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Great schools recognize that in education each year is a building block preparing students to be productive, responsible, and successful citizens. Vanguard provides students with the necessary resources and tools to become educated, empowered and inspired on their journey to adulthood.
Our challenging and well-rounded curriculum encourages students to make the very most of their skills and talents as they find their passions inside and outside the classroom.
Vanguard students thrive in our challenging, yet supportive, environment. We recognize that our students will enter into a broader community where it is vital to understand the world on global terms, to be able to communicate with others within that world and to understand the cultural lenses through which others view their world.
The goal of the Science Department is to guide students in developing an appreciation for the natural sciences. This will be accomplished using a structured methodology to investigate and analyze the laws that govern everyday phenomena. Concepts are taught based on activity-oriented lessons that involve extensive experimentation and application of current technology.
In the World Languages Department, our students become more active participants in the ever-expanding global society in which they live. The study of a world language develops not only insight and empathy into other cultures and traditions but also transferable skills that improve student performance in communication, reading for context, literary insight, and problem-solving. Literary analysis and both written and spoken activities reinforce students’ understanding of the languages they study and prepare them for a future of effective communication.
The Vanguard English Department believes that language and literature communicate far more than plot or narrative. Regardless of future fields of study, students will use language and critical thinking skills to convey information to a wide and varied audience, and those skills are developed in Vanguard English classrooms through the study of diverse literature, analytical and creative writing assignments, and college-level class discussion. In the words of Justice Stephen Breyer, “Only by studying the humanities can we hope to understand how other people live. Because literature, history, or philosophy all provide extraordinary windows on the world.” The Vanguard English Department works to introduce students to varied cultures, ideas, and literary genres while continuing their education in rhetoric and composition in order to help open those windows.
In the mathematics courses, the instruction at all levels is designed to train students in the mechanics of mathematics and in deductive reasoning, thus stimulating them to learn and think rationally, critically, and independently. Instructors stress the development of manipulative skills and the application of these techniques to problem-solving situations. The basic sequence, covered in four years, includes work in basic algebra, plane and solid geometry, trigonometry, and elementary analysis, but many seniors will advance to take some level of calculus.
An understanding of the American past is vitally important for an informed citizen in our constitutional republic, although that alone is not enough. The examination of other cultures and their history is also crucial for broadening understanding of an interdependent world and, therefore, the study of international cultures is integrated throughout the department’s program. Courses in history in the middle school years emphasize Texas history, as well as introductory political science and world geography. In these courses, students learn skills and concepts essential to the study of history and the social sciences, thus preparing students for more advanced courses in these fields. In high school, students take a minimum of four years of social studies, including the required courses of: World History, U.S. History, and the capstone courses Macroeconomics and U.S. Government. Students may also take elective courses that broaden their understanding of the world and other cultures. These electives include: AP European History, Human Geography, World War II, and AP Art History. Finally, students who desire to develop their critical thinking and communication skills further can choose to participate in debate and mock trial.
Computer Science experience has become an imperative for today’s students and the workforce of tomorrow. The Technology Department strives to offer courses that furnish students the knowledge and skills that enable them to participate in lifelong learning and to adapt to an ever-changing technological environment. Students learn Robotics, Coding, Multi-media, tech skills and more. In High-School, each student needs to have access to a laptop for educational opportunities.
The Vanguard-Fine Arts Programs exist to:
• Develop the natural talents of all students
• Promote excellence in all activities
• Build character through creative pursuits
• Encourage service to the world through the arts
Click below for more information on fine arts. Vanguard Arts
Vanguard College Preparatory School believes AP is the way to successfully challenge our students beyond the already rigorous academics. AP helps our students gain college-level credit that will transfer easier than most dual enrollment courses. Vanguard offers the following AP courses:
Vanguard has a full-time College Counselor committed to helping students and families. Click below to learn more. College Counseling Information
