All Valley District News

Hello Valley families!

As you know very well, a new school year has begun at Valley! Welcome back to our returning students,families and staff and a very warm welcome to those joining the Valley family for the very first time. We hope you are enjoying this beautiful autumn weather.

While the summer months often act as a reprieve for most educational establishments, Valley Collaborative’s Adult Program pushes straight through and continues in the mission to provide meaningful employment, volunteer, recreational, and social learning opportunities.

The Transitional High School, Alternative Programs had a challenge on its hands. How could the school make better use of its existing space in order to better support students?

Think like an occupational therapist. That’s the message that the OTs who support students at Valley Transitional Middle and High School are bringing to their work with staff and job sites, both inside of the school building and out in the world.

Aiden Russell, a senior at Valley Collaborative, held his gold medal between two fingers, feeling the raised Special Olympics symbol. He gave his best on the field, and like his fellow student-athletes, beamed with pride in the bright late spring sunshine
on June 11 at St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers.

The Valley Elementary School Fishing Club was in full swing this summer. The club, started last year by Nicholas Cote, introduces students to the joys of fishing, often for the first time.

The 2025–2026 school year is off to a running start! Classrooms are active, curricula are in place, students are learning, therapy is underway, classes are heading out on field trips, and the vibrant exuberance that defines our Elementary School is in full swing.

On May 12, 2025, our Valley travelers hopped on a bus and started their journey on their 11th annual adventure.

The Transitional High School Alternative Programs are celebrating another successful year, as students in all three of our sites are finding their way and planning for the future. Here’s a look at three students who exemplify Valley’s individualized approach.

The theme at Valley Transitional High School this year has been ‘independence.’ Thanks to the hard work of Vocational Coordinator,  Scott Morin, more students are being placed in internships that correspond to their interests. Scott says that the surge in placements reflects both the rebound of Valley’s vocational programming after COVID and the students’ hard work.

It's been quite a year at Valley Elementary. From adventurous field trips to new clubs and more spirit weeks than we can count, we’re ending the 2024-2025 school year on a high note. Here’s a look at some of the highlights.

Dear Valley Community: Valley’s focus on high quality leadership makes the difference.  Each year the Dr. Anthony Bent Leadership Award is given to a Valley employee who exemplifies leadership qualities and has made a significant difference to the climate and culture of the collaborative. This award is named in honor of Dr. Anthony Bent.  

The Valley Collaborative Adult Program is regularly seeking out opportunities for the individuals to learn about new technology and initiatives that can help them with every day life, while also learning about new and exciting ways to receive standardized, on-going support. Recently, five individuals attended an Assistive Technology Fair hosted by the Northeast Arc at the Liberty Tree Mall. This event gave the individuals the chance to learn about a range of assistive technology products from 30 vendors.

Fiscal year 2025 has been extremely busy in the business office as the Collaborative has gone through a total of six very successful audits, conducted by two state agencies, one state commission, and an independent financial audit. Below is the summary of results from this body of work.