American Preparatory Academy plans new K-6 charter school in Ephraim

EPHRAIM—The Utah State Charter School Board has approved a proposal by American Preparatory Academy (APA), which operates nine charter schools in Utah, to establish a K-6 charter school in Ephraim Crossing.

The school will be built on a 5.2-acre site reserved for that purpose in the 300-acre planned community southwest of McDonald’s.

According to a press release from the Camino Verde Group, developer Ephraim Crossing, the first phase of the APA plan will be building a 35,000-square-foot, two-story building with 14 classrooms, a gymnasium, breakout learning spaces and administrative offices.

Later, plans call for the school to add another 15,000 square feet for a multipurpose room, music room and kitchen.

“The school will prioritize its marketing to homeschool families and others in the area who may be seeking additional educational resources,” the press release says. “…APA and the Ephraim Crossing team look forward to working collaboratively with the local school district and community leaders as planning moves forward.”

APA currently serves 5,400 students in three schools in Draper, three in West Valley City, one in Salem and one in Cedar City. The operation also has a preschool and an early learning center in Draper.

The schools offer a “content-rich” curriculum designed to introduce students to subjects such as history, literature, science and the arts in the early grades, and enable them to continuously build on that base as they progress through school.

One novel aspect of the APA program is having two teachers in every classroom.

Mike Ballard, CEO of the Camino Verde Group says, “Ephraim will one day be home to more than 1,100 families, and we believe APA is a wonderful addition to the educational landscape here.”