Welcome to Valley Forge Educational Services!

I hope you find our website helpful and a good introduction to the incredible scope of work our staff and faculty do here at Valley Forge Educational Services (VFES).

VFES aims to serve and meet the unique needs of students with disabilities, ages 6-22, with special education (K-12) and vocational services offered by The Vanguard School. VFES also serves adults with special needs through Adult & Recreation Services (ARS), and our one-of-a kind, Customized Workforce Solutions (CWS).  We are here as a resource for you and your family to help your child or adult with special needs through every aspect of life. We enthusiastically greet you and are excited about all the ways we can work together!

The 2024-25 school year marks my first year as Executive Director of VFES. I am honored to be following in the footsteps of my predecessor, Dr. Grace Fornicola, who was instrumental in both introducing and building the CWS program. CWS naturally builds off the foundation laid by The Vanguard School – VFES’ signature program for nearly 65 years and Pennsylvania’s first Approved Private School – to meet the needs of students not best served by their home school districts. 

VFES now draws from over 50 districts to create a specialized program for students who need the expertise of our remarkable Vanguard staff.  We work closely with the Pennsylvania State Department of Education, our lawmakers in Harrisburg, and our partner school districts to ensure the highest quality resources.  This includes behavioral experts, physical, occupational and speech therapists, and a teaching staff experienced in working with students who most need our services.

Our campus is a lively and dynamic place. What you will see in our students when you visit - which I strongly encourage you to do! – is a strong sense of belonging. VFES is “their place” wherever they happen to be on their journey here. Whether a K-12 student in The Vanguard School or the Vocational & Transition Center (VTC), working to gain employment through our CWS program, or joining ARS for a summer retreat – students see VFES as an extension of their family. With so many ways for students and families to engage with our programs and staff, it’s hard not to be drawn into the VFES community.

There is a lot of new things happening around campus, as well. We are so fortunate to be located in Malvern, a beautiful part of Chester County and a real haven.  Our staff works very hard to keep the campus beautiful. The Board of Trustees and all of us who work here are dedicated to not only making today the best it can be for our students, but also to looking to the future to introduce new programming and features to our campus.

Growth is important, however, not our number one commitment. Our first priority is the safety and security of our staff and students.  No learning, no growth can happen if students, the adults we serve, and our caring staff members, who not only apply their expertise, but their hearts to their work, don't feel safe in their surrounding environment.  That commitment to safety is where everything begins.

So, please take the time to explore vfes.net to get to know us.  We are very proud of what happens here every day.  VFES is a family, and we invite you to both learn about our family, and if appropriate for your needs, to join ours!  Please reach out to any of our departments should you have more questions.

All the best,

Tom Quinn, M.Ed
Executive Director