Our History
Founded in 1985 by Patricia Overy, The Valley School continues to be a place where, as Pat put it, “children are created equal in their right to an unfettered start in life through a good education.”
Valley began as a single class of 4-6 year olds. Designed to be an intentionally small school, the location in the middle of a quiet, residential neighborhood was no accident. The campus is a former fruit orchard and each classroom opens out onto the extensive playground. From the very beginning, the school has felt like a home away from home, where students can feel deeply known and safe, which enables them to take risks and grow beyond their comfort zone.
Drawing on her expertise in child development and early literacy, Pat created a school where children could thrive, intellectually as well as emotionally. She believed that childhood was not a race, but a time of deep learning, growth and expansion of a child’s world. As she put it, “Our curriculum, which is carefully planned to meet high grade level expectations, must still be flexible enough to challenge and support every child. We teach children, not just subject matter.”
As Valley has grown, so too has its curriculum and the depth of the teaching. The school has added research-informed curricula for early literacy, a strong math program, and woven anti-bias practices throughout the curriculum development. In 2020, Valley became fully accredited with the Northwest Association of Independent Schools, giving it access to the latest thinking and best practices from across the independent school world.
Valley now encompasses half the block, having grown from a single classroom to 5 buildings, including a lower school (pre-K through second grade), and upper school (3rd-5th grade), an administration building, an outdoor classroom, a dedicated science room, library, Language Lab and meeting hall. As the school has grown, it has held tight to these beliefs, that school should be a place of joyful learning, where teachers and families work closely together to create a community in which children can become the best version of themselves.
