In the center of the small village of Valuy, located in the Divenskaya volost of the Biryuchensky district of the Voronezh province, stood a unique wooden Nicholas church, handcrafted. The church, the watchman's lodge, and the parish school were opened in 1861. A document from November 5, 1885, indicates that the rector of the church was Ivanov, and the deacon was Ustinovsky.

The artistry of our ancestors, who created fortresses, palaces, and cathedrals that rivaled the works of Florentine masters, inspires admiration even today. Unfortunately, this monument of ancient architecture in Valuy has not survived. The reasons include wars, social upheavals, and the era of struggle against religious cults, during which churches were destroyed, bells were smashed, and icons were burned. Now, we feel the loss of these cultural values more acutely as we return to the roots of our culture and the memory of our ancestors.

The Nicholas church was built on a hill, and when the sun began to rise, its rays played on the wooden walls and domes, reflecting the lush greenery of the hill. It seemed as if the church floated in the air along with the clouds, and at night it shone in the light of the moon and stars.

On this hill, in the late second half of the 20th century, the Valuyanskaya secondary school was built, which opened on September 1, 1988.