Family Feedback

The school’s culture of acceptance, inclusion, and nonjudgment is AMAZING. It is clear that every person who works at and volunteers at the school has every child’s best interest in mind. As a child psychologist who conducts evaluations and helps with school placement decisions, I have noticed a disturbing trend amongst the other specialized schools in the area where they are immediately turned off when a diagnosis of autism is shared, and when there are challenges with emotional and behavioral regulation. Should this trend continue, I see the potential for serious growth at Vanguard with regard to populations being served and enrollment numbers!

The staff at Vanguard truly care about the outcome of our children. We love that our daughter’s self-esteem has improved since starting at Vanguard. When our daughter was getting lost in public school, she found her way back at Vanguard, and her love for learning is back, and we have the teachers and supportive staff to thank for that. We love how supportive everyone is and that our daughter doesn’t feel out of place here. We love the school, and so does our daughter!

I am proud of who and what Vanguard is and that we’ve had the privilege of being a part of this family for so many years. The passion for these kids and their futures is evident, and there is nowhere else I would want my child. [The staff] is constantly looking for ways to improve and always ready to hear feedback. The teachers and staff provide safety, support, encouragement, and love to every person who walks through your doors. Our school is one of a kind, and we are truly grateful for it.

Vanguard was a lifesaver for our family! The therapeutic element has been critical in giving my son the help he needed to deal with traumatic family issues and emotional stability. I honestly don’t know where we would be without Vanguard! Academically, Vanguard is giving us what he needs to excel in the classroom and opportunities to reach beyond his grade level to prepare him for college. I never dreamed I would be this hopeful for my son’s future.

We came to Vanguard, we brought you a boy who had just returned home from a treatment facility, who had little self-confidence, a shaky track record, and a negative attitude about school from all the stress, bullying, and inaccurate expectations PISD had of him. There are no words I’m capable of producing to thank you for all you’ve done. The kind, compassionate young man who will graduate from Vanguard is a far cry from the boy we brought to you and that you gladly welcomed with loving, open arms. You are a wonderful person – smart, flexible, and caring. You’ve built a wonderful school with an outstanding faculty to meet the highly specialized needs of your students – our children. There is no way anyone can ever know and express the complete positive impact you make on each child’s life, because the impact you make starts at Vanguard and carries on throughout your students’ entire lives. I thank you, your teachers, and your school from the bottom of my heart for all you’ve done for our son and our family. He now has a future that is brighter than we would have ever dreamed of just 3 years ago. Thank you for caring and providing such a wonderful learning environment. God bless you.

When there was no place to turn, Vanguard was there with exactly the teacher Will needed at each stage of his development. This has continued over the past six years.

Vanguard gave me the interpersonal skills to succeed in the real world. It helped me to build my poor work ethic into one that allowed me to succeed in college. Vanguard gave me success.

Clint has earned the honor and been selected as his high school’s Class of 2013 Valedictorian. I know you can appreciate our journey to reach this pinnacle, how at some times, it felt like climbing Mount Everest. Even though Clint experienced many challenges and obstacles, faced adversity and persevered through trials, he reached the peak. Our family is grateful for all the people who helped us on this arduous and amazing journey to reach this victorious end and it is such a thrill to feel this rush of pride and gratitude. I feel truly thankful and humbled by you and the Vanguard staff for giving to Clint and our family for so many years. I pray you can share in Clint’s triumph and know Vanguard will always have a special place in our hearts. Now having reached the summit, we must prepare Clint for the descent down the mountain and the rest of his life journey. There will be peaks and valleys, times when he feels struggles are insurmountable, but Clint will always know there are special mentors, teachers, administrators, and counselors who will fight for the students with learning differences.

It was such a relief to find a place in which Jonathan’s problems could be addressed, his potential recognized and he could be loved. Before we found Vanguard, I honestly did not think there would be a school that would believe in our child.

I would like to thank you and the teachers at Vanguard, and express my appreciation for everything you have done to help me during my high school education. I’d like to thank the Vanguard staff for their willingness to listen, Dave for his jokes, and how he didn’t tell them as much as he could have, Miss V for being understanding of my problems, Kevin for being awesome in general, Senorita Jacqui for being patient with everyone, Russ for being his laid-back self, my mother for obvious reasons, and I’d like to thank everyone for simply for being there, being kind, and doing their very best to help me succeed. I will remember all of you favorably, and I will look back on the time I spent with you with a smile on my face.

The faculty and staff make all the difference; the sincere commitment to every student and collaboration by all to help students achieve their highest potential, improving the lives of the students and their families.