Valhalla Center Home Page

 Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,  

As principal of the Valhalla Center, I am extremely excited to be working with a highly experienced and dedicated group of staff members. We work with each student to increase their abilities and teach them skills to be as independent as possible in an individualized, engaging, and supportive manner. This includes their academic, behavioral, and social emotional skills.

Your children, our students have been amazingly resilient, flexible, and cooperative in adjusting to all the many changes that we have implemented in the past few years. This includes all their newly acquired abilities with technology and the different safety protocols. We will continue to build on all these strengths that they have displayed.

The program at the Valhalla Center consists of five classes. We have two AIIM classes, one for our middle school students and the other for our high schoolers. There is a TSP-DD class for middle school and high school students and the two CAD classes with one for the middle school students and one for the high school students.

All of the Southern Westchester Reopening plan guidelines will be followed to ensure the safety of all of the students and the staff. This includes all the procedures we put in place last year such as social distancing, face coverings, enhanced cleaning, and a change in our arrival and dismissal procedures.

The students have been as successful at the Valhalla Center because of our collaborative relationship working with parents, guardians, and our school districts. This partnership ensures that the students receive the best education that we can provide. I look forward to continuing this with all of you.

Please remember that the staff and I are here to assist you in any way possible.

My door is always open, and you can reach me at lhandler@swboces.org or at 914 784-2727.

Take care and be safe,

Leslie Handler

This programs provide a highly structured site-based classroom environment designed primarily for students with autism spectrum disorders at the elementary, middle and high school levels for New York State Alternately Assessed students. Instructional methodology includes the applications of structured teaching and Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) that have demonstrated effective outcomes in the school environment. Specialized clinical consultation is provided for both structured teaching and ABA classes. In addition to academic outcomes, the development of appropriate communication, social and behavioral skills are stressed.

CoSer 203.100

 Classroom Ratio 8:1:2

This program is offered to students who require small group instruction in a therapeutic setting. Students in this program primarily present with mental health challenges that significantly interfere with the students' ability to be educated and supported within a typical general education classroom environment.  Students' needs are met through highly structured classroom settings with counseling and instructional supports.  At the secondary level, the program provides students with transition services and supports.

CAD Grades 6-12 CoSer 230.100

Student Teacher Ratio 12:1:1