With the awareness Pleasant Valley has regarding the significance of a high school diploma for a student’s future, PV has provided a multitude of opportunities for students to have the opportunity to excel and also to prepare for the future.
Educational opportunities for Pleasant Valley students come in many forms, including materials, technology, types of rooms, teachers and staff, and classes offered.
Some of the materials and technology available at PV include instruments for the music classes, animals for dissection, and books for English. There are also computers and programs provided by PV which are available to help students. These are all resources otherwise hard to come by for any individual, which makes PV a unique learning experience.
PV has several rooms that help students learn unique subjects. Among these rooms are the music computer lab, the black box theatre, the woodworking shop, and the greenhouse. These places can help high school students determine if they would desire further education in less conventional areas of study.
The excellent staff of PV contributes immensely to the excellent educational experience. There is a high standard for teacher qualifications, with the majority of the staff at PV having a masters’ degree and many having additional education. Teachers express passion for what they teach and are available each day to help students with questions.
The teaching style of many classes at PV focuses predominantly on teaching students how to learn. Junior Annie Marie Garner, who has been attending PV since elementary school, commented on her classroom experience. “Many of Pleasant Valley classes are taught with the teacher having a basic lecture style lesson, so most of the actual learning is the students’ responsibility.”
Senior Ruth Davidson, a student who has filled her schedule each year with a wide variety of classes, also commented on her PV experience. “After attending Pleasant Valley for 4 years, I think that I have been well prepared for the future through teachers grading me harshly on my work, being held more accountable than other schools, and being a part of such a competitive academic environment.”
It is well known that PV has an intellectually competitive environment, prompting students to work harder and discover what they’re passionate about. “This prepares us for the college classes and workload we will have in our future education,” Garner said.
With all these opportunities available, the responsibility rests on students to take action and make the best use of their learning throughout high school. This can be done by filling one’s schedule with challenging and interesting classes and searching for learning experiences in the extracurriculars offered. The combination of PV’s opportunities and a student’s commitment to excellence will indubitably result in future success.
