Valley View Academy spotlights tech-driven learning, student projects at Duarte Unified meeting

At the Duarte Unified board meeting, Valley View Academy principal Sherry Heinding and teachers presented a showcase of classroom projects and technology tools they said are being used to boost student engagement and inclusion.

"We are a technology and creative learning academy," Principal Sherry Heinding told trustees, describing cognitively guided instruction, a partnership with UCLA and inclusive tools that instructors use to reach second‑language learners and students with disabilities. She invited staff and students to share classroom examples and video highlights.

Priscilla Chavez, a special‑day teacher at Valley View, described using an artificial‑intelligence tool (referred to in the presentation as "Gemini") to create scaffolded, personalized storybooks that reflect students’ communication styles and incorporate AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) supports. "Tools like Gemini allow educators to produce high‑quality scaffolded resources in minutes rather than hours," Chavez said, and she said projects helped students feel "seen, heard and understood."

A fourth‑grade teacher and the teaching‑and‑learning coach showcased Seesaw and other digital tools that let reserved students share their learning in new formats. Students Emma and Michelle described building a Rube Goldberg machine as a class project that required multiple energy transfers, iterative testing and teamwork. Student council representatives Lucio Lozano and Desaria Sebastiani and ASB president Sean presented a student‑produced video that the school posted to its website.

The presentation highlighted a mix of classroom pedagogy, assistive technology and student leadership; board members and visiting city officials joined teachers and students for photos after the presentation.

The board thanked the presenters and recognized the work as an example of integrating technology to support diverse learners and amplify student voice.