I am a high school senior at Broken Arrow Vanguard Academy writing on behalf of my school and student body.
Last Wednesday night, the entirety of our school (students and parents) received an email from Broken Arrow Public Schools Superintendent, Chuck Perry, outlining changes for Vanguard Academy. The email, claims to, “create greater flexibility and encourage more pathway-aligned coursework,” by implementing several changes to the curriculum. These changes, the district promises, will allow for more rigorous coursework and advanced classes, and will not negatively affect Vanguard in any way.
This was discovered to be incorrect only a few moments later, as the news spread.
The first stark change is that starting in the 2026/27 school year, Vanguard will only be serving students in grades 10-12. Previously, we served students from their freshman year and watched them grow into excellent community leaders by their senior year. By taking this option away from freshman, the district is effectively robbing students from fundamental skills they need to thrive on the Vanguard campus. Additionally, they are doing away with the application process, allowing Vanguard courses to be open to any interested 10-12 grade student. While from an outside perspective, this may seem like a good thing, it defeats the very purpose of Vanguard, and here’s why:…