International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme
Valley Prep is proud to be an authorized IB World School, offering the IB Primary Years Programme to students from Preschool through 8th grade. The PYP is a rigorous, inquiry-based framework that connects subjects through six trans-disciplinary themes reflecting the real complexity of the world. More than an academic program, the PYP develops cultural sensitivity and international-mindedness alongside intellectual capability. At Valley Prep, the IB framework shapes how every lesson is built, how every question is asked, and how every student comes to understand their place in the world.
“The aim of the IB is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world.”
— IB Mission Statement
Who We Are
An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures.
Where We Are in Place and Time
An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind.
How We Express Ourselves
An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; our appreciation of the aesthetic.
How the World Works
An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world and human societies; how humans use scientific principles.
How We Organize Ourselves
An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact.
Sharing the Planet
An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.
Values That Define a Global Citizen
While academic achievement is important, IB schools place even greater importance upon the Learner Profile — a set of values and traits that form the foundation of global citizenship.
Open-Minded
Explores ideas and perspectives with curiosity and respect.
Reflective
Thinks deeply about their learning and personal growth.
Principled
Acts with integrity and a strong sense of fairness.
Balanced
Nurtures intellectual, physical, and emotional well-being.
Caring
Shows empathy, compassion, and respect for others.
A Complete Learning Path: PreK Through Grade 8
Play & Discovery
Inquiry-led, play-based foundation
Literacy Foundations
IB-PYP begins; reading mastery
Deep Inquiry
Transdisciplinary units, STEAM projects
IB Exhibition
PYP capstone; inquiry presentation
Understanding by Design
UbD supplements IB MYP; high school prep
Play & Discovery
Inquiry-led, play-based foundation
Literacy Foundations
IB-PYP begins; reading mastery
Deep Inquiry
Transdisciplinary units, STEAM projects
IB Exhibition
PYP capstone; inquiry presentation
Understanding by Design
UbD supplements IB MYP; high school prep
What Students Learn at Each Level
Where Science Meets Artistic Innovation
STEAM at Valley Prep runs through everything. Students tackle real challenges that demand they question, collaborate, and create — in science, technology, engineering, art, and math, all at once. We believe creativity and analytical thinking sharpen each other. Students who can do both are prepared for careers that don’t exist yet. In our STEAM lab, the problems are real, the inquiry is genuine, and the discoveries belong entirely to the students who make them.
In partnership with Discovery Education, the Singleton Foundation, and Venture Valley Game, our middle school students participated in filming a masterclass video series in the school’s STEAM lab — led by technology director Mrs. Carrie Willis — focused on financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The series is filmed at schools around the world.
Science
Hands-on experiments, hypothesis, discovery.
Technology
Coding, digital literacy, computational thinking.
Engineering
Design challenges, iterative problem-solving.
Arts
Creative expression integrated with academics.
Mathematics
Conceptual fluency through real-world contexts.
The Language Triad
Language learning at Valley Prep begins in Preschool, where students are introduced to both French and Spanish — because the earlier a child encounters a new language, the more naturally it takes hold. Beginning in 2nd grade, students choose one language to study in depth, progressing through grammar, conversation, and cultural immersion with the same seriousness we bring to any core subject. We believe learning a language is inseparable from learning about the people who speak it: students explore the histories, traditions, and contemporary lives of Francophone and Spanish-speaking cultures around the world. The result is not merely bilingual competency but a genuine broadening of perspective.
A Major Differentiator
Very few independent schools in the region require two world languages from Preschool. At Valley Prep, multilingual fluency is a graduation expectation, not an elective.
Art & Music: Essential, Not Optional
Since Valley Prep opened its doors in 1957, art and music have never been afterthoughts — they have been understood as essential disciplines, as fundamental to a complete education as mathematics or language arts. In our studios and music rooms, students develop creativity, discipline, and the capacity to express ideas that words alone cannot capture. Music education cultivates pattern recognition, memory, and emotional intelligence, while visual art builds observation, problem-solving, and confidence to bring an original idea into the world. At Valley Prep, a student who can compose, draw, or perform is a student who is more fully alive to the possibilities of learning.
Jolynn Aszterbaum
Ryan Furness
Every Learner Supported
Since 2019, our dedicated Student Support Specialist employs the evidence-based Orton-Gillingham approach for one-on-one and small-group literacy instruction — a direct, multisensory method validated over 80 years of research, ensuring no child slips through the cracks.