History
Over ten years ago, Region III Superintendents asked that a public school program covering pre-kindergarten through eighth grade be developed to serve the needs of children with autism and related learning difficulties in the Northern Valley area. Neighboring special education regions joined in to support the concept of a high quality program providing research-based interventions together with inclusion opportunities within the community.
PIE PLUS, the original name of the program, formed a Developmental Committee with parents, staff and administration. The first consultant group, Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, Rutgers University, was hired to assist. After two preschool classes were started, the Eden Family of Services of Princeton, New Jersey and its Director of Outreach Services became the new consultant.
We changed our name to the Valley Program in our fourth year.
At the same time, the Region IIjoined Northern Valley in providing services to these students. We expanded to work with Region V in our fifth year, with the addition of three classes in the River Dell Middle School.
The Valley Program presently offers sixteen classrooms for children three to twelve years old with inclusion resources available at all levels. Our preschool children have opportunities to participate in several preschool classes at the PIE (Preschool Instruction for the Exceptional) program and Wee Tots Program and a private preschool cooperative. Four Valley classrooms are housed in regular educational settings.
Program Components
- Nationally Certified Staff in Applied Behavioral Analysis oversee the Valley Program.
- Staff to student ratios of one teacher and four teacher assistants to six students (preschool) and one teacher and three teacher assistants (primary). Additional teacher assistants meet individual student’s needs per the IEP.
- Six masters-level speech therapists serve our children. Speech services include individual sessions, group sessions, and pragmatics consultation within the classroom.
- Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy are provided as directed by the IEP.
- Parent Clinics and written progress reports three times per year to update families regarding student progress.
- Parent training for parents of students newly enrolled in the Valley Program to assist parents with techniques used in the classroom/home/community.
- Community experiences for the students to develop appropriate social skills, behavioral controls, and generalization of skills into a variety of natural settings.
- PIE/Valley P.T.O.
- Sibling Support Group
- Parent Support Group
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