Valley Forge Educational Services

APPROVED PRIVATE SCHOOL OFFERING EDUC. AND EMPLOY. RELATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

LOCATED ON A SCENIC, 28-ACRE CAMPUS IN MALVERN, PA, VALLEY FORGE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (VFES) OFFERS A CONTINUUM OF EDUCATIONAL, RECREATIONAL, AND EMPLOYMENT-RELATED SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. VFES STAFF TAKE A COLLABORATIVE AND HOLISTIC APPROACH TO EACH CHILD AND ADULT, RECOGNIZING THEIR UNIQUE ABILITIES AND NEEDS THROUGH DEDICATED TEAMS. INDIVIDUALS, AGES 4-21, COME TO LEARN, SHARE, APPRECIATE AND RESPECT ONE ANOTHER WHILE DEVELOPING SKILLS NECESSARY TO LEAD SUCCESSFUL LIVES. VFES IS COMMITTED TO ITS MISSION OF HELPING STUDENTS AND PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP A STRONG SENSE OF SELF-WORTH TO REALIZE THEIR VALUE AS CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS TWO SIGNATURE PROGRAMS: THE VANGUARD SCHOOL AND ADULT AND RECREATION SERVICES (ARS).IN OCTOBER OF EACH YEAR, VFES USUALLY HOSTS ITS ANNUAL ADULT SERVICES AND TRANSITION RESOURCE FAIR. THE EVENT USUALLY DRAWS APPROXIMATELY 150-200 FAMILIES AND 30-40 ORGANIZATIONS. THE EVENT ALLOWS ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE VITAL RESOURCE INFORMATION TO VANGUARD FAMILIES AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WITH ADULTS AND TRANSITION-AGE YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES. IN OCTOBER 2021, THE ADULT SERVICES AND TRANSITION RESOURCE FAIR WAS CANCELED DUE TO RISING COVID-19 CASES ON THE VFES CAMPUS.ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2022, VFES HELD ITS THIRTEENTH ANNUAL SPECIAL KIDS CAMP EXPO. IT WAS POSTPONED FROM JANUARY 22 DUE TO COVID CONCERNS WITHIN THE VANGUARD SCHOOL. THE 2022 EVENT SAW A MUCH SMALLER GROUP OF ATTENDEES AND VENDORS, AS THIS COMMUNITY EVENT WAS ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY SIXTY FAMILIES AND 15 SUMMER PROGRAM ORGANIZATIONS FROM SOUTHEASTERN PA. ATTENDANCE IS NORMALLY DOUBLE THIS NUMBER FOR FAMILIES AND VENDORS. THOSE WHO ATTENDED LEARNED ABOUT EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL SUMMER PROGRAMS OFFERED TO YOUTH AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.VFES'S ANNUAL COMMUNITY DAY, HELD ON SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2022, WAS EXTREMELY WELL ATTENDED. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER FIVE HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED THIS COMMUNITY EVENT. VFES HAD EIGHTEEN BUSINESS PARTNERS THAT HELPED SUPPORT THIS EVENT. EIGHT ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDED ACTIVITIES SUCH AS FACE PAINTING, CRAFTS, AND MANIPULATIVES. THE PURPOSE OF COMMUNITY DAY IS TO PROVIDE SENSORY-FRIENDLY GAMES AND ACTIVITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THE VANGUARD SCHOOLESTABLISHED IN 1959, THE VANGUARD SCHOOL WAS THE FIRST PENNSYLVANIA-LICENSED APPROVED PRIVATE SCHOOL (APS). ON AVERAGE, VANGUARD SERVES APPROXIMATELY 250 STUDENTS, 4-21 YEARS OF AGE, WHO REQUIRE A HIGH DEGREE OF INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION AND CLINICAL SUPPORTS AND INTERVENTION. STUDENTS WHO ARE EDUCATED AT THE VANGUARD SCHOOL HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, SPEECH-LANGUAGE DEFICITS, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, AND STUDENTS WITH SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING AND BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES. TUITION AT THE VANGUARD SCHOOL IS SATISFIED BY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND PA STATE FUNDING. WHILE ENROLLMENT FLUCTUATES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AS OF JUNE 2022, THE VANGUARD SCHOOL SERVED 232 STUDENTS. THE HIGH SCHOOL SERVED EIGHTY-ONE STUDENTS, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVED FORTY-EIGHT STUDENTS AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SERVED 54 STUDENTS. THE POST-SECONDARY PROGRAM, VANGUARD TRANSITION CENTER (VTC), PROVIDED FORTY-NINE STUDENTS, 18-21 YEARS OF AGE, WITH WORKFORCE READINESS SKILLS THROUGH EITHER ON-CAMPUS SKILLS TRAINING OR COMMUNITY-BASED VOCATIONAL TRAINING (CBVT). VANGUARD STUDENTS REPRESENTED 52 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT PENNSYLVANIA IN THE 2021-22 FISCAL YEAR. IN THE SUMMER OF 2021 (JULY 5-AUGUST 6), 171 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN VANGUARD'S EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR (ESY) PROGRAM. THE VANGUARD SCHOOL CONTINUES TO UTILIZE THE MICROSOFT TEAMS PLATFORM TO ENABLE GREATER COLLABORATION TOOLS AMONG STAFF AND BETWEEN STAFF AND STUDENTS. TEAMS AND ZOOM WERE USED TO FACILITATE MEETINGS INTERNALLY AND WITH FAMILIES AND LEAS THROUGHOUT THE 2021-2022 FISCAL YEAR. TEAMS WAS ALSO USED AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL FOR FACULTY AND STUDENTS TO HELP MAINTAIN HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES WITHIN EACH PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, TEAMS ALLOWED STAFF TO COLLABORATE VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING AND DOCUMENT SHARING.

ADULT AND RECREATION SERVICES (ARS)ARS OFFERS EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, 721 YEARS OF AGE, AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES AND LEARNING CHALLENGES. PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO MAXIMIZE EACH INDIVIDUAL'S POTENTIAL IN AN INCLUSIVE, ENCOURAGING, ENRICHING AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. RECREATIONAL SERVICES INCLUDE CAMPS, RESPITE, SOCIAL GATHERINGS, AND RETREATS. ADULT SERVICES INCLUDE EMPLOYMENT DISCOVERY, PLACEMENT, AND SUPPORT THROUGH THE VFES SERVICE, CUSTOMIZED WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS (CWS).VOCATIONAL IMMERSION PROGRAM (VIP)VIP IS A FOUR-WEEK INTENSIVE PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR PARTICIPANTS, AGES 18-24. JULY 5-AUGUST 6, 2021, ITS SEVENTH SEASON, VIP EQUIPPED FIFTEEN YOUNG ADULTS WITH CRUCIAL EMPLOYMENT READINESS SKILLS AND VOCATIONAL EXPERIENCES. SPECIALIZED RECREATION SERVICES (SRS)SRS OFFERS EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND LEARNING CHALLENGES. SRS'S FOCUS IS TO SUPPORT PARTICIPANTS AS THEY CULTIVATE FRIENDSHIPS, EXPAND THEIR REPERTOIRE OF LEISURE AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, AND PRACTICE DAILY LIVING SKILLS AWAY FROM HOME.IN THE 2021-22 FISCAL YEAR, SRS SUPPORTED OVER FIFTY-SIX PEOPLE, AGES 7-21, AT VFES @ CAMP KWEEBEC IN SCHWENKSVILLE, PA. THE CAMP WAS ONLY HELD FOR ONE WEEK DUE TO COVID- 19. SRS'S RETREATS AT MT. GILEAD IN STROUDSBURG, PA SERVED THIRTY-ONE PARTICIPANTS AND FENWICK ISLAND, DE PROVIDED SERVICES TO FIVE PARTICIPANTS. SRS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL SOCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BY HOSTING DANCES, MEETING FOR LUNCH AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND ORGANIZING MEETUPS AT PLACES, SUCH AS ELMWOOD ZOO, BOWLING ESTABLISHMENTS, LONGWOOD GARDENS AND MORE.