Dr. Susan Vatalaro has been part of the Beebe School faculty for as long as anybody can remember. After a long era of being such an essential part of the community, Vatalaro has decided to take a well-earned retirement.
Vatalaro has grown up in our own city of Malden, attending Beebe Junior High School and Malden High School as a child. Because of her Malden background, she lived very similar lives to many of her students, which gave her a better understanding about the students and their families. Vatalaro was always close to all her students; if there was a conflict, she was always willing to listen and help as best as possible.
The departing of Vatalaro will not only affect Beebe itself, but it will definitely impact the students and its staff. Transitions into such a significant role in a school isn’t simple for the predecessor, as it will leave a big hole to fill.
“It was not an easy decision, [she] knew that there was never going to be a right time to retire.” Vatalaro said. Since the beginning, she knew she never wanted to end her teaching career, but what contributed to her decision was the fact that she wanted to look for something else in the field of education. Vatalaro “only [wants] the love of education to expand, and overall make school fun for students”. She stated that she “wants [students] to be able to make memories, and share them with their own children”.
Vatalaro had left a huge effect on the staff at Beebe school. Colleen Clifford, Beebe’s sixth grade English teacher shares how, “putting her students first is [Dr. Vatalaro’s] highest quality. [She] looks outside the box, and isn’t only about academics”. Sixth grade Social Studies teacher Michelle Corbett, says that “[Vatalaro] has kept the school kid-centric and always made sure [her] students were [her] first priority”.
Sean Weldon is a seventh grade Math teacher, who joined the Beebe faculty in 2013. Weldon stated that Vatalaro has a true love for education and how “[Vatalaro’s] dedication to education influenced [her] success in being a good principal]”. He explained how Vatalaro is a role model for him and how her hard work not only sets an example for teachers like Weldon but for many students as well. In addition, the seventh grade Science teacher, Leslie Morrison, has been able to build up a strong relationship with Vatalaro. Morrison stresses that “because [Vatalaro has] been in Beebe for years, [she] has many connections with [her] students and their families”.
“[Vatalaro is] a wonderful principal because [she] honestly cares about the students and has been here for so many generations.” shared Bill Enwright, an eigth grade Social Studies teacher at Beebe. Enwright describes Vatalaro as a very caring person who’s attentive to all the events occurring. Having Vatalaro at the school really “brings to the school and old-school Malden quality” that is hard to come by.
It’s devastating to have to say goodbye to such an important figure to the Beebe School. The 8th grade class of 2018 will be the last class to graduate with Vatalaro. Eighth grade Beebe student Jordyn Morrissey stated that “Dr. Vatalaro [is] a [great] principal because she was doing many [tasks] that people [wouldn’t normally] think about”. Vatalaro has many objectives on a daily basis, plus she has to worry about managing the whole school and her students.
Kyle O’Brien, a junior at Malden High, had a pretty close connection with Vatalaro, due to the fact that his mother worked volunteer hours at the Beebe library. O’Brien explained how in the nine years of attending Beebe, he really got to know Vatalaro. “The fact that [Vatalaro] was caring and listened to your side of a story and was always on time and on top of things made [her] a great principal”. He also explained how he will miss having a principal that he could alway talk to even years after he graduated.
As Vatalaro departs, she leaves her mark on the history of Beebe. She has watched the generations of classes grow and develop to becoming great students. Finding a new principal will be a difficult task, as finding a new important head figure always is. We wish Beebe’s future principal the bestest of luck and we hope that Vatalaro enjoys her well earned retirement.
