LEARN MORE ABOUT VALLEY
THE FOUR NON-NEGOTIABLES
1. Respect
2. Responsibility
3. Ready to Learn
4. Safe Environment
OUR MISSION
The mission of Valley Middle School is to create a productive environment that nurtures responsible citizens and ensures each student reaches a high level of academic achievement as determined by local, state, and national standards. The Valley Middle School staff is dedicated to developing interventions and support systems to assure this outcome.
HISTORY
Valley Middle School is an environment where staff members model habits and behaviors that inspire all students to become goal-directed, organized and respectful individuals. In addition, the staff helps students to listen, to understand, and to work together to solve problems. Students learn to make healthy choices, thereby promoting the resilience, persistence, and positive self-worth necessary to achieve measurable improvements in their lives.
Valley Middle School is the oldest of three middle schools in the Carlsbad Unified School District. It currently serves 1,002 students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Since its inception in 1966, the facility was designed to facilitate “team teaching", an operating model which has placed the school on the cutting edge of instructional innovation and academic excellence. Reflected in this academic excellence are the numerous awards and achievements. Valley, a four-time California Distinguished School (1990, 1996, 2001, 2009), received nominations as a National Blue Ribbon School in 1993 and 2002 and was selected a National Blue Ribbon School in 2002.
THE VILLAGE SYSTEM
Beginning with the 1983-84 school year, Valley Middle School organized into interdisciplinary teams referred to as the Village System. This organizational structure reflects a “school-within-a-school” concept and is designed to help students make a successful transition from the self-contained elementary classroom to the fully departmentalized, comprehensive high school setting.
ACADEMIC SUPPORTS
Valley employs an instructional portfolio that strives to challenge our highest achieving students while providing the instructional support to our most needy populations. Strategies include: a mix of heterogeneously and homogeneously grouped classes, a special education department that fully mainstreams students while providing support in general ed classes, an English Learner (EL) program that offers a standards-based, grade level curriculum taught by highly qualified subject area teachers, and a high percentage of our staff that is trained in SDAIE, CLAD, GATE, and AVID. Interventions available to our students are provided within the school day and after school; they include mathematics support classes at all three grade levels, English Language Art support classes, two reading skills classes, and an after-school homework tutoring program open to all students.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Valley’s academic program, which offers an extensive electives menu, attests to our belief that a quality educational experience supports students’ interests. Students interested in technology can bloom in Science Tech, Computers, Journalism, or Broadcasting, which was recognized as the top broadcasting program in the country, while those interested in the visual and performing arts enroll in Beginning, Intermediate, or Advanced Band, Ensemble, Orchestra, Art, or participate in our after-school Drama Club. Students who want to explore Spanish can complete year one and two at Valley, while others who choose to give back to campus life in a leadership position enroll in ASB.
In summary, Valley Middle School offers an exciting and rigorous academic experience while providing the support for success and the ability to pursue self-interests.
Additional settings for Safari Browser.
