The Vanguard School Class of 2014

Cherish the friendships, embrace lifelong learning, define your own success and prepare yourself for whatever journey in life you desire to pursue. Those were some of the messages delivered to the class of 2014 during commencement ceremonies at The Vanguard School on Tuesday evening in front of proud families, friends and staff.

The class of 2014 consists of 19 graduates from 17 school districts including Student Council Representative Andrew Leflar who offered the student address. Leflar talked about the numerous opportunities for growth afforded to his classmates during their years at The Vanguard School. He reflected on the support and encouragement provided by staff, the special bonds and friendships made with classmates and the academic and personal achievements he and his peers enjoyed.

Timothy Krushinski, Director of The Vanguard School, spoke about the challenges students may face in the future and offered graduates advice to navigate life successfully including showing respect for oneself and others, thinking before you act, being a good friend and never giving up. He reminded the students that reaching their goal of graduating secondary school proves that they can do anything to which they set their minds.

According to Krushinski, “Many of the students will be continuing their education at The Vanguard Transition Center (VTC); others will go on to technical and community colleges. Nine of the graduates will be participating in The VTC Community-Based Vocational Training program with the intention of becoming prepared for meaningful, gainful employment. The biggest obstacle our graduates may face is finding work. Several of our students have been hired and given an opportunity in the professional world,” he said. “We need more of them to be offered opportunities in the area business community. The biggest request we have of our area businesses is to hire our graduates because they are very good employees and can make significant contributions to our community.”

Program Supervisors, Thomas Smith and Hugh Braun wrapped up the evening with the presentation of diplomas, congratulating the graduates on an accomplishment that is incredibly meaningful in their lives as they continue a lifelong journey in which they will further grow as contributing members of their personal, professional and global communities.

A day that was a mere dream has arrived. After a grueling winter replete with polar vortexes and nor’easters, I had but the slightest, smallest glimmer of hope that spring would actually rear its head this year. For I felt it would be “2014: The Year Without Spring.” Especially after having snow in the early days of March.

So, after experiencing such intense weather for several months and hibernating indoors for so long, cabin fever indubitably peaked. It’s time to put away the sweaters and boots and get moving to squeeze into the long-forgotten and far-less-bulky spring-apparel collection.

Since the spring of 1986, Vanguard’s Lower School has been piggy backing on this active, stir-crazy mindset, producing an Annual Gym Show for the students to have an opportunity to exhibit the physical skill sets they’ve honed over the course of the academic year. What began as a small display in one of the tiny annexes on campus has blossomed into a wondrous production and opportunity for parents to come in and see what their children have learned.

This year’s Lower School Gym Show was held on Friday, March 28th. After the hubbub from Vanguard’s first-ever musical production, Aladdin Jr., had dissipated a bit, it was a unique chance for parents to witness something distinct from traditional theatrical productions and concerts. While there is cross-curricular collaboration employed in the Lower School Gym Show—e.g., the students made happy faces to use in their “Happy” dance a la Pharell’s song by the same moniker—the emphasis is on having a physical event that highlights the well-rounded education each child receives at The Vanguard School. For as is the case with students of all abilities, maintaining an active lifestyle is essential to sustaining a healthy lifestyle.

For some of our students, it may be harder than others. For instance, intramurals are often not an ideal fit for children with autism, as we recently learned during a presentation about the link between autism and weight-related issues. From being teased for the use of coping mechanisms or persistent topics of conversation to motor-skills limitations and behavior issues, many aspects of team sports impede the full participation and enjoyment of children with autism.

How nice it was for the students to have an opportunity to do everything from cooperative fitness challenges to group juggling in a warm, familiar setting. And to display their team-oriented skills and enjoyment engaging in them for their parents.

The students were able to showcase a wide range of activities that day:

• Maneuvering a tricky obstacle course
• Skipping, leaping, hopping and sliding in sequence, exhibiting sound locomotor movement skills
• Participating in cooperative fitness challenges including partner sit-up throw and catch and group jumping jacks
• Displaying skills acquired in gymnastics club such as walking on the balance beam and performing partner forward rolls
• Competing in Olympic-style bobsled races

In the end, it seemed parents, staff and students on the side lines were Happiest to see the students exhibiting their skills Happily.

A very extra special thank you to Mrs. Cary Hunter for organizing such an amazing presentation, and to all the staff whose work facilitated a superb experience for everyone involved.

Veterans who have served our country during times of conflict live at the Medical Center or visit it frequently to receive out-patient services. The Center was in need of many personal-care donations to provide to those in need of basic items. One of their suggested items was socks.

For one of their money community-service projects, the Student Councils voted to collect socks in lieu of money for their 5th Annual Dance-a-Thon Fundraiser and donate all socks collected to the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The Middle School Student Council also held a bake sale, raising $70 total, which was used to purchase 45 pairs of socks.

In sum, the Student Councils collected a whopping 512 pairs of socks! This past Monday, March 10, the Upper School held an assembly to wrap up the sock-donation drive.

The Students Councils would like to thank everyone who donated socks, baked goods and funds to purchase socks, bought items at the bake sale and supported the students at the dance. Because of the wonderful VFES community, we were able to honor local veterans and ensure their feet were toasty warm during the bitterly cold winter.

The Socks Bagged and Ready to go to the Veterans

Student Councils being Recognized by Upper School Students

(Left to Right) Ty Morgan, Jacque Murray and Jim Kane

Certainly, that statement still applies to the program in its current form 28 years later. What started as a small, post-graduate program with 13 students enrolled in the pilot year, 1986, has blossomed into The Vanguard Transition Center: a program for young adults, ages 18-21, that serves 55 students and affords myriad work-study and other learning opportunities. Classes in current events, healthy lifestyles and human social development are offered to all students, along with community-based activities and recreational opportunities.

And Mrs. Murray is still at the helm of The VTC nearly three decades later, acting as its Program Supervisor. She is committed to ensuring young adults in need of additional education and critical life and job skills development receive the best services and opportunities possible.

Also pictured below is Jim Kane, who acted as the Adjustment Counselor in the beginning stages of the post-graduate program, and Ty Morgan, a beloved, long-time teacher at The Vanguard School consistently lauded for his contributions to the academic community and commitment to upholding ethical standards. Plaques commemorating Mr. Morgan’s efforts continue to hang in the Jarmon and Activities Centers here on campus.

Read on for a trip down memory lane.

Article Detailing the Launch of the Post-Graduate Program at Vanguard

The Richmond Horrocks Excellence In Education Awards: 2001-2013, Hanging in the Murphy Lobby on the VFES Campus

Fridays have always been special for me for the most-cited reasons. For one, the antithesis of Monday, Fridays hail the end of the work/school week and usher in two much-needed days of rest. Furthermore—perhaps in gleeful anticipation of the weekend—Fridays seem to inject a bit of energy and oomph that was lacking Monday through Thursday. In addition, I am fortunate enough to work for an organization that supports Casual Fridays. A most-glorious respite from professional garb, I get to sport denim on Fridays!

And now, my new favorite reason of all: soft pretzels! Salty, carb-laden hugs for my stomach delivered by the smiling students of The Vanguard School. Yellow mustard permanently resides in my desk drawer just for my special delivery one day a week. I always say I get ample to share, but never spread the love. They’re irresistible. When they’re all gone, a tear drops from my eye. Okay, that was an exaggeration. But it isn’t the happiest moment of the day.

Second happiest moment of the day: waking up and realizing “Oh, it’s Friday, I get to wear jeans,” then transitioning to the even more glorious cognizance that “Hurray, it’s Friday, it’s soft pretzel day.” Supremely ecstatic moment: when the door to my annex opens and I physically receive a brown paper bag with my name on it containing my bounty by a *student*.

After all, the program is designed to bolster vocational skills and provide invaluable opportunities to demonstrate initiative, organization, congeniality and responsibility.

The program is really, truly very encompassing and beneficial for the development of our students’ job and life skills. Teresa McNulty Hight, a Classroom Teacher in the High School who oversees the program, recently said, “There’s a lot involved in it, much that I even take for granted at this point.” Well put.

But let’s take a stab at cataloging the program’s assets, shall we? The students in The Pretzel Program are responsible for…

• Following directions and making sound, prudent decisions.
• Distributing order forms to staff mailboxes and filing completed forms.
• Demonstrating effective communication skills by taking orders on campus via phone and calling the Pretzel Factory to place orders.
• Reading and fulfilling pretzel orders based on order forms and writing the names of recipients clearly on the paper bags.
• Taking on the duty of delivering pretzels, especially to the Lower School (FYI, if you didn’t know, our campus is situated on 28 acres).
• Logically planning delivery routes and grouping orders in accordance to ensure maximum efficiency.
• Determining how much to sell the pretzels for in order to make a worthwhile profit.
• Demonstrating money management skills by accurately making change and totaling sales.
• Completing forms for and depositing money with VFES’ Business Office.
• (My favorite) Employing sound customer-service and people skills, e.g., maintaining eye contact, being polite and ultimately ensuring the customer is happy.

Thus, by consuming mass amounts of pretzels every Friday, I’m really helping the students develop an amazing set of skills they can take with them and apply outside academia. Yeah, that sounds like a good justification.

So, if you haven’t ever put in an order for soft pretzels, contact Teresa. You don’t know what you’re missing. And when you obtain and consume your first order, you’ll wonder how you ever survived sans Pretzel Fridays. They also deliver on Tuesdays if you really think you’re worth it! (I am not worth it, so I’m relegated to a standing order on Fridays only.)

If you’re not a member of our VFES community, then my heart goes out to you. Let shades of jealous rage commence. Perhaps you should join our team. Or institute your own Pretzel Friday. But it won’t be the same, because the students are the fundamental component of the greatness that is Pretzel Friday.

When I think about this wonderful winter that has been bestowed upon us, I think the worst thing about all the snow this year… I missed many a Pretzel Friday.

Fun fact according to USHistory.org: “While the rest of the country crunches on petrified hard pretzels at the rate of 1-1/2 to 2 pounds a year, the happy-toothed Philadelphian will generally consume about 12 times that amount annually.”

See, they really are smiling. That bit was not exaggerated.

Cindy Messerle, the organization’s Director of Development, recently wrote in a letter of thanks to the students: “On behalf of every dog, cat and rabbit temporarily residing at MLAR waiting for their new home, I sincerely thank you for your generous gift. Your donation reminds us that everything we do for our animals is made possible through the generosity of friends like you. We are pleased to learn how much you care about animals, especially animals in need of shelter and a new home.”

Speech and Language Explorers
A speech focused program for children with speech sound disorders like CAS including:

• Daily individual and group speech sessions
• Fun sensory motor group with an occupational therapist
• Parent participation and workshops
• Written summary with home activities and suggestions

June 16 – 20, 2014
Monday – Friday, 9 am – 12pm

Led by Jolynn Thomas, MS, CCC-SLP
CASANA Recognized for Advanced Training and Clinical Expertise in Childhood Apraxia of Speech
 

Sensory Motor Play and Learn
Fun sensory motor play based group for young children 3-6 years of age including:

• Daily sensory themes
• Group indoor and outdoor, large and small motor activities
• Parent participation and workshops
• Written summary with home activities and suggestions

June 16 – 20, 2014 and/or August 11 – 15, 2014
Monday – Friday, 9 am – 12 pm

Led by Nancy Allard, MA, OTR/L
SIPT Certified with Advanced Training in the Evaluation and Treatment of Children with Sensory Processing Disorders
 

For more information about these programs, please contact Nancy Allard at 610.296.6725 x308 or naallard@vfes.net

Summer L.I.F.E. is not confined to a classroom. Or a class. And while the days may be scheduled, time feels less inhibited. The best-of-the-best summer camps provide an environment that innately affords more opportunities to push boundaries, step outside one’s comfort zone and try things one never thought possible before.

More vivacity. More fun.

The “why” of it is multifaceted, as are the experiences of the campers.

First and foremost, shall we list the activities? Rock climbing, river rafting and ziplining are all thrilling expenditures that inspire an explorative mindset. The rush that comes from trying something new is invigorating. The feeling snowballs, and all of a sudden previously apprehensive campers are trying new things at an increasing rate.

Climbing the Rock Wall. Conquering Doubt.

Experiential learning is extremely impactful.

But you still have to find the right fit for each individual camper. That is really the key to ensuring that an amazing summer experience is had by a camper. How apt to say, “if the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t wear it.”

So, naturally, we’re going to do it right. At Summer Matters, we have a continuum of programming designed to serve campers with special needs. And we’re not afraid to shuffle things around a bit to match the right activities, the right staff members, the right opportunities to each camper to foster growth of emotional, social, life and leisure skills.

And it certainly doesn’t hurt to be amongst campers who share similar triumphs and roadblocks; it is very comforting and inspiring. Campers and parents consistently cite newfound friends as a top reason for returning year after year.

Plus, fundamentally and importantly, summer camp is essential in guarding against summer learning loss and skills regression. Thus, it serves as the perfect jump start for the upcoming academic year. Especially crucial for children and young adults with learning challenges. Recent research consistently reveals that summer programs are particularly beneficial for those with special needs.

From development of social and life skills to simply experiencing opportunities to have fun and make new friends, there are not enough good things you could say about camp. When you really get down to it, it’s not the “whys” that are important; it’s the “why nots.”

The parents of one of our campers reported just that: “The daily rigors of school can be tough for a kid with Asperger’s. Looking for the right summer camp where our son could be himself and just enjoy being a kid was very important to our family… His first day, he immediately started making connections with the other boys in the cabin. The Director of Summer Matters sent us a picture when he accomplished making it all the way to the top of the rock climbing wall! He tried something different every day, which opened his mind to new experiences and unfamiliar situations… Summer Matters helped to build his self-confidence and independence in a fun, engaging way. These kids built friendships and learned new skills just how every kid does or should. Not by books, lessons or class work, but by getting outside and working together with the ultimate goal of having fun.”

But of course, Canoeing

Sanding in Woodshop

Crafting and Creating

Happy Campers