“Truth, Honor, Virtue, and Wisdom are not only ideals—they are habits of the heart.” That mission drives everything we do at Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy. But even in a school like ours, it’s impossible to cultivate habits of the heart on our own. A habit of the heart is formed at home and at school, in the choices a student makes between right and wrong, in every moment where one chooses virtue over expediency.
Classical schools have always known that character can’t be developed by schools alone. Partnership with families is not something we think about in the abstract, it’s what we’re all about.
The Problem: We Live in a Culture of Distraction
Families today struggle with fragmented values and distracted children. They must compete with social media, peer pressure, and other sources of influence that often send conflicting messages about what they should be teaching their children.
A school focused purely on academics won’t cut it anymore. Parents need an educational partner that shares their desire to shape the whole child. They want a school that reinforces what they teach at home: a school where they hear words like virtue, honor, truth, and wisdom as if they were normal, everyday concepts; a school that expects their kids to behave according to those standards; a school that actively seeks to partner with them in the formation of their child’s mind and character.
The Classical Solution: Education is a Joint Venture
Classical liberal arts education has a very different view of what education is meant to do. We believe education is meant to do more than just transmit information; we believe it is meant to form souls. Indeed, the root of the word “education” is the Latin word educare, which means to lead forth, or to draw out. That process can only happen if the student is engaged, if there is a teacher who guides them along, and if there is a family that supports them.
That’s why we don’t consider ourselves to be a replacement for the family in educating the child’s character, we consider ourselves partners with the family. When our student learns about phronesis, practical wisdom, the ability to make good choices, and he goes home and talks to his family about the virtues, the ideas go from academic lessons to real life.
How We Partner with Families
Maeser Prep partners with families in multiple ways to ensure that we are helping our students to become virtuous and capable.
Our Shared Moral Vocabulary
When parents and teachers use the same moral vocabulary – the same language of Truth, Honor, Virtue, and Wisdom – students learn the same lessons both at home and in the classroom. They understand integrity not just as a set of rules, but as a lifestyle.
Education is a Family Affair
We invite families to engage in a shared intellectual pursuit. If a student is studying The Odyssey, a parent can discuss the same topics at home: What is perseverance? How much does hubris cost? There’s no special knowledge required for these discussions beyond asking your children to think and learn alongside you, asking questions, and taking thoughts seriously.
Mentorship and Small Community
At a small school, teachers know their students, and parents know their children. This allows for true mentorship, and for open conversations with students about their strengths, challenges, and areas of growth. Small classes make sure students aren’t left behind. Teachers, students, and parents all become part of a system of expectations and care.
Service, Leadership, and Family Culture
Maeser Prep’s emphasis on service learning and leadership is not confined to the school. Families are often asked to participate in service work in the community. These opportunities not only build resumes but also build character, providing occasions when virtue is realized in real time.
The Student Experience: Growing in a Culture of Trust
Many Maeser Prep students experience being truly known. In a world in which students can easily become statistics, scores, or online personas, to be known by teachers and parents as a person is a unique experience. Students discover that those around them are allies, and that engaging with difficult ideas is an opportunity to learn. Whether working on Plato’s Republic or a letter from a founder, students can rely on their teachers for guidance and their parents for encouragement. This support creates a cultural setting, which classical educators would call paideia, that forms students’ minds, hearts, and character.
A student who has been educated well will be both intellectually equipped – averaging 1330 on the SAT and recognized as number one by U.S. News and World Report in the state of Utah – and morally prepared, entering adulthood with a developed conscience, a habit of questioning, and a passion for living well.
Building Community: More Than a School
Maeser Prep was established in 2007 on the conviction that education can “awaken the power within to do good” as Karl G. Maeser expressed. The faculty, students, and parents share a vision for the kind of young person they want to see in the world, and are committed to raising individuals who serve honorably and lead virtuously. Parents attend school events, support the Winterim program, interact with course content, and foster an atmosphere of respect and seriousness. Teachers dedicate themselves to their students because they believe in the life-changing potential of classical education. Students step up to meet these standards because they see adults who agree on what is important and demonstrate that virtue is something that must be practiced, not merely advocated.
Evidence of a Partnership That Works
Maeser Prep students perform exceptionally well on multiple measures. More than 95 percent graduate, and graduates have a strong track record of college admission and scholarships. Numbers, however, do not capture the entire picture. The most compelling evidence is found in those alumni who are intellectually equipped to wrestle with challenging concepts, morally grounded to act upon their principles, and humbly willing to continue growing. Those who send their children to Maeser Prep are joining a community of formation—a community that upholds their values, sees their children, and lives out its own commitments to Truth, Honor, Virtue, and Wisdom.
We Invite You to Join Us
If you are searching for an educational community that reflects the values you hold dearest, we invite you to learn more about what makes Maeser Prep distinct. Classical education requires a great deal from students, parents, and educators, but it gives us something rare in return: an education that molds the whole person and a community that walks hand-in-hand with families in that molding process. Tour the campus, walk through our hallways, observe a Socratic seminar, and get to know the faculty and parents who make this partnership authentic. Come see what happens when a school and a family come together to form young people of wisdom, virtue, and honor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be familiar with classical education in order to enroll my child at Maeser Prep?
No. In fact, many families are discovering classical education for the very first time. All that is needed is a mutual commitment to character building and academic excellence. Our faculty and community will help create the framework, the materials, and the dialogue to make this curriculum relevant to your home life.
How does Maeser Prep keep parents informed about their child’s academic performance and character growth?
Through progress reports, parent-teacher meetings, and one-on-one conversations. Because our faculty members know each student well, they are able to speak to both his or her academic progress and character development.
What part do parents play in the school community?
Parents volunteer at events, join in service activities, participate in the curriculum through family conversations, and become a part of the school’s culture. The partnership is relational; it relies upon a foundation of trust and a shared vision for the formation of students.
Is Maeser Prep just for academically advanced students?
No. Maeser Prep is a public charter school. Any student may attend. What is required is the desire to participate. Any student who is curious, who works hard, and who remains open to learning can succeed here. Small class sizes and committed faculty ensure that each student receives the attention he or she needs.
How does a classical education prepare students for college and careers?
A classical education cultivates critical thinking skills, clear writing ability, eloquent speech, mental fortitude, and moral reasoning. Our students earn impressive SAT scores, graduate at high rates, and are admitted to competitive universities. However, the greatest gift our graduates receive is the character and judgment necessary to lead, to serve, and to live honorably.
Tour our campus and explore how the partnership between families and Maeser Prep can impact your child’s future. Truth, Honor, Virtue, and Wisdom await.