A school devoted to students
Among its particular objectives, the school strives to:
- Advocate teaching approaches that make the student the primary actor in their learning by allowing each student to become aware of their learning style and ways of overcoming difficulties;
- Provide a specialized and personalized educational environment in which students can learn at their own pace.
- Foster a stimulating environment that focuses on the development of students’ academic motivation by allowing them to have control over their learning;
- Enable the student to become aware of their value, differences, and ability to achieve ministry requirements;
- Meet the expectations of school boards by paying close attention to the students they entrust to us through inter-board agreements.
Board of Directors
- Hugo St-Pierre, Chairman
- Annie-Claude Trudeau, Vice-Chairman
- Anne-Marie Guertin, Treasurer
- Annie Lamarre, Secretary
- Julie St-Louis, Administrator
- Nicole De Flandre, Administrator
- Hélène Belzil, Administrator
- Josiane Robert, Administrator
- Nadia Yacoub, Administrator
- Jacob Cowles, Administrator
- Marc Rodger, Administrator
- Frédérick Perrier, Administrator
Mission and Vision
Vanguard School: an innovative educational environment that promotes professional development, research, and the sharing of expertise with the entire educational community.
The School’s mission is to provide each student with learning disabilities with an education that promotes academic success, the development of self-esteem, the achievement of full potential, and harmonious integration into society.
Vanguard School aspires to be recognized as a centre of excellence in special education through the quality of services it provides to students, a human and caring environment, the expertise developed by its staff, the modernity of its facilities, and the importance of research and training for and with its partners.
Our goal is to make a difference and promote the overall success of each of our students.
- Promote academic success.
- Promote the development of self-esteem.
- Promote the achievement of the full potential of each individual.
- Promote the student’s integration into society.
Each of us in our own way.
We carry out daily actions centred on these objectives because we believe that all students can learn if we give them the necessary conditions, i.e., the time, the support, and the tools to do so.
History
Woven by the desire to make a difference
The School, the Development Fund (the Foundation), and the Alumni: a history woven by the same desire to make a difference for students with learning disabilities.
1973
The initial project that led to the creation of École Vanguard Québec ltée in 1973 was a parent’s search for a school offering specialized and appropriate services for students with learning disabilities. Mr. Paul E. Zimmerman, in the absence of specialized educational services in the Montreal area, had sent his son to study at a Vanguard School in the United States. Inspired by his son’s experience in the U.S., Mr. Zimmerman, in collaboration with Dr. Samuel Rabinovitch of McGill University’s Learning Centre and the Montreal Children’s Hospital, developed the Vanguard School project in Montreal. The school was to provide specialized services for Quebec students with learning disabilities in both French and English.
To make the project a reality, the expertise of the Vanguard School in the U.S. was called upon. Its role was to supervise and support the implementation of the project. The advice and support of the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal (CEPGM) as well as the collaboration of the University community with a representative from McGill University on the project were sought. They also solicited financial contributions from private companies operating in Quebec to provide material support for the school.
Elementary school
First school opened by the Vanguard School Corporation, the Intercultural Elementary School.
Founded in 1973, Vanguard School originally welcomed 35 students. From the outset, this small school in Cartierville reflected Montreal society by welcoming some thirty elementary school students from the two main linguistic communities in the area. Staff provided adapted educational services in their own language.
Vanguard School subsequently moved to 1150 rue Deguire in 1988, to serve a larger number of students. Over the years, Vanguard School has been recognized for the high quality of its innovative pedagogical approaches, including strategic teaching.
1987
High School – French sector
In 1987, Vanguard School, French sector opened its doors and offered its clientele regular programs for 1st cycle of high school. It initially occupied the premises of a private high school, École secondaire Letendre, then located in Montreal. It offered courses to a dozen of students. In 2001, Vanguard Corporation acquired a school at 83 boulevard des Prairies in Laval, bringing the number of students in the French sector of secondary school to 190. Thus, for the first time in Quebec, a Francophone school enabled students with severe learning difficulties to make the difficult transition from elementary to secondary school, with the ultimate goal of obtaining their high school diploma.
Secondary school – English sector
The secondary school, English sector was also created in the mid-80s. It was set up on the premises of an Anglophone public high school in Westmount, the Westmount High School. Under the name “Project” School, this program welcomed 12 students in grade 7. It was designed jointly by the Lansdowne Center, the Learning Center of Québec and Vanguard School.
1992
Intercultural High School
In September 1992, Vanguard officially opened its Vanguard Secondary Intercultural School with the acquisition of a building at 175 Metcalfe Street in Westmount. This purchase enabled the English sector of the secondary school to join the school as well.
This bilingual establishment quickly made its mark through the sustained commitment of its staff to providing quality specialized teaching to meet the needs of all students from grade 7 to 11.
The school has also shown creativity in fostering the emergence of special programs, including Interval, a small catering business dedicated to some twenty students wishing to develop their employability and unable to pursue regular schooling.
2013
Our facilities and services on a single site
Considering the limitations and aging of the three establishments, Vanguard School projected in its 2010-2013 strategic plan to relocate its facilities to a single site. In September 2012, the Vanguard School Corporation acquired a building located at 5935 chemin de la Côte-de-Liesse in Saint-Laurent. The facility’s layout was designed to maintain a personalized environment for elementary and high school students, while subsequently enabling the school to expand its clientele in all elementary and high school cycles. In March 2013, the first students to move into the facility were elementary students, and in September 2013, secondary students joined them, bringing all students together in the new facility.
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