Delaware Valley Friends School
Encyclopedia
Delaware Valley Friends School (DVFS) was founded in 1986 by Irene McHenry. Located in Paoli
, Pennsylvania
, DVFS offers secondary
Quaker education for students in grades 6-12 who have learning differences. DVFS is the only Quaker upper school in the Philadelphia region structured for this purpose.
DVFS teachers are trained in the Orton-Gillingham
approach, particular to address the needs of dyslexic, dysgraphic and attention deficit students. The school is also known for its small class sizes, cutting edge technology, and concentrated attention on skill-building
The teacher-to-student ratio at DVFS is approximately 5 to 1, which allows teachers to measure what skills students have and understand what skills they need to accomplish their work. The goal at DVFS is not to “catch students up,” but to gain more than one year of skill improvement per year.
Quaker beliefs and values shape the fabric of daily life at DVFS. A fundamental optimism and caring respect underlie all interpersonal interactions. The Friends educational approaches, as well as innovative teaching, are replicated during the Summer Program, which runs from June to August, and features one-on-one tutorials, art classes and intensive instruction to advance reading and writing skills.
Paoli, Pennsylvania
Paoli is a census-designated place in Chester County near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated in portions of two townships: Tredyffrin and Willistown...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, DVFS offers secondary
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
Quaker education for students in grades 6-12 who have learning differences. DVFS is the only Quaker upper school in the Philadelphia region structured for this purpose.
DVFS teachers are trained in the Orton-Gillingham
Orton-Gillingham
The Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction was developed in the early-20th century. It is language-based, multisensory, structured, sequential, cumulative, cognitive, and flexible.Orton-Gillingham techniques have been in use since the 1930s...
approach, particular to address the needs of dyslexic, dysgraphic and attention deficit students. The school is also known for its small class sizes, cutting edge technology, and concentrated attention on skill-building
The teacher-to-student ratio at DVFS is approximately 5 to 1, which allows teachers to measure what skills students have and understand what skills they need to accomplish their work. The goal at DVFS is not to “catch students up,” but to gain more than one year of skill improvement per year.
Quaker beliefs and values shape the fabric of daily life at DVFS. A fundamental optimism and caring respect underlie all interpersonal interactions. The Friends educational approaches, as well as innovative teaching, are replicated during the Summer Program, which runs from June to August, and features one-on-one tutorials, art classes and intensive instruction to advance reading and writing skills.