It has been three years since I assumed the helm at Valley View School. The time has rocketed by. The foundation of Valley View was solid and timeless. However, given what we have learned in the last several decades about adolescence, psychology and neuroscience, Valley View was in need of a significant overhaul. A therapeutic boarding school is a highly complex social system, encompassing layers of academic, environmental, and therapeutic engagements. When I arrived, I knew that I needed to bolster two main areas: our special education services and our clinical expertise. I have invested heavily in these two domains by attracting exceptionally skilled and committed professionals and letting them use their talents for the good of our students. This investment has paid huge dividends. Our students with learning differences are receiving expert, individualized instruction that will change the trajectory of their academic lives. Our four in-house clinicians provide intensive individual and family engagement, in addition to conducting 5 different therapy/experiential groups per week. All of this occurs within a firm, nurturant and normalizing structure.
I am very excited about the future of Valley View School and the incredible work of our team. It has been an honor, an enormous amount of work, and a great deal of fun to guide this fine therapeutic boarding school into a new era.
Please feel free to contact me if any of your clients could benefit from Valley View School. (As a reminder, our typical students are boys, 11-15 years of age on admission, with mild to moderate levels of severity – ADHD, anxiety, depression, school avoidance, learning issues, family conflict, oppositionality and the higher functioning end of ASD.)
Enjoy the coming of spring,
Thomas Nowak, PhD
Executive Director
