Arches Academy is a private, nonprofit independent school that provides a non-traditional, interactive and project-based education for students from preschool through 9th grade. Founded in 2012 by visionary educators, Arches focuses on empowering learners’ natural curiosity and creativity through a curriculum that integrates real-world projects, collaborative problem solving, and hands-on experiences designed to engage the whole child — academically, socially, and emotionally.
At the heart of Arches Academy is a project-based learning model that blends core academic content with gifted-and-talented-oriented instructional techniques. Students develop skills in critical thinking, computational reasoning, communication, collaboration, and creativity, often through interdisciplinary units that bring together mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies with art, music, foreign language, and elective mini-courses such as coding, sewing, or survival skills.
The school emphasizes interactive and leveled learning, striving to tailor instruction to individual strengths, interests, and learning profiles. Arches uses respected curriculum elements — including Core Knowledge and Singapore Math — integrated with project work, field experiences, and whole-school initiatives like all-school musicals and leadership activities that reinforce both content knowledge and collaboration.
Arches maintains a low student-to-teacher ratio and small class sizes, enabling personalized attention and strong relationships with educators. The academy welcomes a diverse student population, including learners from multiple countries, and is authorized to issue I-20 visas, supporting international enrollment and broadening the school’s cultural perspective.
Distinctive features of Arches Academy include its global-citizen focus, emphasis on student voice and choice, and commitment to fostering creative, collaborative, and innovative learners. Rather than replicating traditional grading and pacing models, the school seeks to cultivate environments where students experience success, build confidence, and pursue meaningful learning tailored to their abilities and interests.
As an independent private school, Arches operates outside public school systems but participates in choice-driven scholarship programs such as the Utah Fits All Scholarship, enabling families greater access to the school’s personalized learning model.