July 2023 - Dan Bazan - Communications Director
We are excited to see you!
Dear APA families, we are thrilled for the upcoming school year and eager for classes to begin on Wednesday, August 16th. This article contains key reminders to guide you through the following weeks as you prepare your students for school.
Communications
Please make sure you go through every email sent from your students' campus. Vital updates are sent every week directly from your administrators.
Enrollment & Registration
If you haven't received an acceptance email for your child yet, we are still filling seats for many grades. You may still receive a notification. Our Enrollment team is actively processing all applications and will continue to inform families about student acceptance and the next steps for registration completion.
New Families
Your students' acceptance is a milestone worth celebrating! Upon receiving your acceptance email from our Enrollment Director, you'll get instructions on the next steps, such as scheduling your student for an assessment and submitting the required documents to your campus secretary. Once your students have completed their New Student Assessment, the data is analyzed, and their class schedule will be determined. Elementary student classes will be posted on their respective campus during the week before school starts. Look out for your school's email detailing the date and time for the Elementary Meet and Greet!
New Student Assessments
New Student Assessments are part of the enrollment process and crucial in determining how to serve your student best. Assessments are not a pass/fail exam but a way for our staff to identify at what level your student is currently achieving in core subjects like reading, spelling, and math. Once your students' levels are confirmed, classes and schedules are assigned. Student performance is gathered daily, and as they progress through the year, our team will analyze their performance data and make appropriate adjustments to their intensive groups. It is common for students to attend reading, spelling, and math groups with older and younger students; however, all students in those groups together will have similar achievement levels. These groups help ensure that students are continually challenged, not bored in class, and progress to mastery of each subject as quickly as possible.
Office Hours, Campus Orientation Meetings, and more
Orientation Meetings are critical sessions where our admins provide information to ensure your student succeeds at APA. These sessions will include details about our policies regarding attendance, CHAMPS and Card Charts, Learning Plans, late/missing work, volunteer opportunities, and more.
Please see your campus emails for details on your campus Orientation Meetings. They are normally held during the first week of school.
- Campus Office Hours
Campus offices will be closed for teacher and staff training from July 31st through August 10th. If you have an urgent question, please see the contact information below.
- Draper 1 (K-6)
Monday, August 7th - Friday, August 11th - 8 am - 4 pm
Contact Becky Forbes, bforbes@apamail.org, with any questions
- Draper 2 (K-6)
Office Hours from August 11th, 14th, 15th - 8 am-4 pm
Contact Cambree Barrett, cbarrett@apamail.org or Lisa Stark, lstark@apamail.org with any questions
- Draper 3 (7-12)
Office Hours from August 11th, 14th, 15th - 8 am-4 pm
D3 Orientation Meetings will be held in the 2nd Floor-Gym (205)
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- 7th-Grade Orientation Meeting - Thu, August 10, 9am – 10am
- 8th Grade Orientation - Thu, August 10, 11am – 12pm
- 9th Grade Orientation - Fri, August 11, 9am – 10am
- 10th-12th Orientation - Fri, August 11, 11am – 12pm
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School Tours - Email d3registrar@apamail.org to schedule a tour
- Early Learning Center (Preschool and Kindergarten)
Office Hours from August 11th, 14th, 15th - 8 am-4 pm
August 11th - Meet & Greet 9 am - 12 pm
Email Carlene Dastrup, cdastrup@apamail.org with any questions
- Salem (Kindergarten - 9th)
Office Hours from August August 7 to 10th - 8 am - 4 pm
Secondary Assessments (New Students)
Wed, August 9th - 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Thu, August 10th - 1 pm - 2 pm
Fri, August 11th - 8 am - 7 pm
Meet & Greet 5 pm - 7 pm
Closed Monday 14, Tuesday 15
Email Emily Peery at epeery@apamail.org with any questions
- West Valley 1 (K-6)
Office Hours from August 11th, 14th, 15th - 8 am-4 pm
Meet and Greet August 11th, 1 pm - 3 pm
School Tours - Click Here to schedule
Email MaryCarmen Gamez, mgamez@apamail.org with any questions
- West Valley 2 (K-12)
Office Hours from August 11th, 14th, 15th - 8 am-4 pm
Please email ebutterfield@apamail.org for any support before August 16th.
- West Valley 3 (K-12)
Office Hours from August 11th, 14th, 15th - 8 am-4 pm
8.10.2023 WV3 Orientation Meetings
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- 7th Grade Orientation - Thu, August 10, 9:00am – 10:30am
- 8th Grade Orientation - Thu, August 10, 11:00am – 12:30pm
- 12th Grade Orientation - Thu, August 10, 1pm – 3pm
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8.11.2023 WV3 Orientation Meetings
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- 9th Grade Orientation - Fri, August 11, 9:00am – 10:30am
- 10th and 11th Grade Orientation - Fri, August 11, 11:00am – 12:30pm
- Elementary Meet and Greet - Fri, August 11, 1pm – 3pm
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Please email ahoffman@apamail.org for any support before August 16th.
School Lunch
There are a few updates to our school lunch program for this year, so please click the link below to learn how to order lunch, submit a Free or Reduced Lunch application, and more.
https://www.americanprep.org/school-lunch-program/
Our School Lunch website is updated regularly. Please bookmark this page for later. https://www.americanprep.org/school-lunch-program/
School Newsletters and Calendars
Every campus publishes a weekly School Newsletter with important information on events and updates. Newsletters will always be available on campus websites if you miss the email.
Campus calendars are posted before the school year starts; however, there may be changes to events and programs throughout the year, so please see your campus calendar and newsletter for updates.
Click the links below to view your campus calendar:
Carpool
Each campus has a specific carpool process. Please see campus-specific emails for details on receiving your carpool assignments and instructions on the process.
Key Carpool Reminders
- Be kind, courteous, and respectful to others
- Avoid Distractions - Don't use devices (cell phones, tablets, dash computers)
- Display your carpool tag
- Do not arrive BEFORE your scheduled carpool time
- Respect the communities around our schools by not parking and waiting in their neighborhoods.
Uniforms & Spirit Wear
As you prepare your students for the new year by acquiring school uniforms, please refer to the APA Uniform Guide for questions, like, "Are these shoes okay?" or "Is this the right kind of sock?" 
Click here to review the updated 2023 APA Uniform Guide.
Bus Program
Draper 2 and 3 offer a unique bus program in Draper only. For more details on how to sign up for bussing, click here.
Minimize Tech/Maximize Happiness
This year, we are launching a new initiative to help protect our students from the harms of social media and smart devices. The Minimize Tech / Maximize Happiness campaign's purpose is to encourage parents and students to commit to no smartphone/smart device ownership until after high school.
Why? We cannot ignore the harmful effects of smart devices on children's well-being. Studies unequivocally link early smartphone/device exposure to decreased happiness! We support parents who prioritize their children's happiness by choosing to delay smart device ownership until after high school.
Please click here to learn more about our new campaign to protect your students - https://blog.americanprep.org/blog/minimize-tech-maximize-happiness
Patriotic Education
Many families choose APA because we offer an academically rigorous program that fosters character-building in all students. Patriotic education continues to distinguish APA from numerous other schools. We're proud to lead the way in Utah regarding patriotic education, helping our students comprehend the value of their freedom and honor those who have sacrificed so much to secure these freedoms.
Patriotic Events:
- Constitution Day - September
- Veterans Day - November
- Memorial Day - May
Purple Star School
At APA, we highly regard our military families. We understand the challenges our active-duty military families and students face, which is why we strive to facilitate smooth transitions.
We offer resources and support for military families through our campus administrators, counselors, and student ambassadors. If you're an active-duty military family needing assistance transitioning your students to American Prep, we encourage you to reach out to us.
Click here to learn more about how APA supports military families.
Why is APA the Optimal Learning Environment for Kids?
This fall, we proudly celebrate APA's 20th anniversary. Over two enriching decades, we have amassed invaluable experience, innovated education techniques, overcome numerous challenges, and pioneered new paths in charter education.
The success of our schools is deeply gratifying, and we wholeheartedly attribute this progress to our dedicated families and staff who consistently strive to create an exceptional learning environment for our students.
Here's a closer look at what sets our program apart:
Unwavering Focus: Our guiding principle remains unchanged since our inception; we commit to delivering an academically rigorous program that builds character in all students.
Human Flourishing: We subscribe to the Classical Education Model, which emphasizes every individual's inherent value, and we continually foster this belief in our students. We hope our families carry forward this philosophy as well.
Proven Curriculum: We administer a validated Core Knowledge Curriculum paired with Saxon Math and Shurley Grammar. We do not teach Critical Race Theory.
Effective Teaching Methodology: We use Direct Instruction in our elementary classes, which ensures maximum repetitions and aids students in achieving mastery.
Structured Learning: Every minute of the APA school day is meticulously planned with enriching content. This creates a clear roadmap of learning expectations for all students.
Adaptive Learning: Our Leveled Learning or Achievement Groups are designed with the understanding that each student learns at their own pace. This structure promotes individual mastery without any student feeling bored, overwhelmed, or stigmatized.
Patriotic Education: We impart patriotic education to foster a deep appreciation for our country and communities. We pay homage to our veterans and respect those who have sacrificed their lives for freedom.
Recognized Success: APA has received multiple recognitions, including 33 Best of State Awards, accolades from US News & World Report, Direct Instruction recognition, and numerous awards from the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools. In 2022, APA was also voted a Salt Lake City Top Workplace and was honored with the Gold level Salt City Best Award for charter schools. Click here to learn more about APA Awards.
As charter education continues to gain momentum nationwide, parents have an expanding array of choices for their children's education. At APA, we take pride in consistently delivering the highest quality of education to our Utah students.
Welcome students and families to our 2023-2024 school year. Please reach out to your campus contacts if you have any questions.
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