By Jade Morrow, Fox23 News
BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Some Broken Arrow Public Schools parents and students say they are worried about the future of Vanguard Academy after the district announced major changes set to take effect next school year.
Vanguard Academy is the district’s specialized, STEM-focused high school program. This week, Broken Arrow Public Schools sent an email to families outlining several updates, including that Vanguard will no longer be application-only, will not include freshmen and will shift to a class schedule aligned with Broken Arrow High School.
Parents and students our news partners at FOX23 spoke with said they understand the district’s intent but are concerned about how the changes could affect the school’s culture and academic rigor, especially for incoming freshmen.
“One of the things that were promised to him was that he worked hard all through middle school to attend was that it was going to be smaller class sizes, they were going to stay together and work through,” said parent Kathy Willis. “Now, he’s worried that they’re going to lose the teachers and it’s just going to lose the whole community feel of what he worked to strive hard to be at Vanguard and what makes it special.”
Students echoed similar concerns.
“We worked hard to be where we are, and to let it open to everyone, I’m worried the privileges that we’ve gotten will be misused and abused,” said Vanguard Academy senior Savannah Knighting. “I’m worried it won’t be what made Vanguard special.”
District officials say the changes are designed to increase access and flexibility. According to Broken Arrow Public Schools, the district has seen an increase in Vanguard students withdrawing due to the academic workload.
“More STEM offerings, more students in the building and we want more flexibility for those students,” said Tara Thompson with Broken Arrow Public Schools.
Two changes are confirmed for next school year: freshmen will no longer attend classes on the Vanguard campus, and the bell schedule will be adjusted to match the main high school.
“The reason for making those changes is to give our committee the time and the flexibility to meet and figure out what we want Vanguard to look like moving forward,” Thompson said.
Not all parents oppose the move. Parent Stacy Thoma told our news partners at FOX23 the changes could help students make more informed decisions.
“Kids get to see if that’s something that they would like or wouldn’t like,” Thoma said. “Otherwise, they’re going into Vanguard kind of blind and not knowing what they’re walking into.”
District leaders say they will continue to evaluate the program and make adjustments if needed.
“We’ve got to constantly look at ourselves and reflect and ask, ‘How might we get better? How might we better serve our students?’” Thompson said.
Broken Arrow Public Schools says the changes are finalized for next school year, though a committee is still working to fine-tune details. The district has shared an FAQ for parents and students, which can be found by clicking here.
