Delaware Valley Friends School

08/28/2026

The excitement was palpable this Wednesday as new families joined us on campus for an orientation and Ice Cream Social! 🍦

In each division, kids were able to meet and get to know other new students along with returning student ambassadors. Lower and Middle School students played games indoors and on our field, while their parents and Upper School families met with teachers and administrators to ask questions and learn more about the start of school.

To top off the evening everyone enjoyed frozen treats from Petrucci’s Ice Cream & Water Ice and enjoyed a gorgeous summer night.

See all you new Dragons back on campus soon!

08/17/2026

From self-doubt to self-confidence, students who learn differently “become their very best” at Delaware Valley Friends School. https://www.suburbanlifemagazine.com/article/4126/Celebrating-Every-Students-Journey

08/13/2026

Back-to-school is coming soon…

Where will you hang when you get back to campus?

08/05/2026

Bring the joy back to learning this year. Find your new beginning at Delaware Valley Friends School!

We have:
🍎 Small class sizes
✏️ Assistance with executive functioning
📚 A science-backed literacy program
👩‍🏫 Expert teachers who know how to connect with students
🎓 Award winning college and career guidance

Give your child the chance to shine.
Reach out to admissions today via the 🔗 in our bio!

07/31/2026

🎓 Being known is the first step to finding your voice. At it's our mission to make sure the light within every child gets the chance to shine.

This year, graduating senior Aiyana shared her story of finding confidence at Delaware Valley Friends after being diagnosed with selective mutism. The safety she felt at DV gave her room to have new experiences like attending overnight retreats with her class, and to take on challenges like performing in the musical and joining the band. Being supported by knowledgeable faculty and surrounded by classmates who cared has brought out so much of who Aiyana is... and will influence who she continues to become.

Delaware Valley Friends is still accepting applications for the 2026-2027 school year. Contact us at the 🔗 in our bio to give your child who learns differently the chance to become all that they can.

07/27/2026

🎓 So many students with learning differences are told they aren't trying hard enough, that they are the problem. At Delaware Valley Friends School we know all these students are missing is an educator who understands.

Our graduates enter adulthood with the skills, strategies, and confidence to take on the challenges ahead, whether heading to college or entering the job market. Every student has the potential to shine, and DVFriends simply reveals their light.

Contact our Admissions office at the 🔗 in our bio if your child is in need of a new beginning this school year.

07/24/2026

We’re so proud of Hallie and all the work she does for the students of DVFriends!

We’re proud to recognize the recipients of 10 awards presented during the 63rd Annual PACAC Conference. Over the coming days, we’ll highlight the outstanding individuals and organizations whose leadership, service, and dedication continue to strengthen our profession and support students across our region.

Hallie Ciarlone was honored with the William R. McClintick, Jr. Service Award. Hallie is the Director of College Counseling at Delaware Valley Friends School.

Hallie joined the DVFriends community in 2011 after spending five years in Baltimore, Maryland creating the college counseling department at a small independent day school. She earned her NCC distinction and M.Ed. in School Counseling from Loyola University Maryland, where she published several studies on adolescent self-efficacy. Hallie holds a B.A. in sociology and public policy from Franklin & Marshall College. She credits her love of college admissions with her extensive work as a student intern and tour guide while at F&M. She is currently professionally involved with PACAC as the Co-Chair of the Professional Development Committee and member of the Secondary School Counselor Committee. Previous PACAC leadership roles have included Summer Institute Faculty Mentor, Co-Chair of the Southeastern PA College Counseling Workshops and a regular speaker for webinars and workshops. She is also an active member of National Association for College Admission Counseling, American School Counselor Association, PSCA - The Pennsylvania School Counselors Association, and ACCIS (Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools). Hallie consults with schools around the country to guide students who learn differently. She is currently co-chair of the Disabilities & Neurodiversity Special Interest Group for NACAC. Hallie also serves as Vice President on the Board of Directors for the Avon Grove Education Foundation. At DVFriends, Hallie has found her passion for counseling students who learn differently and helping their families make the successful post-secondary transition.

The William R. McClintick, Jr. Service Award was established as a means of recognizing a member with 10 to 25 years of experience who has dedicated significant service to the professional and to PACAC.

07/24/2026

DVFriends had an inspiring week at the ALDS Leadership Summit, hosted at Currey Ingram Academy in Nashville, Tennessee! Our attending faculty, staff, and administrators loved getting the chance to connect with and learn from other colleagues working with students who learn differently.

Our Head of School Kirk Smothers co-presented a session titled "Creative Solutions for Replacing Key Talent, from the Boardroom to the Classroom", organized by Gabriel Lucas and 12M Recruiting, who expertly facilitated a dynamic, high-impact discussion.

Alongside Amy Clemons from Forman School, Kirk dove into real-world case studies about navigating some of the toughest talent challenges independent schools face:

Restructuring for long-term organizational health

Salvaging failed searches and pivoting effectively

Deciding when to promote from within vs. when to wait for the ideal candidate

Other DV attendees contributed to discussions on female leadership, mission-alignment, executive function, and communication within the Learning Differences community.

"It reaffirmed many of the good things we’re doing at DVFriends," says Middle School Dean of Students Meredith Shinners, "and gave me ideas to continue my own leadership and build leadership and community within our middle school."

Thank you to all the ALDS board and organizers for putting together a phenomenal line-up of panels and presentations run by world-class experts in the LD field.

07/17/2026

📖 Reading should do more than build skills – it should build perspective. By senior year, DV students are ready to take on challenging texts that ask them to connect ideas and ask questions.

☢️ The Radium Girls by Kate Moore combines history, science, and ethics as it documents the true story of young women working in clock factories during World War 1. What seemed at first like a golden opportunity quickly sours as these women begin to fall ill from exposure to toxic chemicals. As their conditions worsen, the women organize and spearhead a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights whose effects are still felt today.

07/16/2026

Students who learn differently need teachers who show up – even in the summer. ☀️

Over the summer, DV students can enroll in one-on-one literacy instruction or small group math instruction with Orton-Gillingham trained educators who know how to build skills and relationships. For an hour a day, students keep their skills sharp, their minds active, and .