WHY MANA ACADEMY?
our history
Mana Academy was created in 2013 in response to concerns of low academic performance in underserved communities, specifically ethnic communities on the west side of the Salt Lake valley with a high population of Pacific Islanders and Latin Americans. Armed with a mission and a mandate to close the opportunity gap in our community, we created a unique school model which recognizes and validates the wealth of the shared cultural values of our school community, and leveraging those values to create the conditions for optimal student success, a special space where our scholars truly feel a sense of belonging, connectedness and purpose.
our committment
When we first opened our doors, we underestimated the amount of labor needed to bring our scholars up to grade level literacy and arithmetic. In our 7th year, the latest state data shows that the strategies we put in place to support our mission and vision is indeed helping our scholars grow at an unprecedented rate, especially when compared to nearby school districts that serve a similar demographic. Scroll down to see the remarkable progress we've made since we opened our school.
OUR GROWTH
When compared to nearby school districts serving a similar demographic to our student population, the Median Growth Percentile (MGP) for Mana Academy students grades 3-8 who took the SAGE exam in the 2018 and 2019 school year are far ahead of their peers. In English Language Arts MGP, Mana Academy ranked in the top 10 in the state in Utah. The slideshow below provides more details on our MGP. (Source: USBE Data Gateway)
college on campus
At Mana Academy, we believe our scholars are never too young to engage in conversations about college. From grades K-12, our scholars are empowered to envision themselves in their favorite universities, in their fields of study, in their dream occupations, and we provide the necessary guidance to prepare them in every step of the way. Our high schools scholars begin college in 9th grade taking concurrent enrollment courses in a partnership with Salt Lake Community College. College truly begins at Mana!
