Links:

Manti High School

Gunnison High School

South Sanpete School District

North Sanpete High School

North Sanpete School District

Snow College

Utah State Office of Education

Sanpete Academy is the alternative high school for both North and South Sanpete school districts, located on Snow College's West Campus in Ephraim, Utah.

Founded in 1993 by a partnership between the two school districts, Snow College, and area law enforcement, juvenile court, social services, and mental health agencies, Sanpete Academy serves students from all over Sanpete County. Fifty students may be enrolled at any one time, and many of the classes are open entry/open exit and competency based to allow students, many of whom have fallen behind their class in total credits, to earn credit faster. All our students have been referred here by their home high schools (North Sanpete, Manti, or Gunnison).

Students attend Sanpete Academy for many different reasons.

A common stereotype is that alternative high school students are "troublemakers". Some of our students have, indeed, been in trouble at their previous schools or with the law. However, many of them have simply fallen behind because of illness, injury, family difficulties, lack of attendance, frequent family moves, or other reasons. A few are not behind at all, but hope to be able to graduate early by taking advantage of the "work at your own speed" philosophy. Some did not fit in socially at the "regular " high schools, and requested to be moved to the alternative setting. We find that nearly all of our students are courteous and pleasant most of the time.

Sanpete Academy is a small school.

With a maximum of fifty students attending at any one time, Sanpete Academy has both the advantages and disadvantages of a small school. We cannot offer the wide diversity of courses and activities available at a larger school, but we can offer more individual help. Teachers at a regular high school often have 200 students pass through their classes in one day; at Sanpete Academy, a teacher is likely to see only 40 students in a day. Class sizes are much smaller and teachers get to know most students better than at a traditional high school. The small staff and student body have also allowed flexibility in experimenting with changes in scheduling and planning special events.