Here is a list of new charter schools that are opening in Utah this fall:
Channing Hall, Draper, K-8. The school is currently applying to become an international baccalaureate-authorized school. Its mission is to foster agile and lifelong learners with a breadth and depth of knowledge and a sense of calling and responsibility in the world. See www.channinghall.org.
Entheos Academy, Kearns, K-8. The fundamental belief at Entheos is that learning is a choice. Entheos is a Greek word that means to "have enthusiasm within." Founders say students learn, excel and retain best when they are fully engaged in the learning process. They emphasize service within the classroom and the community as an integral part of curriculum. See www.entheosel.org.
George Washington Academy, St. George, K-8. This school is founded on the principle that educators, parents and the community can create an academic environment that encourages students to excel. The school emphasizes self-discipline and respect and encourages strong parental involvement. See www.gwacademy.org.
InTech Collegiate High School, Logan, 9-12. Located on the Utah State University campus, the school is one of six early college high schools in the state. InTech requires students to take four years of mathematics, science, engineering and English, and they can also take concurrent enrollment classes with USU. Students also have the option to complete high school requirements and two years of college at the school tuition-free. See www.intechchs.org.
Lakeview Academy, Saratoga Springs, K-9. The school's mission is to develop confident, capable and contributing members of society through learning experiences that foster growth, creativity and character development. Its philosophy is that learning is lifelong and extends beyond the classroom, and the school focuses on hands-on experiences, reflection and real-life application of things students have learned in the classroom. The school also offers a tuition-based preschool program. See lakeview-academy.com.
Liberty Academy, Elk Ridge, K-8. The school follows a classical model that starts with teaching the grammar of language for students to quickly become proficient readers. Some lessons are taught in ability groups that match a student's level. In sixth through eighth grades the program becomes increasingly Socratic where all subjects are thoughtfully analyzed, discussed, debated and applied with an emphasis on the hands-on. Grades nine through 12 will be added in the future. See www.libertyacademycs.org.
Legacy Academy, North Salt Lake, K-9. This school aims to provide a classical education that is language-intensive and uses history as its organizing outline. Students learn self-discipline and to analyze and draw conclusions. Parents are encouraged to volunteer 20 hours per parent per year and be actively involved in their child's education. See www.legacyprep.org.
Monticello Academy, West Valley City, K-8. The school focuses on college preparation, restoring art, music and physical education components to the school curriculum and utilizing state-of-the-art technology to enhance instruction and learning. See www.monticelloacademy.net.
Mountainville Academy, Alpine, K-8.This is described as an academically rigorous school that fosters an environment of integrity and provides a well-rounded education through a broad range of historical, scientific and cultural topics. Teachers are in partnership with parents, and language arts and mathematics are emphasized. See www.mountainvilleacademy.org.
Noah Webster Academy, Orem, K-6. The school aims to ignite the interest and curiosity of each student by providing individualized multi-sensory instruction in a 12.5 -to-one student/ teacher ratio in grades one through six and a 10-to-one ratio in kindergarten. A foreign language and cultural integration program is also offered along with programs for music, speech, art, theater, physical education, technology and junior achievement. See noahwebsteracademy.org.
Paradigm High School, Sandy, 9-12. Paradigm is described as a classical liberal arts school, aiming to build a solid foundation in the core fields of language, literature, history, science, mathematics and the fine arts. Students study the masters and source documents of each course, and employ Socratic discussion, multiple modes of learning, hands-on project applications and individual mentoring to build the higher-order skills of analysis and proficiency in reading, writing and speaking. See www.paradigmhigh.com.
Renaissance Academy, Lehi, K-8. The school's goal is to bring the Renaissance era and the modern information age together. Like DaVinci, Helen Keller and Galileo, exploring minds will see significance and connectedness in all subjects giving place for curiosity to translate into contribution. Foreign language begins in kindergarten, with multiple choices available in grades six through eight as part of the international baccalaureate program. See www.renacademy.org.
Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts, 9-12, Salt Lake City. In partnership with the Salt Lake City School District, SLSPA's goal is to provide students with specialized training in the arts while still maintaining a rigorous academic program. Students will attend their traditional core classes at Highland High and their performing arts-related classes at a newly constructed facility on the Highland High campus. See www.saltlakespa.org.
Spectrum Academy, North Salt Lake, K-8. The school targets children with high-functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome and provides an enhanced curriculum to meet the needs of each student individually. Learning is multi-sensory to accommodate all learning styles. Social skills training will be broken down into individual steps so that students can learn to better interact with people, and the school's design, lighting and colors are geared to ASD learners. See www.spectrumcharter.org.
Syracuse Arts Academy, Kaysville, K-6. The school aims to provide a challenging, accelerated curriculum where academic excellence, character development and individual growth are nurtured. All parents are asked to volunteer, and the curriculum is enhanced by a comprehensive focus on the arts to demonstrate proficiency through performance. See www.syracuseartsacademy.org.