Welcome to my page! My name is Victoria Valentine and I am a special education teacher in the LIFE program at West Leyden. This 22-23 school year will be my fourth year teaching. I am excited about teaching Applied English, Life Arts, Applied Living, and Independent Living Skills this upcoming school year.

I started teaching at Leyden in 2019. Before coming to Leyden, I went to Northeastern Illinois University and completed my student teaching in Wilmette, IL. I have worked with individuals with disabilities of all ages in the areas of education and recreation, mostly in the northern suburbs. I am passionate about supporting adolescent mental/behavioral health, connecting with families, and being an advocate for students.

This past summer, I volunteered with clinical psychologists at the Goldman Center in Chicago, IL to compile resources for families of children with disabilities across Illinois. Please check out the resources and blog posts I created on another tab of my page. I also enjoyed attending the banquet to accept my 2022 IL Special Education Teacher of the Year award with my Leyden family. 

Outside of school, I enjoy tending to my butterfly garden by raising caterpillars, exercising at the gym, reading, seeing live music, spending time with family, and trying all kinds of vegan ice cream.

I am easily accessible via email so never hesitate to reach out regarding the LIFE Program, finding resources for your student outside of school, or anything disability-related.