Programs: The school provides programs for students, 4-21 years of age, with pennsylvania department of special education exceptionality of autism, speech-language disorders, emotional disturbance and/or other health impairment (ohi). Students who experience developmental disabilities or social-emotional or behavioral difficulties are also eligible for our program. During 2016-17, the vanguard school served 259 students from 55 school districts in nine pennsylvania counties and three students from the state of delaware. As part of the vanguard school, the vanguard transition center (vtc) provided 49 students, 18-21 years of age, with workforce readiness skills, through either on-campus work experience or community-based vocational experiences. A vanguard school education consists of research-based, rigorous academic programs, enriching classroom activities and community-based experiences. We set high expectations for students, teaching them to utilize skills acquired in school and apply them in real-world settings. All students participate in experiences that recognize and develop their wide-range of abilities, interests and needs. This year, we added the practical assessment exploration system (paes) curriculum, which is a dynamic curriculum that operates in a simulated work environment to improve the career assessment and discovery of our vanguard school students. Paes clarifies students' interest in specific work areas, their competitiveness with peers, and assesses their current barriers to future success, and then, through practice, helps transform them to positive work behaviors. The paes curriculum works in five career areas: business/marketing, construction/industrial, consumer/service, processing/production, and computer/technology. A team of therapists supports students in the classroom, individually and in small groups as well as through consultative efforts. Related clinical services include speech-language, occupational and physical therapies, school psychology, school counseling, behavior support and nursing. All therapists and specialists are actively involved in the student's entire day, co-treating across disciplines and consulting with teachers and other professionals on a regular basis. In addition to supporting our students' social and emotional development, our clinical services also include programs for our students' physical health. " to establish the school as a safe and effective learning environment, we have implemented a school-wide positive behavior support (pbis) program that actively encourages students to achieve their academic potential while simultaneously reinforcing their social and emotional learning skills. This year, funding from the pennsylvania training and technical assistance network (pattan) provided consultation services through devereux advanced behavioral health's center for effective schools to pilot the building essential skills for teachers of students with emotional behavior disorders (best-ebd) in all the vanguard elementary classrooms. This project enhanced our pbis program by offering intensive training, mentoring and peer-coaching for educators. In conjunction with the training, educators, clinicians and a team of cross-functional vanguard school supervisors and administrators were trained in specific integrity measures so that they could effectively coach their peers to high levels of fidelity in best-ebd classroom practices. Over the years, we have seen a slight shift in the referrals of students to the vanguard school. More and more, our staff members face the challenge of delivering a curriculum while simultaneously managing a variety of complex learning and behavioral challenges. In response, an interdisciplinary team formed to analyze the problem and create a plan to accommodate these students. The result is that the vanguard school opened two intensive therapeutic classrooms in september 2017. These classrooms are designed for elementary and middle school students who need additional support due to the frequency and intensity of their behaviors that interfere with learning. The interdisciplinary team, comprised of a board certified behavior analyst, clinical social worker, certified special education teacher and classroom aide focus on teaching students evidence-based behavioral and emotional regulation skills, problem-solving skills and ways to manage frustration and anger. The pre-k and elementary school program offers students opportunities to thrive in small classes. Instruction is paced to accommodate students with language delays as well as motor planning and processing difficulties. In addition to academics, students receive social skills training through direct instruction and throughout the school day via modeling and guided practice. Off campus community-based experiences are also an integral part of the program. In the middle school, the emotional and behavioral needs of the students are a focus of instruction. Students are supported through numerous initiatives across the curriculum and enhancement programs. In addition to academics, middle school extended offerings include physical education, home arts, computer studies, music, wood shop, keyboarding, library resources, health, art, transition planning and daily living skills. Students also participate in the work orientation readiness center (worc) and the program of adventure-based counseling experiences (pace). In the high school, there is a continuing emphasis on the development of academic skills, social skills and the transition to adulthood and independence. Students work toward a successful transition to meaningful employment, post-secondary education and community life through community-based instruction, pre-employment transition activities, daily living skills, self-determination and interpersonal skills. In addition to academics, the high school extended offerings include culinary arts, building and trades, horticulture, computer studies, wood shop, keyboarding, library resources, transition planning and the program of adventure-based counseling experiences (pace). Educational field trips, career exploration, travel training, dances, community service projects and special-interest clubs help round out this comprehensive program. The vtc offers post-secondary education support, career preparation, community-based vocational training and social and daily living skills development to young adults. The vtc offers all students evidence-based instruction in math, language arts, daily living skills, current events, healthy lifestyles and social development. Students also participate in counseling, self-advocacy training, community-based activities and recreational opportunities. Community service remains a core value throughout our school programs, with students participating in many projects over the course of the 2016-17 school year. The strength of these community connections supports and enhances our service learning program, where meaningful community service, coupled with instruction, enriches the learning experience while teaching civic responsibility and strengthening our students' roles in their communities. The organization also provides information and education to increase knowledge so parents, caregivers, community members and professionals can become empowered, allowing them to advocate for children more effectively. To that end, we offered six parent education workshops throughout the school year. Subject-matter experts addressed critical issues confronting parents of children and adults with special needs. October featured our second annual resource fair titled, employment, housing, support services and social opportunities for adults and their families. More than forty organizations joined us to provide vital information for individuals with disabilities, community and education professionals, families, and caregivers. Exhibitors included supportive employment organizations, residential service providers, community support services, benefits counselors, family advocates, special needs financial planning experts and agencies that provide social, recreational and leisure activities for adults with special needs, 18 years of age and older. In january, we held our ninth 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. Exhibitors from the region represented a wide array of programs and resources for families including day and overnight camps, therapeutic programs, recreational programs, and more.
summer is also a busy time at valley forge educational services. Summer matters offers educational and recreational programming for young people, 4-24 years of age, with special needs and learning challenges. Programs are of varying formats and lengths and build on participants' interests to help them succeed, learn, and grow. From the development of social and daily living skills to experiencing opportunities to have fun and make new friends, summer matters programs maximize each participant's potential. The extended school year (esy) program had 217 students, 4-21 years of age, participate. Of those students, 35 joined in our vanguard transition center (vtc) summer experience program. The vtc summer experience offers an opportunity for young adults to maintain critical vocational and life skills. Some of our young adults also spent one week at eastern university for an independent living residency. Summer l. I. F. E. Camp supported 103 campers, eight years of age and older, from pennsylvania, delaware, new jersey, new york, and virginia at camp kweebec's property in schwenksville, pa. School-year retreats offered the opportunity for a small group of participants to travel to fenwick island, delaware. The focus of summer l. I. F. E. Is to support campers, 8-24+ years of age, as they cultivate friendships, expand their repertoire of leisure and recreational activities and practice daily living skills away from home. This year many of our summer l. I. F. E. Participants qualified for financial assistance through the educational improvement tax credit (eitc) and opportunity scholarship tax credit (ostc) scholarship programs. Entering its second year, the vocational immersion program (vip), a four-week intensive program for participants, ages 18-24, equipped ten young adults with crucial employment readiness skills. The program was also approved by pennsylvania's office of vocational rehabilitation as a provider of pre-employment transition services (pets) for eligible participants. The services included work readiness, transition support services, employment training initiatives, career exploration and discovery and community-based vocational training. Business partnerships and mentors at community worksites are the keys to success for this program. Participants experienced classroom-based instruction, online learning, workplace internships and a week-long supported independent living residency.
