Waco’s Best High School: Mission Statement/Core Values – Vanguard College Preparatory School

The Vanguard College Preparatory School motto – Small School - Big Education – reflects the distinction that Vanguard is the place where children thrive! The breadth and depth of the opportunities offered to our students from Grade 6 through Grade 12 make Vanguard unique. The School makes All Things Possible for our students, their families, and faculty and staff. Our motto is carried out, embraced, and delivered in all areas throughout the School.

Mission Statement

Vanguard College Preparatory School is a non-parochial, independent school in Waco, Texas that prepares our students for academic success and fulfilling lives. The foundation of the Vanguard experience is based on our core values – rigor, responsibility, and respect. The community of Vanguard students, faculty, administrators, and parents are committed to a personalized learning experience that prepares each student to excel at the collegiate level. This commitment is what truly makes Vanguard Waco’s best high school.

Vanguard College Preparatory School Core Values

These core values are intrinsic to the success of Waco’s best high school and middle school.

RIGOR
Sitting in the heart of Waco, Vanguard’s small class sizes provide students with the academic freedom to discover intellectual and personal passions through a demanding curriculum taught by motivated highly qualified educators. Beyond a robust regimen of core subjects, students are challenged by their peers and the faculty to explore the meaning of complex information and to apply knowledge in the service of their communities and careers. Waco’s best middle school and Waco’s best high school sit on the same campus site.

RESPECT
We provide a supportive, safe environment for our students. The foundation of this environment is based on mutual respect among individuals, students, faculty, parents, and the administration. The culture of mutual respect extends beyond the classroom onto the campus, athletic fields, the students’ homes, and the surrounding community. Our students’ self-respect and their respect for others are foundational to success in any endeavor after Vanguard.

RESPONSIBILITY
We develop responsible students by entrusting them with an age-appropriate degree of freedom, balanced with clearly defined standards of behavior and accountability. The interaction of freedom and accountability between students, faculty, and administration helps each student exercise the integrity, self-discipline, and responsibility necessary for success at the collegiate level.

Bostick Hall is renovated, restored and now houses state-of-the-art science labs, a student activities center and the Scott Poage Family Reference Center.

Watch to learn more about what makes Vanguard a special place!

Vanguard College Preparatory School focuses on a complete education that emphasizes excellence in academics, the arts, athletics and other activities like clubs and community service. Students can pursue their interests and learn to balance a rich variety of activities. Our rigorous programs prepare students for future success, and 100 percent of our graduating seniors go on to college.

Our students also learn the importance of self-discipline, respect, personal responsibility and compassion.

History

Founded in 1973 in Waco, Texas on a collegiate style, 8.5 acre campus, Vanguard College Preparatory School is a private, independent, coeducational day school for students in grades 7-12. 6th grade will be added for the 2023-2024 school year. Learn more.

Ratio & Class Size

AT VANGUARD:
— The teacher to student ratio at Vanguard is 1:10
— Class sizes range from 3 to 20 and the average size is 13
— Our enrollment varies year-to-year, but is currently 267.
— The average grade size is 45

College Entrance Exam Scores

— Vanguard class of 2021 average SAT score 1350 (critical reading, writing, and math combined).
— SAT scores above average as confirmed by National Merit Scholarship -- from 1994 to 2021, 59 National Merit Finalists.
— For the past 10 years, Vanguard College Preparatory School has had 36 students recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program. Vanguard has averaged one out of every nine students being nationally recognized at the Commended Level or higher.

Accreditation

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, as well as approved by the Texas Education Agency.

Competitive

— Waco's best private school qualified for the national debate tournament.
— Voted Waco's Best Private School by the Waco Trib, Wacoan and #23 Best Private School by Niche.
— State award winning Robotics Team - 2021
— Varsity golf team brought back twelve consecutive TAPPS State Championship.
— 2020-2022 Varsity tennis team consecutive TAPPS State Championship.
— Literary magazine, Liquid Paper, ranked superior by the National Council of Teachers of English.
— Distinguished Merit Awarded, Vanguard Review Newspaper Staff -3A division of the UIL Interscholastic League Press Conference journalism competition. Individual awards include four gold medals, three silver medals, two bronze medals and five honorable mentions
— 16 AP courses
— Average SAT score for classes of 2020 and 2021 was a 1350.
— 2018 Challenge Team Champions
— 2018-22 Art District Winners in all categories and UIL
— Over 50 team TAPPS State Championships

Memberships

National Association of Independent Schools, Southern Association of Independent Schools, Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, Texas Association of Non-Public Schools, The College Board, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of College Admission Counseling, Texas Association of College Admission Counseling & Texas Association of Supervision & Curriculum Development, Classical Association of the Middle West and South.