Skip to content Our classical elementary school program, kindergarten through 6th grade, centers on the two pillars of an American Prep education: academic achievement and character development. Young children need both, along with creative and expressive learning and the chance to build good social habits.
We want school to be joyful, engaging and challenging. Every child is held to high standards, and every child is capable of meeting them. Caring relationships with teachers and friends are the foundation of all we do.
Young readers learn with proven, structured programs: Reading Mastery for fluency and comprehension, Spalding phonics for spelling and writing, and Heggerty for the listening and sound skills every reader needs.
For reading, spelling and math, students are assessed and placed in small achievement groups of about 5 to 15, so each child is taught at their exact instructional level. Groups are fluid and unlabeled. A student who zooms ahead moves up, and a student who needs more practice gets it.
We define mastery as showing knowledge and skills repeatedly and accurately. Once fundamentals are secure, students build on them, explaining what they know in writing and in front of others.
The Core Knowledge Sequence, based on the work of E. D. Hirsch Jr., gives every grade a coherent, content-rich path through history, geography, science, literature, poetry, art and music.
We choose programs with strong research behind them, then track our own results to make sure they work for our students. Here is a sample of what each stage includes.
Kindergarten to 3rd grade
The early years are about building fluent readers, careful writers and confident mathematicians, while opening the door to a wide world of stories, history and science.
4th to 6th grade
Older students read real novels, write with increasing independence and explore the great stories of the past, from ancient Greece and Rome to the Industrial Revolution.
We believe parents should know exactly what their children are learning. Each grade’s curriculum list covers every subject, from reading and math to history, science, art and music, with the programs, texts and materials used that year.
Creative and expressive learning is part of every elementary week, not an extra. It builds discipline and confidence, and a lasting love for what is beautiful.
Children sing in choir from the earliest grades and learn to appreciate great music. As they grow, they can choose an instrument and work toward real musicianship.
Students study the great artists of history while practicing technique themselves, building skills year after year with the guidance of passionate art teachers.
Games, sports and agility work keep bodies fit and minds sharp, and give children a healthy outlet to move and play together.
Students memorize and recite poems from many eras and countries, and share what they learn in plays and school assemblies.
Children meet examples of honesty, courage and kindness in the stories and history they study, then practice those virtues with their teachers and classmates.
Positivity, effort, excellence and a commitment to caring for others are practiced in class, at recess and in the hallways.
The CHAMPS approach gives every classroom clear, consistent expectations, so children feel safe and know how to succeed.
At lunch, students learn to set a place, wait for the host and keep conversation kind. Small courtesies become lifelong habits.
Uniforms simplify mornings, reduce social comparison and give students a shared sense of belonging. See the uniform guides.
Children do their best when school and home work together. We keep parents informed and invite them to cheer their students on every day.
Next stage
Students who finish 6th grade at American Prep arrive ready for more independent work, deeper writing and the Ambassador Program.
Tuition-free for kindergarten through 12th grade at eight Utah campuses. A tour is the best way to see what an American Prep classroom feels like.
