Vanguard Classical School

Background Statement

Vanguard Classical School (VCS) was opened in 2007 through the efforts of CP of Colorado(Now Ability Connection Colorado - ACCO). Founded in 1946, it has been the mission and vision of ACCO to create, support and encourage inclusive opportunities for Coloradans of all abilities and their families through early education, employment, information and referral, advocacy, public education and collaborative strategies. There has always been an emphasis on diversity, dignity, quality of life and the advancement of human potential.

Vanguard recently completed its seventh year of operation as a K-8 school. Enrollment has increased each year to 540 students in 2013-2014. In Fall of 2014, Vanguard opened a second campus (Vanguard East) and has enrolled an additional 565 students in grades K - 10. In the next two years we will add grades 11 and 12, and anticipate that, at capacity, we will serve 1400 students.

Vanguard has continued to improve the academic achievement of its students each year as evidenced by the accompanying data. Colorado Department of Education outcomes demonstrate that Vanguard continues to improve at rates greater than both the state and district and currently has a 'Performance' rating on the Colorado Growth Model. Vanguard has also demonstrated sound physical management and met all non-academic standards resulting in the district granting a 5 year charter renewal, and approval of the charter expansion.

Individual student needs are supported through a multi-disciplinary team approach (SPED, OT, SLP, MH, PT, Psych) to ensure the success of each student. In the early grades, we use a model with homeroom teachers in each grade level and Educational Assistants in grades 1-6 to support in the classroom, co-teaching in kindergarten and 7 & 8th grade upper school and specials teachers to support our programming. Special education teachers support in cluster grade levels. We also have a strong ELD program with ELD qualified teachers and an ELD coordinator that implements and directs the program. Para-professionals are available to assist with individual needs. In the high school, all students are required to take the defined core courses in literature, history, and science, while mathematics is offered in ability grouped courses. Students requiring additional support to achieve success are concurrently enrolled in the corresponding specific core content courses in lieu of electives. Goals for all students are high, attainable and specific.

The Core Knowledge scope and sequence provides challenging, liberal arts content that includes all of the core subjects, as well as, art and music in the classical tradition. This curriculum follows the natural developmental process of spiraling. Spiraling is the process of acquiring a skill, and then perfecting that skill, which allows the student to move to the next skill. This approach helps students achieve optimal academic and developmental growth. Likewise, the classical model of the trivium incorporates this philosophy as related to the teaching of critical thinking, utilizing the grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages. We believe that a solid, specific, sequenced and shared body of information is necessary for all students to prepare for success in higher levels of education and to become informed, productive citizens and future leaders. Students who enter Vanguard in the upper elementary or high school have missed this prior information. Background information required for academic success is provided in the corresponding specific core content courses. We believe the demands of this program can and will meet the needs of students, including those with disabilities, English language learners, and gifted/ talented students.

Because every student learns differently, multi-sensory instructional approaches are provided throughout the day. The Riggs: Writing and Spelling Road to Reading and Thinking, an explicit phonics program, incorporates multi-sensory techniques into each lesson and supports all students as they use tools that maximize their own learning. The Riggs approach to English literacy fully integrates auditory, visual, verbal and motor skills simultaneously, and uses both direct and Socratic instructional techniques. To accommodate differing skill levels and learning (comprehensions/rates), Vanguard uses ability grouping of all students for language arts and mathematics instruction in the early elementary years, while incorporating tested techniques that provide an avenue for success such as pre-teaching, re-teaching and training in dynamic note-taking. Study skills are also part of the defined core-curriculum in each content area, and are taught by the classroom teacher and enhanced by teachers of the support classes.

Vanguard will use Primary Mathematics US Edition (Singapore) now Math in Focus as its primary mathematics curriculum. Singapore Math stresses students' foundational skills, by emphasizing concepts verses process. The strong point of Singapore is the way basic concepts are presented, as there is always more than one approach. Singapore Math is a balance between drill and creative problem solving. The high school will continue with ability grouping in mathematics and follow the same concept-centered philosophy embraced in the Singapore Math curriculum that has been utilized through the pre-algebra level. The curriculum will be focused on the pure aspects of the courses in the sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II & Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus and Calculus; there will be a provision of offering advanced mathematics and statistics if needed.

Vanguard believes that education involves both the training of the mind and the nurturing of the heart. Core Virtues, a literature based program in character education, are used in conjunction with the Core Knowledge Scope and Sequence to achieve this outcome. Character-based lessons are drawn from actual examples across the high school curriculum. Students examine both the positive and negative attributes of the examples discussed in order to incorporate them into their personal lives. The end goal of a classical education is not a smart man, but a good smart man.

Vanguard has a uniform dress code, a closed campus, and a strict Code of Conduct for all students, teachers, administrators, parents, and staff.

Currently there are no other high schools in the district that offer a Classical-Liberal education. Students previously had no opportunity to continue in this model of education after completion of 8th grade, and were likewise forced to leave APS for surrounding districts. The addition of grades 9-12 will be a continuation of the same academic approach, character education, teaching techniques, and behavior expectations that have proven successful at Vanguard. The curriculum continues in the classical-liberal tradition currently used at its sister school, Ridgeview Classical Schools, in Fort Collins, Co.

Ridgeview is beginning its 13th year as K-12 charter school. In the most recent report on American High Vanguard Classical Schools will remain relatively small schools, serving students on two campuses; At capacity the schools will house up to four tracks of 25-30 elementary students and up to 3 tracks of 25-30 students at the secondary levels. The expansion campus (Vanguard East), is located towards the east side of Aurora near Buckley AFB. Both schools will continue recruitment efforts from Ability Connection Colorado's five Early Education sites in Aurora and Denver, serving students birth to five years. Recruitment will also target the surrounding neighborhoods. These communities are ethnically and economically diverse and we expect a significant percentage of students from the low socio-economic, English Language Learner, and disability demographic. This has been the demographic served at the original campus. We anticipate that Vanguard will continue to enjoy a diverse student population and maintain demographics similar to most schools in the Aurora Public School District.

VCS's current student population is incredibly diverse in terms of ability and socioeconomics:

VCS West

● 8.8 % SPEd

● 34% receive Response to Intervention services

● 41% are English Language Learners; and

● 73% qualify for free and reduced price lunch.

Vanguard has proven its ability to work as a partner with the district in several ways. First, VCS operates under a special contract provision allowing in house provision all special education services to its students. Some form of this arrangement has been in place since December of the first year. Vanguard currently employs 4 Special Education and a full staff of specialists to ensure the needs of all students are met. Second, a contract addendum allows VCS to operate our own kitchen facilities and serve hot lunch to our students. VCS also partners with the district by attending all district training when offered; principal meetings, charter meetings, SPED, ELL, and teacher certification meetings. The school uses the Infinite Campus student information system to facilitate easy communication with the district.

Finally, we believe that the expansion of Vanguard Classical School to a second campus assists Aurora Public Schools in meeting its future needs with an expanding population and in keeping students from leaving the district for other high school options.

In closing, we believe the following quote defines what we wholeheartedly embrace and will provide for all students.

"If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain as he is. But if you treat him as what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be." Goethe