Dr. Valerie L. Witt - Administrator

 

Dr. Valerie Witt has been homeschooling her own children since 1984, and was one of the early pioneers in the homeschool movement in Washington State. She went back to school in 1985, completing her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education in 1987 through St. Martin's College. She received her continuing teaching certificate in 1988, and graduated cum laude in 1994 with her Master's degree in gifted education. Her Master's thesis was a statewide research study entitled, 'A Descriptive Study and Needs Assessment of the Typical Washington Homeschool Family.' Her work was later published in the Home School Researcher, a publication of the National Home Education Research Institute. In 1995 she founded her own private school program; this same year she was awarded a cash prize for being the supervising teacher of the 2nd place national winning project in the American Express geography competition-a competition that garnered her student $5,000.00!

In the year 2000 she added two more endorsements to her teaching certificate, and now holds special endorsements for 4th-12th in Agriculture, Earth Science, Political Science, History, and Social Studies. She also helped create a web-based course in Animal Science that is now being offered through Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Oregon. In 2005 she was conferred a Ph.D. in education by Capella University after successfully defending her dissertation, ‘A COMPARISON AND DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF HOMESCHOOL READING AND VOCABULARY SCORES TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.’ Her research can be obtained from ProQuest UMI Dissertation Services (number 3174333).

Recently she has been researching and developing programs for children with disabilities, specifically for individuals who have suffered organic brain damage (FASD) as a result of maternal alcohol consumption.  Dr. Witt has a passion for individualized, non-institutional learning environments, and believes that family-centered education can be the salvation for many bright and capable students who might otherwise fall through the cracks of a traditional school program. She believes the same holds true for students and families with special needs.

In 1996 Valerie, her husband Dan, and their daughter Rebekah adopted their five foster children, becoming a large and rambunctious 'chosen' family of eight. Together the family operates a 16-acre small animal ranch, which serves as the agriscience program for Calvary Academy. Her ‘Little Red School House’ is flanked by a hay shed, stalls, a market pig barn, ancient pear trees, park-like forests, and picturesque pastures dotted with friendly critters. What a way to learn, and what a way to teach!