Welcome to The Vanguard School and 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 Vanguard.

Vanguard aims to serve and meet the unique needs of students with disabilities, ages 5-22, with special education (K-12) and vocational services offered by The Vanguard School. Vanguard also serves adults with special needs through our Vanguard Recreation Services program, and our one-of-a kind Vanguard Supported Employment program.  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 2025-26 school year marks my second year as Executive Director of The Vanguard School and Services. I am honored to build on the foundation laid by The Vanguard School – our 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. 

Vanguard now draws from over 50 districts to create a specialized program for students who need the expertise of our remarkable 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. Vanguard is “their place” wherever they happen to be on their journey here. Whether a K-12 student in The Vanguard School or the Vanguard Transition Center (VTC), working to gain employment through our Supported Employment program, or joining Recreation Services for summer camp, students see Vangaurd 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 Vanguard 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 our website to get to know us.  We are very proud of what happens here every day.  Vanguard 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.

Sincerely,

Thomas Quinn, M.Ed, M.EA
Executive Director