All Valley District News

Hello Valley families:

It has been an honor to work with Valley’s committed staff to offer high quality special education services in the most fiscally responsible manner. Our collective work and dedication to Valley’s mission has resulted in positive outcomes for students in our K-12 programs as well as participants in our DDS & MRC programs. I would like to thank Valley’s Board Chair, Dr. Jay Lang, and the Board of Directors for their effective oversight, governance and generous support of this most important work. Valley is proudly owned and operated by nine member school districts.

Valley Collaborative is fortunate to have incredibly dedicated staff who are devoted to helping those we serve realize the best possible outcomes. This season, we are pleased to recognize our outstanding staff who’ve been part of the Valley community for five, ten, and fifteen or more years. Thank you for all you do to make Valley such a special place.

As we approach the holiday season, the adults served by Valley Collaborative enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to give back to the community that shows them so much support throughout the year. The individuals eagerly participate in both a toy and food drive as a way to provide fellow community members with much needed support during the holidays. Every year the holiday season acts as a reminder of how lucky we all are to be part of the Valley Community, and how powerful we can be when we come together for a worthy cause.

Something especially delicious is being cooked up in Valley’s kitchen these days. A sampling of some recent lunch specials include chicken marsala, creamy chorizo pasta, and handmade chicken sandwiches with a school favorite, hot honey sauce.
The new emphasis on scratch cooking comes courtesy of culinary vocational instructor Craig Ouellet, who started in the position at the start of the school year, and quickly set about overhauling the culinary program. Craig and an alternating team of three students approach each day much like a professional restaurant staff would, coming up with a dish, shopping for the necessary ingredients, then working their magic in the kitchen.

At a recent meeting of Valley’s new book club, students were abuzz about reading. Started this fall, the new program at Valley’s Transitional Middle and High School has serious academic goals, including building confidence in readers. For club members, the attraction of the group might be summed up with a simple motto: ‘reading is fun.’

Safety and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do at Valley Elementary School. School nurse Kathryn Richard and classroom teacher Becca Valcanas launched a special initiative this year to provide adaptive swim lessons for students with autism and developmental disabilities. The decision was driven by a sobering statistic: children with these diagnoses are up to 160 percent more likely to die from drowning than the general population.

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.