About Charter Schools

  • WHAT EXACTLY IS A CHARTER SCHOOL?

In addition to regular public schools, the state of Utah sponsors publicly funded schools organized to provide educational options beyond the traditional school experience. These schools are required to provide and meet the same state-mandated academic standards as other public schools, but they are chartered to provide additional emphasis in specific pre-approved areas. Therefore Charter Schools have the flexibility to offer expanded educational curriculum, while retaining time-proven methods of instruction.  This provides an excellent educational environment to foster high levels of academic achievement and other advanced instruction as approved by the State Department of Education. A Charter School is managed and supervised by a local school board, which includes experienced educators and administrators, parents, and business and community leaders.  The board operates independently of the local public school district, but is accountable directly to the State Board of Education.

  • WHY PERFORMING ARTS?

Research demonstrates that students who participate in performing arts consistently achieve higher academic levels. At Vista, students are educated in an enriched performing arts environment, which fosters cognitive and creative thinking, encourages confidence and poise that come with developing skills and talents, and promotes memory ability that applies to all areas of education.

Currently, professional instruction is offered in five performing arts areas:

  • Dance
  • Music Theater
  • Voice
  • Suzuki Violin
  • Suzuki Piano 
Additional areas will be added in the future.
  • WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY TECHNOLOGY?

To attain the highest level of academic achievement, Vista applies technological innovation to the presentation and application of the curriculum. Vista is collaborating with publishers and technology providers who are successful in integrating core subjects such as math, reading, writing, history, and science with computer and web-based technology. These technologies also help insure that student progress is frequently monitored along the way so that Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements of the State of Utah are met. Teachers receive ongoing training in technology implementation and efficient tracking of student progress to monitor and adjust lesson content to meet student needs. Students are given daily instruction in the use of computers and computer programs to access curriculum, so that they are comfortable with technology in education, as well as in other areas of life.

  • WHERE IS VISTA LOCATED?

Vista is located at 585 East Center Street in Ivins, just east of Snow Canyon Parkway, in the northwestern part of the St. George, Utah area.