Every August through June, thousands of Utah junior and senior high school students get up and go to school, starting somewhere between 7:15 to 8:00 in the morning, and staying until around 2:15 to 3:00 in the afternoon. Students have 7 set hours to fit in all the classes they have to take, but also the ones they want to take—often having to miss out on classes that don’t fit. 

They also must fit the rest of their lives into the remaining hours in the day—which are often filled with extracurricular activities, jobs, family responsibilities, and more. This rigid schedule can make it hard to find a workable school life balance.

It may also be doing our students a disservice. Creative thinking, flexibility, and “work anywhere, anytime” are the world’s new currencies, and not creating opportunities for       young people to experience them while still in school can leave them unprepared for college, future jobs, and managing stress. According to Mental Health America, flexibility is a key factor in juggling work, family, relationships, and personal interests.

Finally, these early school start times can mean teenagers don’t get enough sleep. The CDC says that sleep deprivation in teenagers can lead to several health risks and lower academic performance.

Fortunately, there’s a great alternative. Mountain Heights Academy, Utah’s leader in digital education since 2009, gives students the flexibility to work anywhere, at any time, teaching them how to balance school and life.

The ideal mix of flexibility and structure.

Mountain Heights Academy allows students to customize their education to fit their needs. They can work when they want, where they want, learning at their own pace. 

School is divided into weekly modules with assignments due every Friday at 6:00 pm. This gives students the flexibility to complete their assignments on their own schedules each week. If it works better for them to start school at 10:00 each day, they can. Or maybe they’re night owls and work best in the evenings. Some do all of their work early in the week and have long weekends for other activities. Others take time during the traditional school day to work, pursue their passions like music and athletics, or even run a business.

This flexibility allows students, starting as young as 7th grade, to learn time management and accountability—valuable skills that will serve them well for years to come. 

Part-time options: Mix and match in-person and online classes.

You can also attend Mountain Heights part time. This allows you to take classes that don’t fit into your schedule at a traditional school, try a different elective, or take classes in the summer. "I like to take a harder class in the summer from Mountain Heights, so I can take fun classes like weightlifting and ceramics during the school year,” explains George, a part time student.

If you just aren’t cut out for early morning classes, you can replace them with classes from us and do them on your own schedule—which might have the added benefit of improving your health. 

Part-time is also a great way to get a jump on college credits, learn at your own speed, and get more personal attention. Our teachers have generous office hours and can spend quality one-on-one time with students to ensure they grasp the subject without slowing down the rest of the class. “I love the math classes at Mountain Heights,” says Angelina, another part time student. “The teachers are so willing to work one on one with me and they really care about my success.” Students who fell behind at traditional schools often find success in Mountain Heights Academy classes.

You can take up to four credit hours a year at Mountain Heights Academy, including one in the summer, choosing from more than 60 courses, including middle and high school courses, honors courses, and concurrent enrollment courses. 

With the dramatic rise in teenage anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges since the onset of the pandemic, the importance of balancing school and life has never been more important. Mountain Heights Academy gives students the flexibility to manage their own school schedules, so they can better manage their lives.  Learn more at mountainheightsacademy.org.