In 1947, Mrs. Bernice Kussell realized that some of the children in the Arizona State
Hospital were not being served appropriately. Armed with hope and a belief in a better way of life for these kids with developmental
disabilities, she opened her home as a residence for her new
family. Having outgrown the private residence in 1951,
Mrs. Kussell founded Valley of the Sun School, which
later became Valley of the Sun School and Habilitation
Center. Operating as a non-profit and private
organization, Valley of the Sun School was one of the
first of its kind in Arizona.
Today we remain a private, non-profit 501(c)(3)
corporation governed by a volunteer Board of
Directors.
A staff of 360 employees delivers services to over 400
individuals with developmental disabilities from
diverse ethnic backgrounds and ranging in age from 14
to 88.
