November 14, 2025
@vfmacademy/Facebook
Valley Forge Military Academy is ending classes for underclass cadets on Friday, Nov. 21. Only seniors will return for the spring semester.
Valley Forge Military Academy had already planned to close at the end of the academic year. But now, the Delaware County school is moving up its timeline for most cadets.
VFMA said that Friday, Nov. 21, would be the last day of on-campus instruction for students enrolled in grades 7-11. While the senior class will return to the Wayne prep school grounds after a winter break and finish their spring semester, all underclassmen will be permanently sent home. In a letter shared with parents, academy leadership asked those cadets to remove all personal belongings by next Friday.
The decision was apparently spurred by low enrollment and staffing issues.
"After careful review of staffing levels, enrollment trends, and our ability to maintain the highest standards of safety, structure, and academic quality, Valley Forge Military Academy has made the difficult decision to limit on-campus operations to our senior class for the spring semester," Gray Beck, chairman of VFMA, wrote in the letter. "While our intent was to remain open to all cadets throughout the year, ongoing staff turnover and higher-than-expected cadet attrition have created challenges that make it increasingly difficult to provide the full educational and leadership experience that every cadet deserves.
"This decision was not made lightly. It reflects our commitment to ensuring that the cadets in our care are supported in a safe, structured, and mission-focused environment."
The private school announced plans to close at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year back in September, calling the academy's future "unsustainable." VFMA attributed its dwindling student body to "rising costs," which had priced families out of a "boarding school education."
Beck also cited increased insurance premiums as a contributing factor. Numerous former cadets have sued VFMA in recent years over alleged abuse, as reported by the Inquirer, though an attorney for the school claimed the insurance hikes were not necessarily tied to the allegations.
Valley Forge Military College, which shares a campus with the feeder academy, will remain open.
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