member of the Governor's Council for Environmental Education provide a rare and exciting opportunity to work with many of the state's environmental experts and agencies. "By working collaboratively with the Department of Education and the many outstanding environmental agencies throughout our state, Green Woods is able to gain both valuable resources along with well-deserved recognition for the exceptional work being done by our teachers and students," Jean said. "Our innovative curriculum design allows us to use environment and ecology as the theme for integrated learning. Receiving the 2007 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence was proof of our success in delivering a high quality educational program at Green Woods."

In addition to the daily interactions with Green Woods dedicated staff and parents, Jean enjoys those special times when she gets to trail along on hikes with our budding naturalists. "Hiking with even our youngest students and seeing how they interact with the natural world is always an incredible learning experience for me. While many young children enjoy walking in the woods, Green Woods students are skilled observers, able to take in the big picture of the field ecosystem while at the same time patiently exploring the leaf litter in search of the smallest signs of life."

Jean holds a PA Certification for Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction and dual Pennsylvania teacher certifications, which recognize her ability to teach both K-12 Environmental Education and Elementary Education. She holds an Associate Degree in Health Science from Gwynedd Mercy College; a BA in Elementary Education from Beaver College, and a MAEd in Environmental Education from Arcadia University. Jean is currently enrolled in a post-graduate School Leadership Program at Arcadia.

Jean lives in Flourtown with her husband Frank, her mom Mary, her daughter Mary who attends the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University, and their black lab, Murphy.