What is Valley Academy?
Valley Academy is the SMART Board training division of Valley Communications. We provide multiple workshops on various uses of the SMART Board interactive whiteboard and other SMART products. We have workshops ranging from “SMART Board Orientation” to training on the SMART Response System. These workshops are held at three locations in Massachusetts: Valley Communications in Chicopee, Wellesley Senior High School in Wellesley, MA and AC Whelan Elementary School in Revere, MA. If you prefer, we even can come to your location for an on-site workshop.
To conduct these workshops, we have gathered some of the most respected trainers in the country with a total of more than 62 years in education, training and SMART Board use. As teachers who embrace and use SMART Boards, we know you understand the dynamics of SMART products and their ability to motivate and excite both students and teachers. These workshops are designed to fine tune your current skills and bring greater awareness of the many programs and new applications in SMART products and software.
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Dani Lund joined the Valley Communications team after 8 years of specializing in technology education. Six of the eight years was spent as a middle school math specialist and technology coordinator. Dani was then hired as a Technology Integration Specialist at Total Educational Solutions in Technology (T.E.S.T.). While with T.E.S.T, she trained teachers how to use the top teaching technologies including SMART Boards,SMART Products and was the project coordinator for two Montana Technology Grants. Dani’s accolades include a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Montana State University, SMART Certified Trainer for SMART Board Interactive Whiteboards and Master Teacher for the Intel To The Future-Essentials Course. |
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Dean Crosier started with us in 2006 as a full time trainer for SMART products and is a SMART Certified Trainer for both Windows and Mac platforms. He is a retired Chief Master Sergeant with 27 years of service in the Air Force. His military background includes experience in Communications-Electronics Systems Technology and training. Eleven years of his career were spent at Keesler Air Force Base Mississippi in Air Education and Training Command as an electronics instructor and curriculum developer. |
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Donna LeBretton joined the team at Valley Communications in the fall of 2006 and is a K–12 SMART Certified Trainer as well as an experienced educator. Donna received a BA in Elementary Education from Emmanuel College, an M.Ed from Bridgewater State in Guidance, and an M.Ed from Lesley University in Educational Technology. She holds Massachusetts Department of Education certification in Elementary Education K-8, as well as Instructional Technology certification for all levels. Donna'sexperience includes 15 years of classroom teaching in both the Whitman and Plymouth public school systems, four years as the Instructional Technology Specialist for the eight elementary schools in Plymouth Massachusetts, and 3 years as the Instructional Technology Coordinator for the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District. |
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Barry Waldner covers sales and is a certified SMART Certified Trainer for the northern states of Vermont and New Hampshire. He lives in Saint Johnsbury, Vermont. Barry has a BS in Education Communications from Lyndon State College in Vermont and a MA in Communications from Fairfield University in Connecticut. Barry has taught in the educational communications field in both high school and college levels. He is the chairman of his local Public Access group, is a sitting member of his local technology advisory committee and works closely with The Saint Johnsbury School, which is a SMART Showcase School in Vermont. Barry continues to occasionally instruct a graduate course in the Audio/Visuals in Education at Lyndon State College.
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Welcome Valley's Newest SMART Certified Trainer
(Why Certified is important)
| Valley's SMART Certified Trainers can help meet your training and professional development needs and are both knowledgeable and experienced - having undergone an extensive certification process. Choosing a SMART Certified Trainer ensures that you will get the information that is immediately applicable to the jobs you do. |
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Greg Forge joined the team at Valley Communications in 2010. He is a Smart Certified trainer with 35 years of classroom teaching experience in both mathematics and instruction technology at the middle school level. In addition to working with middle school students, Greg also has ten years of experience with training teachers in professional development workshops. He holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Boston State College as well as a Master degree in Guidance from Bridgewater State College. He is certified in Massachusetts in Instructional Technology, Mathematics and Guidance. |
