New private elementary school comes to Midway

A digital representation of a Rising Heights Academy Classroom. Photo: courtesy of Rising Heights.

MIDWAY, Utah – A new private elementary school is coming to the Heber Valley, as the Rising Heights Academy in Midway is set to open it’s doors for its inaugural school year in 2023-2024.

The Rising Heights Academy will be one of the few private schools in the Heber Valley, and will utilize a ‘unique Montessori-based learning approach.’ The new school sits on five acres, located on Michie Lane in Midway.

Tuition plans are based on the age and grade of the child, with a $1,385 monthly tuition payment for lower elementary students, and a $1,585 monthly tuition payment for upper elementary students. All students will need to pay a $485 yearly commitment fee. The school offers a 5% discount for families with multiple students enrolled.

The new private school will be completely privately funded, and will not accept any government funding. This will allow the Rising Heights Academy to have independence in terms of educational programs and curriculums.

The five-acre campus will allow for plenty of outdoor physical activities, with options for gardening, exploration, and will provide students with opportunities to develop physical fitness, teamwork, and an appreciation for nature.

As part of the Rising Heights Academy’s Montessori-based approach to learning, students will be in mixed-age groupings in the classroom, with children of different ages and grades all learning together. According to their website, ‘this allows for peer-learning, where older children can help and guide younger ones, while younger children are inspired by observing the older ones’ activities.’

In addition, teachers will spend time observing each student, in order to ‘understand their individual strengths, interests, and areas that need further development.’ Each classroom will have two teachers to watch and observe each individual student to cater to their specific needs.

Based on the teachers observations, each student will receive an individualized learning plan, and introduce new materials when the child is ready. Students will not be graded on a traditional grading scale, but rather by a ‘Needs More, Practicing, Mastered’ review on each individual standard.

There will be four total classrooms at the Rising Heights Academy, with two for lower elementary students (grades 1-3), and two for upper elementary (4-6). Each classroom is 1,500 square feet, and features multiple learning spaces for students to utilize.

The Rising Heights Academy first day of school was yesterday, September 6.