Valley Forge Military Academy to Close Most Cadets Early Due to Enrollment and Staffing Issues
In a move that comes as a shock to families, Valley Forge Military Academy announced plans to permanently shut down most of its operations next week. The Delaware County school had already set the closure date for the end of the academic year, but now it appears that only seniors will be allowed to stay on campus.
As of November 21, students in grades 7-11 will no longer have access to on-campus instruction, while their senior classmates will get to return to the academy's grounds after a winter break. However, the young cadets will not be welcome back.
In a letter shared with parents, the school's leadership cited "low enrollment" and "staffing issues" as the reasons for this drastic decision. It is believed that these problems were fueled by the rising costs of attending the academy, which many families found unaffordable.
The closure has significant implications for the cadets who will be sent home permanently. The school urged parents to collect all personal belongings from their children by next Friday. Parents are likely to be concerned about how this change will affect their child's education and well-being.
In a statement, Gray Beck, chairman of Valley Forge Military Academy, said that the decision was not made lightly, but it is necessary to ensure the academy can provide "a safe, structured, and mission-focused environment" for its remaining students.
This development comes as no surprise given that the school had previously announced plans to close at the end of the 2025-26 academic year due to what they described as an unsustainable future.
For now, it remains to be seen how Valley Forge Military Academy will navigate this challenging period ahead.
In a move that comes as a shock to families, Valley Forge Military Academy announced plans to permanently shut down most of its operations next week. The Delaware County school had already set the closure date for the end of the academic year, but now it appears that only seniors will be allowed to stay on campus.
As of November 21, students in grades 7-11 will no longer have access to on-campus instruction, while their senior classmates will get to return to the academy's grounds after a winter break. However, the young cadets will not be welcome back.
In a letter shared with parents, the school's leadership cited "low enrollment" and "staffing issues" as the reasons for this drastic decision. It is believed that these problems were fueled by the rising costs of attending the academy, which many families found unaffordable.
The closure has significant implications for the cadets who will be sent home permanently. The school urged parents to collect all personal belongings from their children by next Friday. Parents are likely to be concerned about how this change will affect their child's education and well-being.
In a statement, Gray Beck, chairman of Valley Forge Military Academy, said that the decision was not made lightly, but it is necessary to ensure the academy can provide "a safe, structured, and mission-focused environment" for its remaining students.
This development comes as no surprise given that the school had previously announced plans to close at the end of the 2025-26 academic year due to what they described as an unsustainable future.
For now, it remains to be seen how Valley Forge Military Academy will navigate this challenging period ahead.
but i guess not.
the idea that low enrollment and staffing issues are gonna make it impossible for them to keep going is pretty sad tbh i feel bad for the families who are gonna have to deal with the emotional fallout of this closure 
. What's gonna happen to all those kids who are being sent home permanently? Will they be able to catch up on their studies or get access to similar programs elsewhere? It's a shame, Valley Forge Military Academy was supposed to provide a unique experience for students. 
! Low enrollment is no excuse, IMHO #ValleyForgeMilitarAcademy #Closure #CadetsInCrisis 
#Sad #EducationReformNeeded 
. The school should've thought of this before, I guess? Not saying they're not trying to make it work, but it's all about the bottom line, right? 
#MilitaryAcademyLife #BudgetCuts 
. Can't help but feel bad for those seniors who will be returning... 
. It's like, you're already dealing with the pressure of being in a military academy, and then they drop the bombshell that you might not even get to finish the school year on campus? It's just not right.
. But it's how we respond to those setbacks that really matters. Can we adapt, can we persevere, and can we find a new way forward? That's what this situation is all about 
. i mean seriously, 7-11 graders are basically done already who needs a bunch of extra staff for those classes anyway? and whats with the senior thing tho is it really that much harder for them to just finish the year? idk maybe there r some specific reasons thats not mentioned here
. It's understandable they need to make tough decisions, but it's still super sad that many of the younger cadets won't get to finish out their time at the academy 
.
Like, I know it's not cheap to attend Valley Forge Military Academy, but that's what makes it so great right? The prestige, the discipline, the whole 'building character' vibe... I'm really worried about those kids who are being sent home early 
they've been looking forward to the military training and everything for so long... and now it's all being taken away from them? it's like, what even is the point of an academy if you're just gonna shut down on them like that? 
it's not fair to them at all...
Can't believe they're just gonna ditch all these kids in the middle of nowhere. What's gonna happen to them when they go back home? They'll be stuck with no structure and probably some pretty rough emotions too 
. What's going to happen to those kids who are still in lower grades? They'll be stuck at home without any on-campus instruction or support systems? It's like, what's next? 
. Maybe there's a way for the school to find new ways to address their enrollment and staffing issues 
. I feel for them! 
My fave cadet is from Valley Forge, I always root for them! 
