MLSD considers Vanguard Academy options

MOSES LAKE — During a Jan. 16 work study meeting, the Moses Lake School Board reviewed a series of proposals to adjust the facilities and educational offerings of Vanguard Academy for the 2025-26 academic year, according to a statement from the district.  

“This was an important opportunity to gather input and discuss how we can best use the spaces we have to serve students and ultimately save money for the district,” wrote Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon in the statement. “We are committed to developing thoughtful, student-centered plans that reflect the needs of our community.” 

Shannon said this initiative is part of an ongoing effort to maximize the use of available space while ensuring the district can save money and effectively serve its students. 

“These are suggestions,” Shannon said in a separate interview. “One-hundred percent nothing has been confirmed. As of right now, I expect we will have some decisions forthcoming.” 

Educators and district leaders including the superintendent and building principals, who have convened weekly since Dec. 5, 2024, presented a variety of suggestions designed to leverage the spaces at Vanguard and make the facility function better for the community.  

Among the primary recommendations was the continuation of Vanguard Academy’s project-based learning programs to support its 392 students. The goal, Shannon said, is to sustain and potentially expand these educational opportunities. 

“This is just talking about maintaining the current project-based opportunities that we have at the facility with the current staff load,” Shannon said. “Now, sure that could definitely expand, but Vanguard is a requested program. Students request to go to Vanguard. There could be an expansion of numbers to that based on requests.” 

Another proposal involved the expansion of programs at the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center, which are experiencing high demand, particularly in flight and medical assistant courses, according to the district’s statement. This expansion could allow for the enrollment of an additional 80 students. 

“The reason for that is currently, CBTECH already utilizes all amounts of space at Vanguard for their flight program,” Shannon said. “There is one section of the flight program being taught at the Vanguard facility, and that is facilitated because of the facility space already at CBTECH. CBTECH is already wanting to do more. They want to grow.”

Additionally, the planning team put forth the idea of relocating the Digital Learning Center to Vanguard, according to the statement. This move could lead to streamlined costs, improved operational efficiency and better access to student support services for the 445 students participating in the DLC, Shannon said.  

“(The DLC is) in a facility right now that is at its growth peak,” Shannon said. “The ability to have a facility where we could see more students is where this kind of falls in. Trying to move them to an existing space and house them within the Vanguard building makes financial sense for us as well, because we then are saving on those building costs that we're currently paying in rent, versus moving them into a facility where we could streamline costs.” 

The relocation of the Open Doors Program was also considered, suggesting a shared space model at Vanguard, he said. This approach could centralize resources, enhance efficiency and better support the 175 students engaged in the program. 

Though these proposals were discussed, district officials emphasized that further dialogue is necessary to evaluate various factors, according to the statement, including cost implications, safety, student services and overall feasibility.  

No final decisions have been reached, as the district, according to its statement, said it’s important to remain flexible to adjust as needed in future planning. 

Additional ideas, such as a hybrid credit retrieval program and changes to the Summit program, were also introduced but will require further analysis before potential implementation.  

“We will kind of kick these ideas around and move on after coming out of the conversation about what the committee is kind of recommending at this point,” Shannon said. “Now we move to that next conversation of decision making and what are some decisions that we want to maybe move forward with. I am hopeful that we will have something to report in the coming weeks.”