Valley View School
North Brookfield, MA

Valley View School recently celebrated their 13th Parents' Weekend. Over a three day October weekend, families from across the country were treated to a busy and interactive program enhanced by the colorful New England Autumn foliage, as well as the year's first snow.

The weekend kicked off with breakfast for all, followed by a forum involving three former students who graduated from Valley View School together in 1991. The three men, who have found success as a lawyer, a software developer, and an MSW Social Worker, connected with parents and students alike throughout the weekend, sharing their experiences and thanking the many staff members who had been so influential and made such a positive impact on them nineteen years ago. The three spoke about their lives before, during and after Valley View, and spent an hour responding to questions from parents. It was an incredibly rewarding experience for those of us who had worked with these boys almost 20 years ago!

The afternoon continued with lunch, more parent/teacher meetings, a victorious soccer game, a reception, and our dinner/theater by the Valley View Players. The following day, parents continued with meetings, and many were able to take their son out for an overnight visit, returning Monday evening. The whole weekend is geared towards parents being able to network with others, enjoy time with their sons, and families realizing that they are not alone in their struggles. It was a successful time, and both newer and veteran parents left with a feeling that their son "was in the right place".

Valley View School is a small, private, residential treatment facility providing a year-round therapeutic environment for boys between the ages of eleven and sixteen who are having difficulty coping with their family, the world around them, and themselves. While these boys are generally bright, healthy youngsters from a wide variety of family and geographic backgrounds, they all share a common experience -- performing below their academic and social potential and behaving in a self-defeating manner.