We had a great week last week! We hosted our 4th Annual Vanguard in LOVE Ping Pong Tournament on Valentine's Day! It was a lot of fun! Check out the photo album with the winners announced below.

A BIG congratulations to our TSA students who are advancing to state. Every year we get better and better! Good luck to our Skills USA teams that are competing Friday and Saturday this week! I can't wait to see what they walk away with!

Black History Month celebrations at Vanguard have been fantastic so far. I enjoyed getting my hair braided on Friday, well, they at least tried!! Students worked hard to prepare for these events. Check out the photo album of dress up days from this past week. We are looking forward to more celebrating this week!

Make sure you're fully reading the VIP and keeping up with our very full calendar this spring semester. There is a lot of testing and test prep that will be announced through this newsletter. We have TELPAS testing that starts this week on Wednesday and Thursday continuing on into next week.

We are so thankful for our School Resource Officers for all they do on our campus to keep our Vanguards safe. We appreciate Officer OC and Officer Souddress and can't thank them enough. Ferris is pretty awesome too.

To align with our professional goals, remember cell phones need to be turned in at the beginning of class, earbuds should be out during class, students should be in standard dress with their student ID badge and be on time to class. By being consistent with these things our students will be better prepared for their future.

Just a reminder that tomorrow is a student/staff holiday. We will see all our Vanguards back on campus on Tuesday.

Let's have another great week, Vanguards! Viam Ducemus!

Mrs. Nash’s Pathophysiology students have been diving deep into the Integumentary System with hands-on activities that bring learning to life! From creating realistic wounds to practicing suturing techniques, these future healthcare professionals are gaining valuable skills that will help them in their medical careers.

Hands-on experiences like these make learning engaging, exciting, and practical—preparing students for the real-world challenges of healthcare.

On Valentine’s Day, our Junior Therapy Occupations students got to the heart of learning—literally! Today, they dissected a sheep’s heart, gaining a hands-on understanding of cardiac anatomy and physiology. This experience is essential as they prepare for their EKG certification and future careers in healthcare. Nothing says love like learning how the heart truly works!

It's Black History Month - a time where we as a community acknowledge and pay tribute to generations of African Americans who helped shape what America is today. The sacrifices and contributions, along with the triumphs and struggles have helped pave the way for many of us. Let’s celebrate not only during the month of February but year-round to show our appreciation for African American trailblazers from our past and present.

We held our Vanguard in LOVE Ping Pong Tournament on Valentine's Day! We had great participation this year from our students in all grades! Thank you to Coach Hunt and her team for making this ping pong tournament possible! Thank you to the student score keepers for their hard work!

Congratulations to the winners:

Singles Champion: Joshua Hunt

Singles 2nd Place: Abdul-Baasit Oritola

Doubles Champions: Joshua Hunt and Abdul-Baasit Oritola

Doubles 2nd Place: LeConte O'Neal and Noel Rodriguez

On Saturday 2/8, our Girls Who Code club competed at the Digital Divas 2025 competition at Plano West Senior High School, bringing home over $125 in prizes! Beyond the competition, they had the incredible opportunity to network with executives from Google and Samsung, explore various career-focused sessions, and gain valuable insights into the tech industry. A fantastic experience for our future innovators!

We are incredibly proud of our Cyber Patriot team whose dedication and skill in cybersecurity led them to place 5th in the nation in the recent CyberPatriot competition among all Army JROTC programs. In cybersecurity, Cyber-Patriot competitions are events in which teams are given different operating systems and are required to identify and fix various security vulnerabilities and must do so given certain time constraints. Under the guidance of SFC Eggert, the Vanguard Cyber Patriot team consisting of Cadets A. Chacon, A. Elkins, H. Gonzalez, I. Alday, and T. Carroll solidified themselves in Vanguard HS and MISD history with this accomplishment. Their success not only showcases their technical expertise but also highlights the bright future ahead for each of them in the field of cybersecurity. Keep pushing boundaries, honing your skills, and inspiring others along the way. Once again, congratulations on this remarkable achievement! The future of cybersecurity is in great hands. VIPER STRIKE!!

First interest meeting is coming up. Come Join Us!

*IMPORTANT* ALL DONATED ITEMS must be NEWLY PURCHASED for health reasons.
If you have any questions on what can be donated, alongside what is on the list, please reach out to NHS President Amarachi via school email 06amaoke59281@mesquiteisd.org

Drop-off donations at room F211 (next to the college resource room) before or after school in the drop off box. The last day to donate is April 8th! Thank you for your contribution in making our Spring Project a success!

The next BPA meeting for all BPA members will be on Thursday, February 20th. The meeting will be held in the Lecture Hall after school. Come to see if you qualify for any Member Point Rewards!

Below is the link to our “JROTC Store” to purchase some delicious flavored popcorn, donate directly to the program, or a combination of both. Thank you for your support!

Your hard work is paying off, and we want to celebrate every milestone with you! 💫 Whether it’s a college or career school acceptance, scholarships you’ve been awarded, or your FSA Student Aid Report (SAR) or Financial Award Letter – we’re here to cheer you on! 🎉

Now’s the time to share your amazing achievements so we can keep track of all your successes and tally up your awards throughout the year. Let’s show everyone just how much the Class of 2025 is accomplishing! 🏆✨

Upload your acceptances, scholarships, and SARs using the QR Code or Class of 2025 Classroom – we can't wait to see what you’ve earned! 🎓💼

JUNIORS! SAT is just around the corner. Sign up today for SAT prep after school on February 27th and March 4th. Talk to your math teacher if you have any questions.

Click the link below to see all the courses offered this spring for student professional learning!

The **UT Southwestern STARS Program** (Science Teacher Access to Resources at Southwestern) offers high school students a **unique, hands-on experience in biomedical sciences** through summer research, educational workshops, and professional development. This is a fantastic opportunity to **explore careers in healthcare and science** while working alongside experts at one of the nation’s top medical institutions!

**The application is NOW OPEN!** Don’t miss your chance to be part of this prestigious program. Apply today: [UT Southwestern STARS Application](https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/.../programs/stars/programs/)

Midday Mastery for teachers is a great professional development program that focuses on continuous growth and collaboration. It offers teachers a convenient way to enhance their teaching practices and build relationships with colleagues. By having these sessions during conference periods, teachers can engage in learning and immediately apply it in the classroom. Plus, having fellow teachers and staff lead the sessions allows for more practical and relatable content, making the learning more applicable to real classroom situations.

We are always looking for ways to partner with businesses in our community. There are opportunities to participate in person and with in-kind donations. As always, your donations are always appreciated and are tax-deductible. Email celsasser@mesquiteisd.org for more information.

Residents are invited to come out to the 2025 Mesquite Neighborhood Summit from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. on March 1 at Vanguard High School. Engage with others in the community and learn more about the City services available to residents.

Mom's Club Registration is Open! Join us on Friday, February 21, at 8:30 AM for a special gathering of amazing moms in Mesquite ISD.

Isabel from Molina will be sharing valuable insights on maintaining healthy relationships—you won’t want to miss it! Click here to register: https://forms.gle/WpGMq5Lnutf3Brrp8 See you there!

🚨 The student ID policy is still in effect! Student IDs must be worn and visible at all times while on campus.

Families, here’s how you can help:

✅ Remind your student to wear their ID every day.

✅ Encourage students to find a consistent spot, like their backpack, to store their ID to avoid losing it.

💡Parent Tip: Check for your student’s ID before they head out the door each morning. Your partnership helps ensure a safe environment for students and staff.

Thank you for helping us with this important safety measure!

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance safety for students and staff members, please note that Mesquite ISD's clear bag and backpack policy remains in effect for the 2024-25 school year.

For more details, click here to visit our FAQ page. Only clear backpacks, purses, and totes will be allowed for students on campus.

Please make sure you are dropping off and picking up students in the rear of the building. Drivers will circle around the perimeter of the student parking lot to the rear door of the building, drop off or pick up students, and then circle around the perimeter of the parking lot to exit back to McKenzie Road. The gates for dismissal pick-up open at 3:45 pm. Please do not enter the back until that time.

ONLY BUSES will be permitted to use the entrance of the school (where the flag pole is located) on Faithon P. Lucas Sr. Blvd. during arrival and dismissal times.

As an alternative, parents may choose to drop off/pick up students in the Mesquite Girls Softball Complex parking lot, located at the intersection of Faithon P. Lucas Sr. Blvd./Mercury Road and McKenzie Road. From this location, it is a short walk to/from the front entrance of the campus.

Thank you for helping keep our premises safe and secure!

To enhance student focus and minimize disruptions, personal electronic devices such as cell phones, smart watches, tablets, and Bluetooth headphones/earbuds will not be permitted in the classroom for the 2024-2025 school year. Campus expectation is that students power down devices and put them up prior to entering the classroom.

Please refer to the Student Handbook for further details on this policy. Any non-compliance can result in the confiscation of the device, which will be held in the office until the end of the day. If you need to reach your child during school hours, please contact us at 972.882.0000, and we will assist you accordingly. We are excited to work together with you this academic year.

Vanguard shuttle bus times for each high school location:

Horn High School: Back of JHHS

8:10am, 8:20am and 8:30am

West Mesquite High School:

West Side of Building (covered porch area)

8:10am, 8:20am and 8:30am

Mesquite High School: Back by small gym

8:10am, 8:20am and 8:30am

Poteet High School: Back behind the gym

8:10am, 8:20am and 8:30am

North Mesquite High School: Front of building

8:10am, 8:20am and 8:30am

Stay connected and informed this school year with the MyAYO app! 📲 Receive notifications and reminders from your child’s school and teachers, engage in classroom and extracurricular activities, and communicate directly with educators.

Everything you need in one place to support your child’s educational journey! Download MyAYO today from your App Store or Google Play.

Students, the 5:15 after school tutoring/activities buses run Monday - Thursday ONLY! You must secure a pass from your teacher in order to ride the buses. The bus drivers will not allow you to ride unless you present your pass and it's fully filled out. You can only utilize this PM transportation if you're staying for tutoring or staying with an organization and/or sponsor. Buses will drop you off at your original feeder high school. Please ask your teachers or Mrs. Jackson any questions that you may have about the 5:15 buses.