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Our Mission, Values and Philosophy

Our Mission

At The Valley School, we ignite children's natural passion for learning. Our students develop an academic foundation and become joyful learners through playful work, purposeful play, and the practice of community.

Our Values

The Valley School community—parents, children, faculty and administration—puts the positive educational experience of children at the center of everything it does, guided by the following values:
  • Collaboration
  • Respect for individuality
  • Kindness
  • Creativity
  • Equity and Belonging
  • Childhood
Our Philosophy
Our educational philosophy shapes every aspect of school life. From recess activities to thematic units, the principles behind our approach are apparent every day.
  • Emotional and social intelligence go hand-in-hand with academic studies because children learn best when they are happy and secure
  • Play, imagination and exploration are vital to a child’s development
  • Children should be taught as individuals, in ways that best suit the child's stage of development and learning style
  • Open-ended materials and inquiry in the classroom foster lifelong curiosity, creativity and growth
  • A love of learning is developed through experience, inquiry and imagination and results in independent and reflective thinkers
  • A complete education cultivates depth of character including empathy, moral courage, sense of responsibility, and commitment to justice
  • Effective teachers create an environment where learning is joyful and exciting, children are met with appropriate challenges and independence and group cooperation are both highly valued
 

HOW OUR VALUES GUIDE OUR WORK 

  • Teachers teach, model and assess social and emotional skills.

  • Students participate in a School Buddy Program where older and younger students are paired together to learn from one another.

  • We practice kindness with our Valley School pets.

  • All grades engage in a variety of meaningful community service projects connected to our curriculum.

  • Students collaborate in classrooms and on playgrounds all day.
 
  • Each student is at the center of his/her learning. Children learn and grow in unique ways. We recognize each student’s individual path and pace.

  • We offer varied types of instruction and assessment to meet individual student needs.

  • Our small school and class size allow us to know the whole child.

  • The student support team does both "pull out" tutoring and "push in" support for students in the classroom.

  • Our focus is on students. We reserve time during weekly meetings to discuss how to best meet the needs of every child.
 
  • Our students engage in Purposeful Play and Playful Work every day.

  • Our program includes an integrated, responsive curriculum with room for student inquiry, voices and interests.

  • Learning is doing. We use play and exploration as catalysts for learning.

  • We call our playground “The Second Classroom” because so much learning happens there. Playground “provocations” offer opportunities for open-ended, student led play and the practice of imagination.
 
  • Small School or Big Home? We are a close knit community.
  • Student voices and interests have a place in our curriculum.
  • We value the background of each child and family.

  • Teachers build strong relationships with students.

  • Small class sizes enable strong connections.
  • All School Celebrations bring us together.
  • Affinity groups give students an opportunity to connect with others who share similar ideas and interests and creates a sense of belonging within our community.
  • Valley School teachers are early childhood experts.  

  • Our work is rooted in developmentally appropriate practices and guidelines. 

  • Our program promotes healthy habits through a social and emotional curriculum, plenty of exercise, fine and gross motor skill development, time spent outdoors, and a low-stress environment.

  • The pace of our school day is designed for optimal learning and fewer transitions.

  • Stress inhibits learning. We expect best effort work in a relaxed setting. Homework is minimal.