Just a better educational environment
My son was struggling in Middle School. The environment was bad, the teachers didn't seem to care, and his grades showed it. Halfway through the year, desperate for another option, I moved him to Mountain Heights Academy. In six months, his grades went from Cs, Ds and Fs to straight As. He is happier. He is more confident. And he is learning more than he was in his previous school. Seeing him succeed tells me we made the right choice. I'm grateful for the options Mountain Heights afforded us.
Teresa J.
Learn on their own pace and schedule
Mountain Heights Academy has been a tremendous blessing for our family! My two high school teens love the ability to learn at their own pace and on their own schedule. Mountain Height’s online program has turned out to be more interactive than we initially thought it would be and their teachers are excellent and very quick to respond to requests for guidance. The flexibility has allowed Rebecca to be on track to not only earn her high school diploma, but also her associates degree when she graduates from Mountain Heights Academy. Additionally, because my daughter Rebecca has special medical needs as a Type I Diabetic, it has given me peace of mind to ensure that she receives proper care.
Kelly A.
An environment of learning
We were at a point with one of our children, where putting her in a "brick and mortar" school would have been detrimental to her learning because of her advanced level. When we discovered this school, we were thrilled that it allows the flexibility to progress and work ahead at the student's pace instead of waiting for others to catch up. It provides teacher interaction, learning in a comfortable environment and the ability for one-on-one tutoring while learning. Mountain Heights promotes an environment of learning through service projects, as they strive to focus on the student. My belief is that his type of learning provides a "window" into the "college view" and will become the norm vs. the alternative one day. Our family has benefited greatly as a result of our association with Mountain Heights.
Marci H.
We know exactly what needs to be done daily
We were so excited about the opportunity Mountain Heights Academy presented for us. My son had a lot of struggles in public school and his ADD, anxiety and test anxiety issues brought many frustrations to his experience. He’d forget to bring his assignments, homework, books, pencils, etc. to class or home and I wouldn’t be able to help him because he couldn’t remember the assignment instructions! It was a struggle for everyone. The teachers at our neighborhood school had their hands so full that I didn’t feel it was appropriate to expect more from them than they were already giving. So I had to find a solution for Nathan.Mountain Heights Academy gave us the opportunity to have all the assignments and materials on one laptop instead of juggling multiple books, papers and tools that were easy to lose track of. At Mountain Heights we know exactly what needs to be done daily and the instructions and text are all available at the touch of a button. The lesson plans are fun, interesting, and there is a great variety of courses to choose from. The teachers are always available and always helpful, responsive, and supportive. My son has gone from a D average to As and Bs. He is very happy and his confidence has increased. He has many friends through this school and we have lots of administrative support as well. I am very satisfied with our experience and would recommend this school to anyone.
Kelly B.
More than just getting a grade
It's more geared towards learning something, rather than just getting a grade and turning in assignments
Brenden
Rigorous curriculum and use of technology
I am thrilled with the rigorous curriculum that uses technology in a forward thinking manner. The teacher feedback is specific and timely and I am thrilled with the types of assignments. I see my son learning to articulate his ideas in a more mature manner and I have also been excited about the online discussions. From my perspective, they give normally very quiet kids a chance to participate, which is something that would not happen in a typical classroom
Rick S.
Who wouldn’t want to learn like this?
I love this kind of learning just because it is so flexible. And you can always make sure that you are understanding all of your lessons. It’s one-on-one learning, on your own time, and wherever you want! Who wouldn't want to learn like this?
Corrine
We watch our daughter enjoying school for the first time in her life
School has always been an anxiety-producing experience for my daughter, so, as always, last summer we were trying to figure out someway to help her have a better school experience, it seemed that Mountain Heights Academy would be a good fit for my daughter. Little did I know that it would be a lifesaver for her. She is a very good student and because traditional public education sometimes did not meet her needs academically, we loved how a student can work at their individual pace at Mountain Heights. My husband and I have literally experienced tears of joy as we watch her enjoying school for the first time in her life. Mountain Heights Academy provided the flexibility that we needed for her particular situation. We have been so impressed! We feel her level of learning is so much higher and we can’t believe how responsive and available the teachers have been. A few times I have picked up my phone and one of her teachers was calling me. Wow! That normally doesn’t happen. We can’t say enough good about Mountain Heights
Cherie S.
Amazing group of educators and administrators
Thank you all so much for accommodating our son and being so kind to him. He feels your care and concern and it has made a huge difference in his stress level, especially on his sick days. We have never met such a wonderful group of teachers and administrators!! We feel so lucky and blessed to be a part of this school. The encouragement and understanding you give him has been so helpful and I just want to say "THANK YOU!" to all of you.
Susan P.
My teachers care about me
I don't even know where to begin. The two little words of thank you are not big enough. When we left the office a couple weeks ago, he told me, "Mom, this is the first time I have ever felt like a school or my teachers have really cared about me".
DJS
Nothing like my previous school
I just wanted to point out how great of a year it’s been at Mountain Heights. Honestly, it’s been a life changing experience. I have not received education like this before–this is NOTHING like my previous online school. This school certainly debunks myths about online schooling. I always get help whenever I ask for it. The teachers are a big factor on what make this possible.
Jizelle
Mountain Heights teaches me to manage my time wisely
Mountain Heights Academy works for me because I don't have to worry about waiting for the rest of my class to finish an assignment to move on and I also don't have to rush through assignments. I now have a lot more time to do the things I love most, like spending time with my family and cooking. I love the flexibility I have with Mountain Heights because it holds me responsible for what I do with my time, which will help me greatly when I am an adult.
Amanda J.
A unique way to combine global awareness and intimacy
Your constant presence, encouragement and the individualized educational catering you have provided for my son has far exceeded traditional expectations, and has indicated your intent to educate the minds and nurture the hearts of your students. I have felt encouraged by the content, standards and inquiry model that you provide for your students. I love the open courseware resources and the immediate access your students have to their teachers. You've found a unique way to combine global awareness and intimacy. I am glad that my son got the opportunity to be involved in the space you've created and I hope he will remember the sense of "somebodiness" that you all communicated to him"
Lisa T.
A credit to Utah’s charter community
I have been researching virtual charter schools as part of my work in Tennessee. This school is without a doubt top ranked, extremely well run and a credit to Utah’s charter community, in fact all public schools in Utah.
Matt T.
Mountain Heights Academy is my perfect school
I have been to a different school nearly every single year of my life trying to find the “perfect” school. Mountain Heights Academy is my perfect school. This is my second year at Mountain Heights Academy and the teachers here are amazing! They call me weekly just to check up on me and offer to tutor me whenever I am struggling. The courses and curriculum are great. It is easy to navigate and understand the material and if I don’t understand something, my teachers are only a video call away!
Michael D.
Students are individuals and when it comes to educational styles, one size does not fit all
Students are individuals and when it comes to educational styles, one size does not fit all. My daughter starts working on a subject, delves deeply into the material and she becomes so deep in thought or involved in her work that she would does not register what was going on around her. The class would be busy working on math for about 30 to 40 minutes and she would become heavily invested in the subject. After the allotted time, the teacher would indicate that it was time to pull out the history book. Everyone else would do so, but my daughter was so involved in the math work, taking time to think things over carefully and work out each problem with care, that she did not even register the teacher’s verbal instructions. As a result, her grades reflected very poorly on her actual abilities.I spent a great deal of time searching for a school that made an effort to post all assignments online so that I as a parent could assist her in identifying what work she needed to accomplish on any given day. Mountain Heights Academy came online offering an education alternative.All of the common concerns you would expect when considering attending an online school had been addressed by the forward-thinking educators who designed this model school: interaction between teachers and students? Addressed through the use of Google Chat, online white-boarding, video presentations, texting, proactive phone calls, and more. In person interaction among students, i.e. social skills? Addressed through frequent live activities that include service opportunities, dances, political participation and more. Too much time in front of the computer? Addressed through P.E. classes that require actual physical work, and the opportunity for students along with their parents to determine the pace of how work is completed, allowing enough time for breaks from the computer. Interaction between educators and parents? Addressed by creating an atmosphere of working together to help each child succeed, and by hiring energetic and caring professionals who are as responsive as possible to the needs of the families who have chosen Mountain Heights Academy as their education vehicle.
Students are individuals and when it comes to educational styles, one size does not fit all
Students are individuals and when it comes to educational styles, one size does not fit all. My daughter starts working on a subject, delves deeply into the material and she becomes so deep in thought or involved in her work that she would does not register what was going on around her. The class would be busy working on math for about 30 to 40 minutes and she would become heavily invested in the subject. After the allotted time, the teacher would indicate that it was time to pull out the history book. Everyone else would do so, but my daughter was so involved in the math work, taking time to think things over carefully and work out each problem with care, that she did not even register the teacher’s verbal instructions. As a result, her grades reflected very poorly on her actual abilities.I spent a great deal of time searching for a school that made an effort to post all assignments online so that I as a parent could assist her in identifying what work she needed to accomplish on any given day. Mountain Heights Academy came online offering an education alternative.All of the common concerns you would expect when considering attending an online school had been addressed by the forward-thinking educators who designed this model school: interaction between teachers and students? Addressed through the use of Google Chat, online white-boarding, video presentations, texting, proactive phone calls, and more. In person interaction among students, i.e. social skills? Addressed through frequent live activities that include service opportunities, dances, political participation and more. Too much time in front of the computer? Addressed through P.E. classes that require actual physical work, and the opportunity for students along with their parents to determine the pace of how work is completed, allowing enough time for breaks from the computer. Interaction between educators and parents? Addressed by creating an atmosphere of working together to help each child succeed, and by hiring energetic and caring professionals who are as responsive as possible to the needs of the families who have chosen Mountain Heights Academy as their education vehicle.
More help than at a regular school
People are really surprised when I tell them I get more help than I would at a regular school.
Mackenzie
Mountain Heights Academy has been a blessing to me and my son
My son was having a wonderful, normal childhood with lots of friends and traditional school was working just fine. Then two extremely challenging things happened that upset the balance of our family, negatively impacting my son’s ability to do well. He was failing his classes and people were not understanding, mean and pushed him away. When I heard about Mountain Heights Academy, I was a little apprehensive about the concept and if it was the “real deal,” however, I have been pleasantly surprised because my son has applied himself and is an honor students. I normally don’t write letters like this, but am so impressed with what you are doing for our community and for my boy. Mountain Heights Academy has been a blessing to me and my son.
Name Withheld
From the projects to the activities, I’ve loved it all!
Mountain Heights Academy is a great fit for everyone, whether they want to be involved for a more flexible schedule or just being able to stay home while doing school, it is all around fantastic. I swim and snowboard, so the flexibility that Mountain Heights offers has come in very handy. It allows me to review media, send in the assignment and receive real-time feedback on the same day which makes it easy to see if I want to improve my grade. The overall experience I’ve had at Mountain Heights Academy has been outstanding. From the projects to the activities, I’ve loved it all!
Ashlyn H.
Structured, but flexible
In my own humble opinion, Mountain Heights Academy is the best high school ever. It is more structured than home school, but more flexible than public school. We take field trips, do service learning projects, have class officers and even fun activities like “Crazy Hair Day”. You can totally have the whole social aspect of high school if you want it.
Jessica W.
A school for all kids
It's a school for all kids. They have whatever level they need. If your kids do want to get ahead, they can do that. If they have a harder time, they're willing to work with you.
Mary Ann
It’s still regular high school but I can work on my own schedule.
I’ve done my local school and it just didn’t seem like it was working for me. I hated sitting in that hard desk almost all day long. I really like Mountain Heights Academy because it’s still regular high school but I can work on my own schedule. I can do my work on my bed and take breaks when I need to.
Amber R.
I was always rushing school, until now.
At Mountain Heights, I get the quality education that I have always wanted. In my other school, I felt like I was rushing myself, trying to get everything done in a short period of time. Here, I can pace myself, I don’t have to rush and I do better than I did at the local school.
Emily L.