For eleven years, Peter De Witt taught elementary school in upstate New York. He received a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY. Peter taught in the public school system and went back to get a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. He spent eleven years teaching elementary school and three of those years he also taught graduate courses at the College of Saint Rose. Teaching teachers gave him the opportunity to give back to the profession that gave him so much.

     While teaching elementary school, Peter wrote children's stories to read to his students. He joined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Children's Literature Connection, and began going to writers' conferences. It was always his dream to write children's books, and his dream of becoming published became a reality. The following are Peter's books:

Toaster Pond (DNA Press)

Isabella and the Room of Lost Brooms (DNA Press, fall 2007)

Catcher's Mitt (Grief Digest, fall 2007) 

     In July of '06, after receiving his advanced study degree in school administration, Peter proudly became the Principal of Poestenkill Elementary School in the Averill Park Central School District. Averill Park is a suburban school district in upstate New York. In addition, Peter is a national consultant and educational presenter for The International Center for Leadership in Education, which is an educational organization that works with schools in 45 states across the country. Peter speaks nationally on the topic of Struggling Learners. It's a topic he knows a great deal about, because he struggled throughout his early academic life.

     In the winter of '08, Peter appeared in weekly education segments on News Channel 13 (WNYT, NBC Affiliate). He worked with Elaine Houston (newscaster) on educational issues parents and children face everyday. The segments, which also included a blog at WNYT.com, ran every Tuesday on the 5:30 p.m. news and again at 5:30 a.m.  

E-mail Peter at toasterpond@hotmail.com. 

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