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| Address |
7 Northwest 28th Street |
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| City | ||
| Established |
1969 |
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| Type |
Public secondary |
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| Principal |
Richard (Rick) Lankford. |
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| Enrollment |
1743[1] |
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| Students |
Coeducational |
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| Grades |
9 - 12 |
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| Accreditation |
Florida State Department of Education |
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| District |
Marion County School Board |
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| Mascot |
Knight |
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| Colors |
Red, White, and Blue |
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| Website | ||
Vanguard High School is one of eight high schools in Marion County, Florida. The school serves the northeast area of Ocala, Florida. Vanguard offers the International Baccalaureate program for students, which accepts pupils from outside districts and makes up about 25% of the student population. Vanguard's mascot is a Knight and the school colors are red, white, and blue. One notable alumnus is NFL football player Daunte Culpepper. The Vanguard Knight's cross-town rivals are the Forest High School Wildcats. Progress Energy Inc is the school's business partner. 1
The student population as of the 2006-2007 school year is 1743 students.[2] In the 2005-2006 school year, there were 1796 students, 441 of which were in the IB program.
The school is staffed by 150 people.[3]
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In 1996, Vanguard began involvement with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. It was the 26th High School in the state of Florida and is currently the only school in all of Marion County besides Lake Weir High School to offer this curriculum. 1
Pupils accepted into the program take special classes for their Freshman and Sophomore years, which prepare them for the actual IB courses taken in Junior and Senior years. Students can be accepted into the program as ninth or tenth graders, but eleventh and twelfth graders can only transfer in from another IB school. The first two years are termed as Pre-IB and consist of a combination of AP/Pre-IB/Honors courses designed to prepare students for the actual IB courses and exams.
The school currently has seven of Marion County's National Merit semifinalists, all seniors enrolled in Vanguard's IB Program.
Renovations to the school are completed, and groundbreaking took place during the Summer of 2006. The project helped to beautify the school, while accommodated more students with new classrooms. Because of the sound structural integrity of the current school facilities, notably the 'Round Building', these existing buildings did not change much, as far as their general design goes. Among the new additions planned is a new cafeteria. The existing lunch room will most likely be turned into an auditorium, of some sort.
With the new construction came preparations. Everything needed to be removed from the classrooms, as the buildings were stripped down to their shell. The construction was set to start during the summer, as its initiation would not obstruct teaching.
The portable classrooms have been relocated to what was a field, and a new pathway of sidewalks connect them to the rest of the buildings on campus.
After the first semester of the 2006-2007 school year, the school changed their policy on parking due to the construction. Only Seniors with parking permits and staff are currently allowed to use the parking in the front of the school, while other people must park in the rear of the school. Additionally, students must be dropped off and picked up in the back as well.
The asphalt from the former faculty parking lot has been ripped out. It is in the process of being resurfaced. Towards the rear of the school, the foundation for the new building has been laid and the cinder blocks that form its wall are being put together.
Students will be using the new buildings, including a new cafeteria, and two new classroom buildings, in the second semester of the '07-08 school year. At the same time however, the main building (dubbed the "round building") will be closed for renovations, forcing many classes to be moved into portable classrooms placed on the school track.
Vanguard was the first integrated school in Marion County.
International Baccalaureate
IB Diploma Programme
National Merit Scholarship Program
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