Specials
Outdoor Education
At Valley Collaborative Elementary School, we value outdoor education. Our Outdoor-Ed program inspires students to explore, connect, and grow through hands-on experiences in nature. Designed to foster confidence, teamwork, and environmental stewardship, the program includes exciting activities such as hiking scenic trails, fishing in local ponds, swimming, biking, horseback riding and camping under the stars. These adventures not only promote physical health and resilience but also encourage curiosity and a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors. Whether roasting marshmallows around a campfire or spotting wildlife on a hike, students build memories—and skills—that last a lifetime.
STEM
In STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics), students apply the knowledge they have gained in grade level science curriculum to design and create during hands-on enrichment activities both in the STEM Lab and Greenhouse settings. Working in small groups, students are encouraged to use teamwork to test solutions to challenges, building their social skills, problem solving and self-confidence. In the STEM Lab, mistakes or unsuccessful trials are supported as an important part of the learning process. Students have access to technologies that promote learning and creation through tasks such as coding, robotics, electronic circuitry, or designing 3D printed materials. Zspace and VR Goggles provide additional learning opportunities in a 3-dimensional virtual reality format. In the Greenhouse, life science concepts are reinforced as students observe life cycles and interactions of plants and animals in action. Students develop outdoor skills, cultivate kindness and connect with their environment through the process of growing and eating food from the garden and caring for the animals that make up part of our small greenhouse ecosystem.
Music Therapy
In traditional music education, the goal of lessons and classes is to improve musical technique and performance. In music therapy, music is used as a tool and as the means to approach and achieve non-musical goals. At Valley Collaborative, these goals include, but are not limited to: improved social and group skills, improved communication skills, and the practice and generalization of goals from other disciplines. These may include goals from speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and the classroom. Working closely with the classroom teachers, speech and language pathologists, counselors, and other team members, The Board-Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC) designs goals and interventions based on the specific needs of each group and of the individuals in each group.
Music Therapy involves active participation by group members. Common music therapy interventions include, collaborative songwriting, recording projects, instrumental improvisations, computer-based music making, musical games, choice making, copying and memory activities, music listening and discussion, and music instruction. Students receiving music therapy are exposed to a wide range of musical instruments, techniques, and concepts. As music education often has many incidental therapeutic benefits, music therapy has many incidental musical benefits. At Valley Elementary school all students gain experience with music consistent with Massachusetts education standards.
Physical Education
In our Physical Education classes, the main goal and focus is to have our students become active learners through a variety of different sports and activities. Students get an opportunity to explore and develop many different body movements and skills that are utilized in our structured activity lessons. It is also one of our goals to influence our students to be active beyond the physical education setting. They are encouraged to seek alternative opportunities to be physically active children, utilizing what they are exposed to within our classes as a catalyst to their involvement in organized sports or recreational activities. Further, students learn more than physical education as social skills, behavior regulation, team building and gross motor goals are all addressed. In all of our activities, it is expressed how “safety” is our number one priority, with “having fun while learning” being a close second. In the end, we strive for each day to be an exciting and positive learning experience for all of our students.
