VALLEY FORGE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
1777 NORTH VALLEY ROAD, MALVERN, PA 19355 www.vfes.net

---

Organizations Filed Purposes: VALLEY FORGE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (VFES) OFFERS A CONTINUUM OF EDUCATIONAL, SUMMER AND EMPLOYMENT-RELATED PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES. THE HALLMARK OF VFES PROGRAMMING IS ITS COLLABORATIVE AND HOLISTIC APPROACH TO EACH CHILD, ADOLESCENT AND ADULT, RECOGNIZING HIS OR HER UNIQUE ABILITIES AND NEEDS. THE ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO HELPING STUDENTS AND PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP A STRONG SENSE OF SELF-WORTH, DISCOVER THEIR TALENTS, REACH THEIR GOALS AND PLAN FOR THEIR FUTURES. VFES CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON ITS MISSION OF PREPARING CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL AS CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

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

VALLEY FORGE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (VFES) OFFERS A CONTINUUM OF EDUCATIONAL, SUMMER AND EMPLOYMENT-RELATED PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES. THE HALLMARK OF VFES PROGRAMMING IS ITS COLLABORATIVE AND HOLISTIC APPROACH TO EACH CHILD, ADOLESCENT AND ADULT, RECOGNIZING HIS OR HER UNIQUE ABILITIES AND NEEDS. THE ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO HELPING STUDENTS AND PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP A STRONG SENSE OF SELF-WORTH, DISCOVER THEIR TALENTS, REACH THEIR GOALS AND PLAN FOR THEIR FUTURES. VFES CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON ITS MISSION OF PREPARING CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL AS CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. IN 2019, VFES REORGANIZED SOME OF ITS OFFERINGS UNDER TWO SIGNATURE PROGRAMS: THE VANGUARD SCHOOL AND ADULT AND RECREATION SERVICES. VFES OFFERED TWO PARENT EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, WHERE SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS ADDRESSED CRITICAL ISSUES CONFRONTING PARENTS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.OCTOBER FEATURED VFES' FIFTH ANNUAL RESOURCE FAIR. AT THE FAIR, TWENTY-NINE EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDED VITAL INFORMATION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS, FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS.IN JANUARY, VFES HELD THE TWELFTH ANNUAL SPECIAL KIDS CAMP EXPO. MORE THAN 200 FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS FROM SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA LEARNED ABOUT EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL SUMMER PROGRAMS OFFERED TO YOUTH AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.THE VANGUARD SCHOOL IS AN APPROVED PRIVATE SCHOOL (APS) AND SIGNATURE PROGRAM OF VFES. THE VANGUARD SCHOOL IS LICENSED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TO SERVE STUDENTS WITH AUTISM, PDD, BRAIN DAMAGE, LEARNING DISABILITY, MENTAL RETARDATION, SOCIALLY/EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED, SPEECH AND LANGUAGE IMPAIRED EXCEPTIONALITIES. STUDENTS WHO EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES OR BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR OUR PROGRAM. THE VANGUARD SCHOOL INCLUDES PRE-KINDERGARTEN, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL, POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR (ESY).DURING THE 2019 CALENDAR YEAR, THE VANGUARD SCHOOL SERVED 256 STUDENTS. THE HIGH SCHOOL SERVED 87 STUDENTS, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVED 47 STUDENTS AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SERVED 70 STUDENTS. THE VANGUARD TRANSITION CENTER (VTC) PROVIDED 52 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 56 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT PENNSYLVANIA AND THE STATE OF DELAWARE. THROUGHOUT THE FIRST SEMESTER OF THE 2019- 2020 SCHOOL YEAR (9/19-12/19), THE VANGUARD SCHOOL INTRODUCED INTENSIVE TEACHING PRINCIPLES THROUGHOUT CAMPUS. THESE TEACHING PRINCIPLES INCLUDED IMPLEMENTING APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS TRAINING CAMPUS-WIDE. AS PART OF THIS TRAINING, ALL STAFF PARTICIPATED IN A SERIES OF LIVE TRAINING MODULES THAT PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA) PRINCIPLES. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND BOARD-CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS CONDUCTED THE TRAININGS. UNDERSTANDING AND PRACTICING THE PRINCIPLES OF ABA ALLOWS STAFF TO WORK WITH STUDENTS IN A WAY THAT PRODUCES PROACTIVE STRATEGIES, ALLOWS FOR SYSTEMATIC SHAPING OF BEHAVIORS AND AVOIDS CONFLICT, AMONG OTHER BENEFITS. WITH ABA GUIDING OUR TIER 1 APPROACHES, WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN TIER 2 AND TIER 3 SUPPORTS. IN 2019, SCHOOL LEADERSHIP MADE AVAILABLE A VARIETY OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE STUDENT IEP (INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM) DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO PDE GUIDELINES. THESE OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDED IMPLEMENTING GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON LEGALLY DEFENSIBLE IEPS, PROGRESS MONITORING, DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING, OBJECTIVE PRESENT LEVELS OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE (PLAAFP), AND MEASURABLE GOAL WRITING. THE VANGUARD SCHOOL FINALIZED EVIDENCE-BASED CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING. THE TRAINING ENTAILED IDENTIFYING AND TRAINING THREE PEER-COACHES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT A PEER-COACHING MODEL FOR TEACHERS AND CLASSROOM AIDES. OUR PEER-COACHES COLLECTED BASELINE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT DATA BEFORE CONDUCTING DIDACTIC TRAINING SESSIONS TO CLASSROOM STAFF ON 5-6 CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES. ONCE THIS TRAINING WAS COMPLETE, PEER-COACHES OBSERVED CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND PROVIDED WRITTEN AND VERBAL CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK TO THE TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS. OBSERVATIONS ACROSS ALL SKILLS AND ALL CLASSROOMS CONTINUED UNTIL OBJECTIVE CRITERIA WERE MET. TEACHERS NOT MEETING CRITERIA WERE PROVIDED BOOSTER TRAINING SESSIONS. THIS MODEL WAS THEN IMPLEMENTED IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.FOUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND FOUR BOARD-CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS (BCBAS) WERE TRAINED TO CONDUCT IN-HOUSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. OUR TRAINERS CONDUCTED FIVE 1.5-HOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING SESSIONS ON THE PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS OF APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS ACROSS ALL STAFF. THE INTENTIONS BEHIND THESE TRAININGS WERE TWO-FOLD: 1) TO PROVIDE EDUCATORS WITH FOUNDATIONAL TRAINING ON ABA SKILLS RELEVANT FOR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT; AND 2) TO SERVE AS A FOUNDATION FOR BCBAS TO PROVIDE IN-CLASSROOM SUPPORT AND COACHING TO TEACHERS WHO IMPLEMENT POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PLANS. IN 2019, THE SCHOOL ADOPTED A NEW, DIGITAL RECRUITING SYSTEM TO HELP STREAMLINE THE HIRING PROCESS. THE SYSTEM SAVED TIME AND ALLOWED HIRING STAFF TO TARGET AND FILTER CANDIDATES BASED ON SPECIFIC CRITERIA AUTOMATICALLY. THE VANGUARD SCHOOL USED THIS RECRUITING SYSTEM TO HIRE ADDITIONAL BEHAVIOR SUPPORT STAFF AND TEACHERS TO BETTER MEET OUR STUDENTS' NEEDS. THE SCHOOL ALSO ADDED TWO NEW CBVT TRAINING SITES TO HELP OUR STUDENTS GAIN MEANINGFUL WORK-BASED EXPERIENCES. NINETY STUDENTS WORKED WITH OUR 15 CBVT PARTNERS PROVIDING A TOTAL OF 137 STUDENT PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES EACH WEEK.VANGUARD EXPANDED OUR NON-PHYSICAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH TO BEHAVIOR NEEDS USING ANNUAL TRAINING FOR SAFETY CARE BLOCKING PAD TECHNIQUES. THIS APPROACH ALLOWED STAFF TO MAINTAIN TECHNIQUE CONSISTENCY WITH ONE COMPANY FOR TRAINING CRISIS MANAGEMENT.FINALLY, THE EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR (ESY) SUMMER PROGRAM SERVED 209 STUDENTS DURING THE SUMMER OF 2019. ESY HELPS CURB SUMMER LEARNING LOSS AND KEEPS STUDENTS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE LEARNING PROCESS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON ACADEMICS, COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL, INTERPERSONAL, DAILY LIVING AND VOCATIONAL SKILL-BUILDING.

ADULT AND RECREATION SERVICES (ARS)AS THE NEED FOR ADULT SERVICES CONTINUES TO GROW, ARS WAS ESTABLISHED TO ADDRESS THIS NEED. ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE OPTIONS TO RECEIVE SERVICES THAT FOCUS ON EMPLOYMENT AND/OR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES. OUR SERVICES INCLUDE CUSTOMIZED WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS (CWS), VOCATIONAL IMMERSION PROGRAM (VIP), AND SPECIALIZED RECREATION SERVICES (SRS).CUSTOMIZED WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS (CWS)ESTABLISHED IN JULY 2017, CWS PROVIDES SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES. CWS HELPS JOB SEEKERS ATTAIN THEIR EMPLOYMENT GOALS BY HELPING THEM DEFINE THEIR GOALS, UNDERSTAND THEIR SKILL SETS AND DISCOVER THEIR VOCATIONAL INTERESTS AND WORK PREFERENCES. IN 2019, CWS PROVIDED SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT (INCLUDING CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT, JOB FINDING AND JOB COACHING) TO APPROXIMATELY 40 ADULTS. VOCATIONAL IMMERSION PROGRAM (VIP)THE VOCATIONAL IMMERSION PROGRAM (VIP) IS A FOUR-WEEK INTENSIVE PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR PARTICIPANTS AGES 18-24. IN ITS FIFTH YEAR, VIP EQUIPPED 16 YOUNG ADULTS WITH CRUCIAL EMPLOYMENT READINESS SKILLS AND VOCATIONAL EXPERIENCES. VIP'S SERVICES INCLUDE WORK READINESS, TRANSITION SUPPORT SERVICES, EMPLOYMENT TRAINING INITIATIVES, CAREER EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY AND COMMUNITY-BASED VOCATIONAL TRAINING. PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCED CLASSROOM-BASED INSTRUCTION, WORKPLACE INTERNSHIPS AND A WEEK-LONG SUPPORTED INDEPENDENT LIVING RESIDENCY.SPECIALIZED RECREATION SERVICES (SRS)SRS OFFERS EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND LEARNING CHALLENGES. IN 2019, SRS SUPPORTED 105 PARTICIPANTS THROUGH ITS VARIOUS RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. PARTICIPANTS TRAVELED FROM PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, AND NEW JERSEY TO ATTEND PROGRAMS AT CAMP KWEEBEC IN SCHWENKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA; MT. GILEAD IN STROUDSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA; AND FENWICK ISLAND, IN DELAWARE. 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.2019 ALSO INTRODUCED ADULT SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, WHICH PROVIDE STAFFED MEET-UPS FOR ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. SUCH ACTIVITIES AS DANCES, SKYZONE, AND LONGWOOD GARDENS ALLOW PARTICIPANTS TO MEET NEW FRIENDS AND MAINTAIN OLD FRIENDSHIPS. VFES PROVIDES THESE SERVICES FREE OF CHARGE, WITH VOLUNTEER STAFF.

---

---

Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (public 990 form dataset) from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202003019349300605_public.xml