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Vanguard Collegiate of Indianapolis is a free public middle school serving grades 5-8. We are deliberately small in school size and big on academic focus. We keep our middle school small in size so we can focus on each unique scholar as the individual they are. Because we serve middle schoolers, we spend deliberate and compassionate time on character development, social emotional learning, and personal ethics alongside robust college prep academics. And since there are fewer of us together each day,

Recently, Vanguard Collegiate of Indianapolis lost a beloved member of our charter school. We are heartbroken. As we process our grief, we are reminded why we are a school community to begin with; we are here to be of service. We founded this school to instill strong academic pride in fifth to eighth graders — alongside deep character foundations and meaningful ethics.  We are fully aware that our middle schoolers face challenges daily and have suffered terrible losses in their short lives.

Our scholars are always excited to take their learning to the next level. One way we accomplish this at Vanguard, is with our commitment to field trips and hands-on learning outside the classroom. Interactive experiences and experiential learning helps scholars to truly retain their in-class learning. The topics come to life — literally! 

Recently our Vanguards went to visit the farm where our school lunch food is grown, Public Greens.

The National Association of Social Workers defines social justice as “the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities.” By addressing social justice in our Vanguard Collegiate of Indianapolis classrooms, we enable our scholars to engage in authentic examination of their world. We know our scholars are future leaders and we unapologetically educate them to be so. To study social justice is to learn about the problems that dramatically impact quality of life for us,

As we develop leaders in thought, word and action tackling internet safety is tantamount. Parental supervision online tends to ease as kids are in middle school. Preparing our fifth to eighth graders to make good choices now and always — will help keep them safe online for years to come. 

The internet is an amazing resource. But it’s also a scary place — and collaborating together — adults and kids — can teach our middle schoolers how to exist online in a safe and fun way.

Our mission of Learn. Serve. Lead. — is always top of mind. To best support our fifth to eighth graders we have assembled this quick but helpful list of ways we think might best keep scholars on track, until it is safe for us to be together in-person again. 

Along with the 3 ups of staying safe: 

• Wash Up
• Mask Up
• Back Up (to a safe distance)

We offer 5 Ups and 2 Boosts for staying on track online: 

1) Show Up!

A middle school grounded in a culture of respect, structure, and high academic and behavioral expectations sets students on a path to high school, college, and life success. This is the Vanguard Way. 

Now, more than ever, our Black and Latinx scholars deserve this. Vanguard Collegiate is a structured and supportive fifth to eighth grade environment where scholars and staff are respected. We, the Vanguard Collegiate of Indianapolis teachers and administrators,  “sweat the small stuff” because wisdom is in the details. 

“We need you to not only survive, but to thrive and lead the change of today AND tomorrow.”

– an excerpt from a letter by Executive Director and Founder, Robert Marshall

Earth & Space Science. Genres of Literature. US History. Algebra. Expository Writing. These are some of the courses our Vanguard Collegiate of Indianapolis eighth graders take to earn high school credit.