Small school, big dreams: Valley School of Ligonier for All
The best learning is deeply rooted in the spirit of joy. Since every child is unique, exceptional education will look a little different for each student. Serving children from kindergarten through eighth grade, Valley School of Ligonier provides students with a balanced academic program in a positive and supportive cultural environment.
By encouraging children to take risks, develop a growth mindset, explore their passions, set optimistic goals, think critically, and advocate for themselves and others, Valley School students develop lifelong habits of moral behavior. With a campus nestled among 400 wooded acres, Valley School is led by the core values of cultivating wellness, seeking wisdom, embracing integrity, and building community.
There’s no doubt that choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions facing parents today. There are many choices — public, private, and independent options abound — and the “best” choice varies based on the needs of each child and family. However, the environment created within an independent school like Valley School enables children to reach their full potential and blossom into confident young adults who engage in critical reflection and contribute in a meaningful way to their community.
So, what makes Valley School as exceptional as each student it serves? Let’s take a look at the top 10 reasons families choose Valley School of Ligonier for their children’s education.
1. Mission & Values
Valley School’s educational practices align with its mission and Valley School Core Values, which means that Valley School graduates become young adults who cultivate wellness, seek wisdom, embrace integrity, and build community. Through meaningful conversations, experiential learning, and developmentally appropriate activities, students come to understand the meaning of the four Valley School Core Values, and are empowered to put them into practice in their own lives.
2. Culture of Academic Excellence
High academic standards create a culture of academic excellence, encouraging a growth mindset in all students. Valley School nurtures curiosity, promotes critical thinking, and instills a lifelong love of learning in its students.
3. Flexibility
Independent schools are just that — independent. Without curriculum, textbook, and testing mandates, Valley School has the freedom to create educational experiences that meet the needs of each individual student.
4. Low Student-to-Teacher Ratio
Small class sizes promote close connections between teachers and students. With one teacher for every six students, Valley School’s low student-to-teacher ratio allows for high student engagement, participation, and individualized attention, which boosts student performance and creates a strong support network for any challenges that may arise.
5. Faculty Expertise
Valley School’s faculty teach in their areas of expertise, and have the flexibility to adapt their classrooms to the learning styles, interests, and motivations of their students. Passionate and talented, the faculty have an average tenure of 12 years.
6. Curriculum
Valley School’s broad spiraled curriculum emphasizes traditional subjects like mathematics, English/language arts, and social studies, but also includes hands-on science, Spanish, technology, art, music, and sports. While other schools have reduced or eliminated these programs, Valley School has dedicated additional resources to them by adding faculty and renovating our science, technology, and fine arts spaces.
7. Small, Close-knit Community
The small, close-knit community enables students to form deep connections, fostering friendships that last long after graduation. Offerings like the Valley Bigs & Littles program and mixed-age dining and recess foster friendships across grade levels.
8. Whole-Child Education
While a strong academic foundation is essential for future success, Valley School moves beyond academics to educate the whole child. Through avenues like the social-emotional learning curriculum and advisory program, Valley School creates opportunities for physical, emotional, social, and creative growth. Embracing the whole child ensures that our students are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.
9. Family Partnership
At Valley School, you’ll join a community of parents who are actively invested in their child’s education. Faculty and staff want and value partnership with families, and the Valley School team works to promote communication among students, families, and teachers to ensure all actively work together toward the same goals.
10. Outdoor Education
Research shows that spending time outdoors improves concentration and focus, promotes creativity and imagination, and builds confidence. Valley School students benefit from a campus of 400 pristine, wooded acres with spaces for playing and learning. In addition to several recesses per day, many teachers take children outside for classes that use our natural environment as a space to explore, experiment, investigate, and be inspired.
While all students have access to a broad, robust academic program that is balanced with interests outside the classroom, a set of Signature Programs are available for Valley’s Upper School students. Designed to instill traditional academic knowledge but also to give students opportunities to engage directly with the Valley School Core Values, Signature Programs include AI Pioneers, where emerging engineers learn how to create projects for social good using Python programming language; or the Spring Musical, in which students participate in all aspects of the production.
Additional Signature Programs include: honors U.S. history/ELA, public speaking, The Settlement Project, doing good works, interdisciplinary field trips including international travel, character development through an advisory program, competitive interscholastic athletics, and a variety of visual and performing art electives.
Busing to Valley School is available from many local communities including Ligonier, Latrobe, Greensburg, Derry, Mount Pleasant, Johnstown, and Somerset.
Valley School of Ligonier enrolls new students at all grade levels on a rolling, space-available basis. If you’re looking for an education rooted in joy, Valley School is the place for you. For more information or to schedule a tour, please call 724-238-6652, visit ValleySchoolOfLigonier.org, or email admissions@valleyschoolofligonier.org.
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