$167,743,900 Organizations Filed Purposes: THE CHURCH FARM SCHOOL PREPARES A DIVERSE GROUP OF BOYS WITH ACADEMIC ABILITY AND GOOD CHARACTER TO LEAD PRODUCTIVE AND FULFILLING LIVES BY MAKING A COLLEGE PREPARATORY EDUCATION FINANCIALLY ACCESSIBLE. Each boy was required to work half of each school day and full-time for half of each summer. Founded in 1918 and located in Exton, PA, Church Farm School prepares a diverse group of boys with academic ability and good character to lead productive and fulfilling lives by making a college preparatory education financially accessible. The Church Farm School is an independent boarding and day school for boys in grades 9-12 located in Exton, PA. PHILADELPHIA - The Church Farm School (CFS) in Exton faces civil charges from a North Carolina man who says he was sexually abused by a former CFS teacher, according to documents filed earlier this year in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. The insurer's legal team, meanwhile, asserts that a clause in the company's contract with the megachurch absolves it of providing coverage for acts of abuse or molestation, the Columbus Dispatch reported. He says a public announcement of the dismissal tarnished his reputation, too. WEST CHESTER, PA The Chester County District Attorney's Office announced that Marc Spera, age 58 of St. Petersburg, Florida, pled guilty to Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse and Unlawful Contact with a Minor for the sexual abuse of a student that took place between 2008 and 2010 when the defendant was a teacher at Church Farm School (CFS) She Was Just Found in Puerto Rico. Jane Toll helped him select CFS after visiting. A former Pennsylvania private school employee who now works at a Florida private school was arrested last month for allegedly sexually abusing a student during his time at the Pennsylvania school. Exton, Pennsylvania - Former Church Farm School Employee Marc Spera Charged with Several Sex Crimes For Allegedly Abusing Student, Rape & Sexual Assault Victim - Lawyer Commentary, Disclaimer / Terms Of Service & Privacy Policy, 10 counts of unlawful contact with a minor-sexual offenses, 10 counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years of age, 10 counts of endangering the welfare of children, 10 counts of indecent assault of a person less than 16. It's the sort of thought that we have when we bury people so often. The idea of attending boarding school intrigued him as he felt it was where he can learn to be fully independent. A former teacher at a private boarding school in Chester County was sentenced this week to 15 to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting a student at the school. Church Farm School was founded in 1913 as an Episcopal private school for young boys with an attention to farming and agricultural work. The Vortex: Same-Sex-Attracted Seminarians, Have a news tip? This is a story about how Grace Fellowship Christian School outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, handled a child sex abuse scandal. Walter Oxley, told the ex-seminarian, who's filed the complaint anonymously as "John Doe," that he'd discovered a "credible accusation of homosexual activity" against Doe. CFS has become a true partner in educating my greatest trea sures and offered them tremendous opportunities.". He lived in a residential cottage where then-teacher Marc Spera acted as a dorm parent. 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Spera met the victim in 2008, when the boy was a seventh grader enrolled at the Church Farm School, the affidavit said. We have five reasons you may not have considered. Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said, "The sexual abuse of students and children is pervasive and needs to stop now. Like some tight underwear or nothing. In another recent case, Marc Spera, 58, of St. Petersburg, Fla., pleaded guilty earlier this year to one first-degree felony count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and two first-degree felony counts of unlawful contact with a minor, related to the sexual abuse of a student. He returned to the school after receiving several phone calls from school staff members who were trying to find him, police said. Houseparents are adults who live in residence halls with students and oversee the day-to-day living of boarded students. Church Farm School is a private boys' school for grades 7-12 located in rural Exton, PA. Episcopalian reverend Dr. Charles W. Shreiner founded the school in 1918. They also said they are cooperating fully with the investigation. According to the department, the charges date back to Speras time at Church Farm School in Exton, Pennsylvania where he worked and lived on campus from 1995 to 2010. O'Neill, 35, of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, was a teacher at Church Farm School, an all-boys private school in Exton, Pennsylvania. My office will root out any adult, wherever they live, who abuses or has abused children, Ryan said. When a school employee is charged with sexually abusing a student, we should investigate the perpetrator and also determine if the school met its legal duty to protect its students from preventable sexual abuse. This investigation is still ongoing and we will communicate with you further at its conclusion. He is accused of sexually abusing a student there between 2008 and 2010. When the victim was in seventh or eighth grade, on a school-sponsored trip to Florida with CFS baseball team members, Rowley walked in on the victim while he was showering, according to the complaint. Knife Threats In West Chester Result In Arrest, Arsonist Set Fire To West Chester Apartment: Police, $6.35M Grant Awarded By Chesco Commissioners For Crebilly Farm, The Berwyn Indoor / Outdoor Vintage Flea Market, GVSD Education Foundation presents: The Harlem Wizards. Most students are from low-income families, and students pay what they are able to afford. Unlocking Potential: The CFS Strategic Plan, Baccalaureate and Commencement Information, 5 Surprising Reasons You Should Consider Boarding School for Your Teen, Juniors Fayi Nshanji and Rafael Arellano Participate in Term-Away Programs, Admissions Virtual Open House for International Students. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Sign up to get Patch emails and don't miss any local news: https://patch.com/subscribe. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. In total, the defendant abused the victim hundreds of times while he was a student at CFS, the District Attorney's Office alleges. 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The Church Farm School (CFS) is a private secondary Christian school in Exton, Pennsylvania, United States. Church Farm School, 1001 E. Lincoln Highway, in West Whiteland Township, is a boarding and day school that says it is "in the Episcopal tradition.". I am attorney Brian Kent. A Chester County teacher is accused of having sex with one of her students during a relationship that lasted nearly a year. The Church prohibits any men with deep-seated homosexual tendencies from becoming priests, let alone men who act on such desires. Submit news to our tip line. Have a news tip? Church Farm Schoolexists toprovide real and meaningful opportunity to motivated, hard-working boys from many places in our region and around the world, especially those who desire an excellent education. TFCA of GP Meet #8 @ Lehigh University Top 10 Finishers: Shot Put - Charles: 2nd Place (45-1.75) - New Indoor School Record Even smart, ambitious kids can fade into the background in large urban or suburban schools. The abuse happened between 2008 and 2010 when Spera was a teacher at Church Farm School, the Chester County District Attorney's Office said. 's report alleges Rowley's sexual abuse continued during the victim's senior year. For junior Fayi Nshanji, the first Church Farm School student to participate in a term-away program, that adage has proven accurate. Before coming to CFS, he was Head Chaplain and Head of the Religion Department at St. Marks School, Southborough, Massachusetts. Attorney contributor Brian Kent is a former sex-crimes prosecutor who now represents victims and their families in civil lawsuits. Based on the complaint, Schreck was apparently quite concerned about the student, encouraging him to "get [his] life in order and to avail [himself] of the sacraments.". from Yale Divinity School. 57-year-old Marc Spera faces a laundry list of charges, including: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Spera on these charges in May. Sign up for only one day for the low cost of $1.99. Premium users have access to full-length programs with limited commercials and receive a 10% discount in the store! 57-year-old Marc Spera faces a laundry list of charges, including: 10 counts of statutory sexual assault Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. The school is still associated with the Church, and an Episcopal Chaplain leads mandatory chapel services. After the investigation, O'Neill was arrested and charged with four counts of corruption of minors. When the student returned for his eighth-grade year, authorities said, Spera sexually assaulted him in his room on campus and forced him to perform sex acts, the affidavit said. The Reverend Edmund K. Ned Sherrill became Church Farm Schools fourth Head of School on July 1, 2009. A jury awarded $6 million in damages, but the amount was reduced by a judge to $2.9 million to reflect caps on damages. Ideally, all of our boys will attend college immediately after high school and finish college in four years. The two expressed their love for one another and began a relationship that lasted 10 months, according to investigators. By clicking the "Continue" button, you agree to the ChurchMilitant.com Terms of Use and ChurchMilitant.com Privacy Policy. The victim contacted Chester County investigators in 2018 to report the sexual assaults but provided limited detail at the time, according to the affidavit of probable cause for Speras arrest. Founded in 1918 to provide an excellent education to young men from limited means, Church Farm School now serves boys from a range of socio-economic circumstances who are seeking an extraordinary educational opportunity. We are cooperating with the authorities on this case.. They will lead an army of prayer warriors to pray for YOUR needs!" The victim in the case has filed a lawsuit against Church Farm School, saying its staff improperly allowed Spera to spend unsupervised time with him. Marc Spera, 58, pleaded guilty Tuesday to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and unlawful contact with a minor for the assaults, which began when the student was enrolled at the Church Farm School in Exton in 2008, prosecutors said. Please note that our appointment calendar fills quickly. Following the meeting, Doe claims he wasn't allowed to go back to his room if he wasn't accompanied by someone from the school. [4] [5] In 1985, the campus was listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places . Class Vice President Sebastian Corrales '19, from Philadelphia, is a leader in every sense of the word: in the cottage, classroom and on the wrestling mat. Spera is currently at the Pinellas County Jail awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania. I cover how law enforcement investigates crime in Philly's collar counties: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery. If you or a loved one is a survivor of sexual abuse by a private school employee, you can learn more about your legal rights in a free consultation with one of our experienced sex abuse victim lawyers. choosing to provide uncommon educational access to those students who would not typically enjoy such a life-changing experience.