Valley New School
Share
A LEARNING COMMUNITY THAT EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME PURPOSEFUL ADULTS Valley New School (VNS) provides an unusual environment in several ways.
No separate classrooms, but a large, open, business-like space. No rows of desks, but pods of L-shaped workstations with a computer shared by each pair of students. No “teachers,” but an advisor assigned to each group of approximately 16 students. No bells, but time-management placed essentially in the hands of individual students. No individual classes, but student-directed research projects. The curricular focus of the VNS model is rooted in the concept that each person is his/her own best teacher. Instead of formal, subject-oriented classes, students develop their own learning experiences based on their interests and passions. Students work with parents and advisors to develop and complete comprehensive research projects (approximately 1000 hours of documented work per year). Completed projects are evaluated and credit is granted based on the quality and breadth of each student’s work. The educational goals at VNS center on empowerment of the entire school community. Students, staff, and parents are encouraged to take responsibility and ownership of the learning model. Students become independent, self-motivated, lifelong learners as they develop their individual talents. Numerous opportunities for community involvement and connection nurture the ethic of community responsibility as students prepare to continue their educational paths. Valley New School offers 64 students in grades 7-12 the opportunity to learn in an integrated, project-based environment. VNS provides unprecedented access to technology, an active focus on the community, and a student-advisor ratio of 16 to 1. The school has been designated as a national “lab school” for project-based learning by the Gates-EdVisions organization and, as such, provides an example and leadership in best practices for this learning model.
09/28/2026
🍂 VNS Fall Family Picnic! 🍂
Join us for an evening of fun, food, and community at our VNS Fall Family Picnic! 🧺
📅 Thursday, October 1st
📍 City Park
⏰ 6:00–7:00 PM
Bring your own picnic dinner and enjoy an evening together with a variety of games, activities, and plenty of opportunities to connect with other VNS families! 🎉
09/26/2026
🌿🌊 Service Week at VNS!
This week, our students came together to learn, serve, and make a difference in our community. We kicked things off Tuesday with a visit to River View Gardens and wrapped up today with a group of students at the river for a cleanup and invasive species check.
The week concluded with our Service Fair, showcasing the many ways students can get involved throughout the year and create positive change. From hands-on environmental stewardship to connecting with local service opportunities, it was a meaningful week of learning, giving back, and making an impact! 💪🌎
09/22/2026
WHERE is VNS traveling in Summer 2028? Find out at tonight's info meeting! All VNS families, friends, and alumni are invited (to the meeting & abroad)!
09/18/2026
What an AMAZING overnight field trip to Southwest Wisconsin! 🌟
We kicked things off with a brief troll hunt in Mt. Horeb before giving our students the chance to experience some incredible local activities and businesses, including the Driftless Museum, Brix Cidery, Heirloom Craftsman, and Center Grounds Pottery. We also explored the fascinating Cave of the Mounds with a guided tour.
After an overnight stay at Deer Valley Water Park, we wrapped up our trip today at American Players Theatre with a performance of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. 🎭
But perhaps the BEST highlight of the entire trip was hearing multiple compliments over the past two days about how amazing our students are. From people we met along the way to the places we visited, our students represented VNS with curiosity, kindness, and respect.
And we couldn’t agree more. We are incredibly proud of them! ❤️😀
09/11/2026
🏛️ Pillars of Our Community! 🏛️
Our students brought our VNS Community Commitments to life!
Working in groups, students decorated our pillars to represent the Community Commitment they were given. But they didn’t stop there—each group also created a video explaining what that commitment means to them and how they can live it out in our school community.
The creativity, thoughtfulness, teamwork, and personal connections our students brought to this activity were amazing! 🙌
These pillars are more than just decorations—they represent the kind of community we are building together at VNS.
So proud of our students and the way they continue to make VNS a special place to learn, grow, and belong! ❤️
08/27/2026
Happy New Year and welcome back, VNS! 🎉
We kicked off the first day of school with a fun bonding activity downtown, exploring our community through photography and focusing on different perspectives. 📸
From there, we began learning about the culture of VNS and the many things that make our school such a special place. It was a great start to a new year of building connections, learning, and growing together!
We’re excited to see what this year brings! 💙
06/01/2026
Great day of advisory bonding at Valley New School!
The Luedtke Advisory spent the day exploring and learning at Ledge View Nature Center, while The Fourness Advisory hit the trails for a hike at High Cliff State Park.
A day filled with fresh air, adventure, and community!
05/27/2026
Tomorrow is the day!! Celebrating the class of 2026! 👩🎓👨🎓🎊🎉
05/22/2026
05/22/2026
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Category
Telephone
Website
Address
122 E. College Avenue, Suite 2B
Appleton, WI
54911
Opening Hours
| Monday | 7:55am - 3:15pm |
| Tuesday | 7:55am - 3:15pm |
| Wednesday | 7:55am - 3:15pm |
| Thursday | 7:55am - 3:15pm |
| Friday | 7:55am - 3:15pm |
Alerts
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Valley New School posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.