Mixed-up priorities may have hastened the closing of Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, write Max Marin, William Bender, and Ryan W. Briggs for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The elite boarding school that serves grades seven to 12 is closing in 2026, with VFMA leaders citing declining enrollment and rising insurance premiums.
The school also faces legal costs from lawsuits filed by former cadets alleging abuse.
Some parents look to November 2023, when Academy buildings were deteriorating, yet the board of trustees opened a new $1.7 million official residence for the academy president and his wife.
Financial stability was also a worry when board members personally lent $2 million to cover operating costs.
Various revenue-generating efforts, including selling off a third of the campus to luxury home developers, were not enough.
Robert Wood, former dean of student services, said despite decades of scandals and what he believed was poor leadership, there had been great educators and tactical officers at the school.
“I think it’s a shame the place is closing,” he said. “Because, done properly, it should have been the gold standard.”
Read details about the mounting problems that were facing Valley Forge Military Academy in recent years in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
