NORWOOD, N.J.—About 150 students, teachers, parents and public officials gathered Oct. 17 in Norwood to celebrate the acquisition of a school building for the Valley Program—the first home for a program begun in 1994 to address the needs of children on the Autism Spectrum from pre-K through age 18.
On a cool and windy day, officials from the Valley Program dedicated the new permanent home for the program, which currently serves needs of 133 children and adults from nearly 50 towns in Bergen County, including many Northern Valley communities.
“We thank you for joining us in the celebration of this dream come true,” said Northern Valley Regional School District Superintendent James Santana before cutting a ribbon to dedicate the school.
“It is a dream come true,” he said to growing applause from students and supporters filling seats outside the newly acquired school—now named Northern Valley Central.
The school was previously known as Immaculate Conception School until it closed in 2011.
The Valley Program began leasing the facility in 2016 from the Archdiocese of Newark.
The facility cost approximately $5.9 million to acquire, with financing from a long-term mortgage loan from the Bergen County Improvement Authority.
In short, the Valley Program “is a high quality public school program for children with autism,” said Kathy Vuoncino, school principal, and program director. Vuoncino became director in 2010 after serving nearly a decade as assistant director.
She took over for Dr. John McKeon, “my predecessor and role model,” said Vuoncino, and founder of the program in 1994.
Vuoncino thanked Santana for all his continuing efforts in helping to acquire a permanent home for the program, and Joanette Femia, former district business administrator.
She also thanked the Valley Foundation President Rich Perez for raising funds to assist the program, in addition to dozens of individuals and groups integral to the school’s support and successful operation.
‘Top of my wish list’
“For me owning a school building was definitely on the top of my wish list and one that I have wanted for our students and programs since I began working in this amazing program,” said Vuoncino. “We’ve moved three times and each time I was finally hoping that we were done…now this allows us to feel secure and safe [knowing] that we’ll always have a home.”
Vuoncino said having a permanent home will allow the Valley Program to add activities, programs and opportunities, and enhanced curriculum—all pluses to improve students’ lives.
She told Northern Valley Press that some immediate priorities will be adding a “sensory room,” updating kitchen facilities to enable students to improve culinary skills, and possibly upgrading school windows.
‘A place we can call home’
“Now we have full run of the building to do what we’ve always wanted to do. Now we finally have a place we can call home,” she said.
Vuoncino said the Valley Program has 26 classes at four locations.
At Northern Valley Central, the school offers pre-K through grade 12 instruction. She said there are 14 classes and two “Little Tots” pre-school classes for students 3 to 5 years old at Northern Valley Central.
She said the program offers three classes at Norwood Public School for grades 6-8; six classes at Harrington Park Public School for grades K-5; and two classes at Northern Valley Regional High School for grades 9-12.
In addition, a therapeutic intervention program for grades 1-8 for emotional and behavioral disabilities is offered at Norwood Public School, said Vuoncino.
Father Leo Butler, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church since 2008, said “great prophets have always had visions” and praised McKeon, also a deacon, for his persistence in founding a school for autistic children.
He called the faculty and staff at Northern Valley Central “living saints that serve our students. God bless you all,” he added.
“The building is alive serving the youth and their families in a capacity we could never dream of. And the mission of serving our young people continues, serving young people with special needs, nurturing the families in every capacity…the mission continues of caring for every student—mind, body and soul,” said the pastor.
Other positive remarks about the school’s dedication and future progress were made by Valley Foundation President Rich Perez, Bergen County Freeholder Mary Amoroso, and Bergen County Improvement Authority Director Mauro Raguseo.