DEMAREST—The Northern Valley Regional High School District is expanding its community service partnership to create new opportunities for high school students to connect, grow, and learn from each other. The initiative is designed to foster empathy and understanding by encouraging students—particularly those who might be struggling with attendance, motivation, or minor behavioral issues—to engage in meaningful, inclusive activities alongside their neurotypical peers.
Superintendent James M. Santana, in a letter to parents and guardians, outlined the district’s plans to enhance its existing programs to provide more “meaningful experiences” that help shape student perspectives. Santana emphasized that the expanded partnership will build on the district’s long-standing commitment to inclusion and collaboration among students across different social, academic, and leisure activities.
“Creating Inclusive Experiences”
The district’s approach involves leveraging successful existing programs like the Therapeutic Intervention Programs (TIP) and the Valley Program, which have already shown promise in bringing students together. TIP, for example, provides tailored opportunities for students with special needs to participate in social, academic, and leisure activities that are specifically designed by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams.
Additionally, high school students at Northern Valley Old Tappan (NVOT) and Northern Valley Demarest (NVD) have been involved in inclusion experiences through programs such as the “Hand in Hand” and “Challenger” programs, as well as events like the Access Prom and “Take Your Child to Work Day.” These programs have demonstrated significant benefits, with Santana noting “incredible growth” among students who participated in these inclusive events during the Extended School Year (ESY) 2024 session.
The district is also introducing new activities this year, such as bringing Valley Regional Program students to high school play rehearsals. These opportunities aim to expose students to the performing arts, providing not just leisure and social engagement but also an environment to build confidence and foster creativity.
Work-Based Learning and Beyond
In addition to inclusive experiences, the district is expanding its Work-Based Learning (WBL) programs, which allow high school students to gain valuable service learning and employment experience. Students can work in various roles, such as at Little Tots After Care at Northern Valley Central (NVC), where they engage with preschoolers while gaining paid employment experience before heading to college. Other interactions, like the NVD Access to the Links Golf event, continue to provide both social and practical learning environments.
“Our NVC and Summit House programs are key to providing meaningful interaction between our high school students and those from other specialized settings,” Santana explained. “We believe these expanded opportunities will not only help with personal growth and education but also enrich the high school experience.”
Community Support and Future Engagement
The letter from Santana underscores the district’s vision of creating a supportive and inclusive school community that values diversity, respect, and cooperation. He invites parents to a Q&A session on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Northern Valley Central gymnasium to learn more and ask questions about the expanded community service partnership. Parents are encouraged to email their questions in advance to Dr. Blair Rosenthal at rosenthalb@nvnet.org to help facilitate the discussion.
Santana concluded by expressing confidence that the new initiative will not only continue to provide inclusive experiences that benefit all students but also inspire many graduates to return and contribute to the district in various capacities. “By fostering these inclusive environments, we are expanding opportunities for all students,” he noted.