Announcement for the 2025-2026 School Year
My Dear Elizabeth Academy Colleagues, Students, Families,
We have just entered our 15th year at Elizabeth Academy and our 7th year of learning at our upper/secondary campus. Beginning in 2009, with just 3 classes of early childhood students, expanding in 2017 to include high school, and finishing our last school year having had a total of 14 high school graduates, our commitment has always been to deliver a high quality academic program, aligned to our foundational values, which are: Inclusivity, Kindness, Honesty and Commitment. I believe we have stayed true to these values and I am very proud of that. I have cherished the work and relationships I have had at the school and my heart is full of gratitude for all of the leaders, teachers, staff, students and families who have endeavored so earnestly to create the school that we have the privilege to attend today. You are my heroes. Since its inception, Elizabeth Academy has been a place where Montessori philosophy and pedagogy blends beautifully in a space where inclusion isn’t an extra but an always. Our people make this so. Yet…
As our program has grown, I have witnessed an increasing demand on our resources, both human and financial, to maintain our standard of quality and commitment to those foundational values. We have never wavered in our focus on inclusivity, kindness and commitment. Our staff is stellar, our love and desire to serve our students and their families are as strong as ever. However, after seven years of endeavoring to grow and maintain healthy numbers of high school students in our program, we have come to the hard reality that we can no longer financially sustain a high school (9th-12th grade) program and it would be dishonest to you and everyone in our school community to continue pressing forward in an endeavor that will eventually break the backs of all, as it is breaking the bank that sustains us. We must embrace this hard truth in order to move forward for the sake of everyone in the school.
While I am sure that there are many questions swirling in your head right now with this news so fresh, and uncertainty fills your heart, let me say this with all the certainty of my soul: We have a plan and we are going to hold fast to our values of inclusivity, kindness, honesty and commitment while we continue on this year, caring for each and every one of you in our school community, to support you in finding the best place for you next year. This is why we have shared this news with you as soon as possible, after the board just finalized their decision. This will afford us time to secure the best options for all of us. For staff members who might be affected, we will step up our schedule of intent meetings. For secondary students and their parents/guardians, we will be glad to set up individual meetings to discuss best school options and help them prepare for the transition.
This is what we plan to do starting next school year, 2025-2026:
Our Middle School, 7th and 8th grade, will move back to the Connor campus, remaining its own cohort, interacting with the Upper Elementary classroom, but leading the campus as the oldest level of Elizabeth Academy students. This is going to strengthen the whole school, especially the students, as they will have a strong older group of peer leaders, and the middle schoolers themselves will have time to build confidence as leaders before moving to a larger student body of high schoolers.
Students currently enrolled in or entering High School, 9th-12th grade next year, will need to find another school for the 2025-26 school year. We have had success kindling a relationship with nearby Highland High School, a public school in Salt Lake City School District, which has a stellar program, both in general and advanced academic courses, as well as a wonderful special education program. Many of our former students have already ventured to Highland, first with dual enrollment, as they loved our program so much, but as time has passed, these students have now made a full transition to Highland.
With bittersweet clarity, we have come to the realization that it is probably best for all concerned if we let our high school students go in order to grow where they can truly blossom with a full student body of peers, athletic programs, and a broader social spectrum. At the same time, we can focus on what WE do best— nurturing and guiding children in the Montessori way, with inclusivity, kindness, honesty, and commitment.
We love and care for you deeply,
Gratefully and Sincerely,
Gail S. Williamsen
Elizabeth Academy 2025-2026
High School Transition
Parent FAQ
Why is the High School Closing?
Because of the financial strain of the high student to teacher ratio as well as the difficulty of retention from lower to upper campus.
What will happen with the Primary Campus? Is there a concern of it closing?
- The board is committed to the continued success of the Primary Campus, there is no concern that it will close.
- The Primary Campus will include infants through 8th grade in alignment with other similarly sized private and charter schools in the area.
Why didn’t you tell me this before?
- This was a decision made after the last board meeting. Administration was informed afterwards. We have been working through the details to create an action plan so that we could provide a clear message to all.
- We’ll continue to offer services through the rest of the year and will support with transitions.
- It is October. We have a lot of the year left. Announcing this message so early in the year is a risk on our part. Our hope is that you see this early announcement as our way of communicating respect for you and your situations.
- There is never a good time…
Who should I contact with further questions?
- Direct any questions towards administration. Please reach out to admin@elizabethacademy.com
- Elizabeth Academy Staff had a community meeting where administration shared this announcement and fielded questions. Please respect them as they are also processing this new information.
