For more than 170 years, OLV Human Services has been helping young people find fresh starts, overcome challenges, and build brighter futures. Founded in 1854, the organization is rooted in the legacy of Venerable Nelson Baker, whose commitment to serving children, families, and those in need continues to guide OLV’s work today.
OLV Human Services’ education programs encompass seven schools serving students with disabilities from Pre-K through age 21. Collectively known as Victory Education at OLV Human Services, these schools provide individualized educational, therapeutic, and vocational supports that help every student grow, pursue meaningful goals, and reach their fullest potential.
Victory Education recognizes that success looks different for every student. Each young person brings distinct strengths, experiences, challenges, and aspirations. Staff meet students where they are, build on their strengths, and tailor educational and therapeutic supports to help them develop confidence, independence, and the skills needed to pursue their individual goals.
Creating a Brighter Future
At Victory Education, a “brighter future” begins with helping every student discover what is possible for them. It means creating an environment where young people can build the skills, confidence, and independence to challenge themselves and believe in their own abilities. The organization believes every child should have opportunities to explore their interests, discover their passions, and pursue the experiences that spark curiosity and bring genuine joy to learning. These moments of discovery can help students understand not only what they enjoy, but also what they are capable of achieving.
Individualized Plans for Each Student
Victory Education emphasizes individualized plans focused on students’ strengths, self-esteem, responsibility, and autonomy. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach to learning, the organization encourages students to explore areas that genuinely interest and excite them. Over time, students become more independent, develop self-esteem, and feel more comfortable taking on new challenges. This becomes especially evident in Victory Education’s WAY program, where students participate in job and vocational training at a variety of community – and agency-based worksites. These real-world experiences allow students to apply their skills beyond the classroom while developing practical workplace abilities and independence.
Rooted in the Principles of Trauma-Informed Care
At Victory Education, meaningful relationships are at the heart of the educational experience. Rooted in the principles of trauma-informed care, the organization builds what it calls RICH relationships – Respect, Information, Connection, and Hope – with every student it serves. The organization recognizes that students come from diverse backgrounds and have experienced different educational pathways. For this reason, the organization believes that supporting a student begins with understanding the whole child and not simply their academic profile.
Victory Education’s educational, therapeutic, and support services work collaboratively to meet each student’s individual needs. Central to this approach is the strong connection staff build with students. By developing supportive relationships, Victory Education creates an environment where students feel safe, understood, and valued. This trust allows the multidisciplinary teams to work together more effectively, identify barriers to learning and growth, and provide consistent support across academic, social-emotional, behavioral, and developmental areas. Ultimately, it believes that meaningful relationships are the foundation that allows students to feel secure, build confidence, and reach their full potential.
Building Trust through Meaningful Learning
Victory Education believes that trust begins when staff know each student’s strengths, interests, goals, and motivations. For young people who have experienced difficulty or frustration in traditional educational environments, being seen, heard, and understood can rebuild their willingness to engage in learning and take on new challenges.
Victory Education deliberately moves beyond the traditional classroom model. It recognizes that not all students learn in the same way and that meaningful learning can take many forms. Alongside academic instruction, students also have opportunities to engage in hands-on learning, participate in community-based experiences, and develop skills through real-world situations. The organization also provides a strong yoga program designed for neurodiverse learners, with every classroom receiving group yoga each week. These sessions give students opportunities to practice movement, mindfulness, self-regulation, body awareness, and connection in a supportive environment, helping students build confidence and develop skills that can support them throughout the school day.
By making learning engaging and accessible, Victory Education gives students meaningful opportunities to experience success. Meeting students where they are helps rebuild their confidence as learners and, over time, strengthens their trust in the staff supporting them and, most importantly, in their own abilities.
Supporting Families Through the Special Education Journey
Victory Education understands that navigating the special education system for the first time can feel overwhelming for families. The team strives to make that process more approachable by building relationships through open communication and helping families understand their child’s individual strengths, needs, and goals. OLV recognizes that supporting a student also means supporting the entire family. Based on each family’s unique situation, OLV connects them through a multitude of programs and services.
These supports can include developmental evaluations for students who may need a formal diagnosis, pediatric primary care, dental services, Health Home case management, vocational training programs, and other community-based resources. Victory Education’s goal is to serve as a resource and advocate for families, helping them navigate available services and connecting them with the appropriate supports when needs arise. Through strong relationships, collaboration, and consistent communication, the organization wants families to feel informed, supported, and empowered to advocate for their child.
Increased Funding is the Need of the Hour
Looking ahead, Victory Education hopes to see greater and more sustainable funding for special education programs. Additional resources would enable schools and our agency as a whole to recruit and retain highly qualified, certified professionals with the specialized knowledge and skills needed to support students with diverse needs. The organization also advocates for more consistent funding for extracurricular and enrichment opportunities. These experiences are more than an extension of the school day, they help students develop social skills, confidence, independence, communication, teamwork, and a stronger sense of belonging.
Victory Education’s Athletics Program, which was implemented in 2023, is a great example of the positive impact these opportunities can have. The program has been highly successful in improving student confidence, teamwork, communication, self-esteem, and attendance. Students feel that they are part of something special and have the opportunity to experience being on a sports team in a way that is similar to what their peers experience in a traditional public school setting.
Programs should not have to rely primarily on grant funding to provide these meaningful opportunities. Sustainable funding would allow schools and agencies to maintain and expand extracurricular programs like athletics, while offering a wider range of activities and experiences that support the whole child. Every student deserves access to opportunities that help them feel connected, build confidence, discover their strengths, and ultimately thrive.
