activities · 26
what they do
direct service · 23
- Bullying and Harassment Prevention and Response Comprehensive Bullying Prevention & ResponseDesignates a Dean of Students to receive and process reports of harassment, intimidation, or bullying, allowing for anonymous reporting, conducting investigations, implementing consequences, and reporting severe incidents to law enforcement, while prohibiting retaliation against reporters.
- Co-curricular and Extracurricular Programs Student Enrichment & Extracurricular ProgramsOffers a variety of co-curricular programs including artistic and athletic pursuits, summer camps, robotics teams, poetry recitation events, mock trial teams, high school retreats, and freshman orientation camps to enhance the educational experience and develop student skills.
- College Counseling and Preparation College Counseling for Scholarship AccessProvides college counseling to support students in the college discernment and application processes, resulting in graduates earning significant merit-based scholarships and achieving high SAT/ACT scores and National Merit recognition.
- Conducting Summer CampsOffers summer camps through the Great Hearts Summer Academy, providing hands-on and engaging learning opportunities for current and waitlisted students.
- Deliver college preparatory curriculum with strong academic outcomes College Preparation & Empowerment ProgramsGraduates students prepared for admission to highly selective colleges, supported by high standardized test scores and significant merit-based scholarship awards; for example, the Class of 2025 earned $77 million in scholarships with an average SAT score 182 points above the national average.
- Implement anti-bullying and student conduct policies Comprehensive Bullying Prevention & ResponseDesignates school officials to receive reports of harassment or bullying, allows anonymous reporting, conducts investigations, applies consequences, and prohibits retaliation in accordance with state law.
- Implementing Anti-Bullying Policies and Procedures Comprehensive Bullying Prevention & ResponseDesignates a Dean of Students to receive and process reports of harassment, intimidation, or bullying, conducts prompt investigations, implements consequences for bullying behavior, reports severe incidents to law enforcement, and prohibits retaliation against reporters. An anonymous reporting system is also available.
- K-12 Classical Liberal Arts Education Online Charter School ProgramsOperates a network of public K-12 schools across Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana, serving approximately 30,000 students with a classical liberal arts curriculum designed to prepare them for selective colleges and universities.
- Manage student enrollment and application system Online Student Enrollment PortalOperates an online enrollment portal for families to apply to Great Hearts academies in Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana, with access to application status and waitlist positions.
- Managing Student Enrollment Online Student Enrollment PortalOperates an online enrollment portal for parents to submit student applications, create personal accounts, and track application status and waitlist positions for academies in Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana.
- Offer summer and remote learning programs Online Summer Enrichment & Credit RecoveryProvides summer enrichment through Great Hearts Summer Academy and offers a remote learning option, Great Hearts Online, featuring live instruction and in-person extracurriculars.
- Offering Co-curricular and Athletic Programs Student Enrichment & Extracurricular ProgramsProvides co-curricular programs in artistic and athletic pursuits, including physical education and athletic programs, as part of the educational experience to educate both mind and body.
- Online Enrollment Management Online Student Enrollment PortalOperates an online enrollment portal for parents to submit student applications, create accounts, and track application status and waitlist positions for academies in Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana.
- Online K-12 Classical Education Online Charter School ProgramsOffers a remote learning program, Great Hearts Online, providing live classes and in-person extracurricular opportunities for students nationally and in Texas.
- Operate a network of classical liberal arts K-12 schools Online Charter School ProgramsProvides a classical liberal arts education to over 22,000 K-12 students across Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana through a network of public charter schools, emphasizing academic rigor and character development.
- Operating K-12 Classical Liberal Arts Schools Online Charter School ProgramsOperates a network of public K-12 schools across Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana, providing a classical liberal arts education to approximately 30,000 students. This includes both in-person academies and a remote learning program, Great Hearts Online.
- Preschool Programs Subsidized Child Care Access ProgramsOperates Young Hearts Preschool programs in Buckeye and Scottsdale, Arizona, and has opened a new preschool campus in Scottsdale.
- Provide co-curricular programs in arts, athletics, and leadership Student Enrichment & Extracurricular ProgramsOffers co-curricular programs including robotics, mock trial, poetry recitation, and outdoor leadership camps to support student development in artistic, athletic, and leadership pursuits.
- Provide college counseling and student support services College Counseling for Scholarship AccessOffers college counseling to guide students through college discernment and application processes, contributing to high rates of merit-based aid and college attendance.
- Providing College Counseling College Counseling for Scholarship AccessOffers college counseling services to support students through the college discernment and application processes, preparing them for admission to highly selective colleges and universities.
- Providing Student Support Services School-Based Mental Health & Life CoachingEmploys 25 site-based mental health professionals to offer proactive and comprehensive social-emotional support, behavioral support, and school-based counseling to students, including those with IEPs and 504 plans. Also provides a mental health resource guide for parents and a Virtual Calming Corner for students.
- Student Social-Emotional and Mental Health Support School-Based Mental Health & Life CoachingEmploys 25 site-based mental health professionals across campuses to provide proactive and comprehensive social-emotional support, including school-based counseling for students with IEPs, 504 plans, and general education students. Also provides a mental health resource guide for parents and a Virtual Calming Corner for students.
- Support student mental health and social-emotional well-being School-Based Mental Health & Life CoachingEmploys 25 school-based mental health professionals and provides counseling services for students with IEPs, 504 plans, and general education students, along with a Virtual Calming Corner and a parent-facing mental health resource guide.
capacity building · 3
- Developing and Growing the Network Youth Justice Diversion & Reentry SupportAuthored the original business plan and secured initial funding partnerships to launch the Great Hearts network in Arizona, and directed its growth and managed parent demand from 2004 to 2015.
- Expand school network and infrastructure Subsidized Child Care Access ProgramsPlans and opens new campuses, such as the preschool campus in Scottsdale, to meet growing parent demand and expand access to classical education.
- Network Growth and Management Youth Justice Diversion & Reentry SupportAuthored the original business plan and secured initial funding partnerships to launch the Great Hearts network in Arizona, and directed its growth and managed parent demand from 2004 to 2015.
strategies · 24
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Classical Christian Education Model classical Christian education modelIn its private school settings, GREATHEARTS AMERICA combines classical academic excellence with Christ-centered faith formation. This model is supported by state-funded scholarships and tax credits, integrating religious instruction with a rigorous academic curriculum.
- Classical Liberal Arts Education classical_educationGREATHEARTS AMERICA employs a classical liberal arts curriculum focused on cultivating students' minds and hearts through the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. This model emphasizes virtue formation, academic rigor, and intellectual and moral development, often utilizing methods like the Socratic method and Great Books, to prepare students for success in higher education and life.
- Classical Liberal Arts Education for Intellectual and Moral Development classical_educationGREATHEARTS AMERICA employs a classical liberal arts curriculum in its public charter schools, focusing on the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. This approach aims to cultivate students' minds and hearts, fostering both intellectual and moral development through academic rigor, virtue formation, and content-rich learning using methods like the Socratic method and Great Books.
- Classical Liberal Arts Education for Intellectual and Moral Development classical_educationGREATHEARTS AMERICA employs a classical liberal arts curriculum focused on the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty to cultivate students' minds and hearts, emphasizing virtue formation, academic rigor, and character development through methods like the Socratic method and Great Books. This approach prepares students for success in higher education and life.
- Classical Liberal Arts Education for Intellectual and Moral Development classical_educationGREATHEARTS AMERICA employs a classical liberal arts curriculum in its public charter schools, focusing on the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty to cultivate students' minds and hearts. This approach emphasizes virtue formation, academic rigor through content-rich curricula, the Socratic method, and Great Books, preparing students for success in higher education and life.
- Contextual and Developmentally Appropriate Discipline contextual_disciplineGREATHEARTS AMERICA employs a contextual and individualized approach to discipline, considering developmental levels, harm, circumstances, behavior patterns, and relationships when determining consequences. Student behavior expectations are aligned with developmental level, maturity, and demonstrated capabilities while respecting the rights and welfare of others, distinguishing between prohibited hazing and legitimate educational activities.
- Contextual and Developmentally Appropriate Discipline contextual disciplineThe organization employs a contextual and individualized approach to student discipline, considering developmental levels, maturity, and demonstrated capabilities. This strategy ensures that consequences for behavior, including bullying, are aligned with the student's stage of development, the specific circumstances, and the overall goal of fostering respect and welfare.
- Developmentally Appropriate and Contextual Discipline developmentally-appropriate disciplineGREATHEARTS AMERICA employs a disciplinary approach that considers students' developmental levels, maturity, and capabilities. It uses a contextual and individualized method for determining consequences, especially for issues like bullying, by taking into account harm, circumstances, behavior patterns, and relationships, while distinguishing between prohibited actions and legitimate educational activities.
- Developmentally and Contextually Appropriate Discipline developmentally-appropriate disciplineGREATHEARTS AMERICA employs a contextual and individualized approach to discipline, considering developmental levels, maturity, harm, circumstances, behavior patterns, and relationships when determining consequences. This approach ensures that student behavior aligns with developmental capabilities while respecting the rights and welfare of others, distinguishing between prohibited actions and legitimate educational activities.
- Experiential Learning through Summer Camps experiential_learningGREATHEARTS AMERICA uses hands-on, engaging summer camps to combine learning with social development for students. This approach provides an immersive environment where students can explore subjects in a practical way while also building social skills.
- Holistic Student Wellness through Proactive Counseling proactive-site-based-counselingRecognizing social-emotional well-being as foundational to academic success, GREATHEARTS AMERICA utilizes a proactive and comprehensive, site-based counseling model. This approach supports student wellness in alignment with the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, ensuring students have the emotional support necessary to thrive.
- Inclusive Classical Education inclusive classical educationThe organization integrates students with special needs into the classical liberal arts classroom by resisting unnecessary removal and providing an enriching environment for all, ensuring that the classical education model is accessible and beneficial to a diverse student body.
- Inclusive Classical Education for Students with Special Needs inclusive classical educationThe organization integrates students with special needs into the classical liberal arts classroom by resisting unnecessary removal and providing an enriching environment for all, ensuring that the classical education model is accessible and beneficial to a diverse student body.
- Inclusive Classical Education for Students with Special Needs inclusive classical educationGREATHEARTS AMERICA integrates students with special needs into the classical liberal arts classroom by resisting unnecessary removal. This strategy aims to provide an enriching educational environment for all students, ensuring that the benefits of classical education are accessible and adapted to diverse learning needs.
- Inclusive Classical Education for Students with Special Needs inclusive classical educationThe organization integrates students with special needs into the classical liberal arts classroom, resisting unnecessary removal and providing an enriching environment for all. This approach ensures that the benefits of classical education are accessible and tailored to diverse learning needs.
- Philanthropy-Driven School Network Launch philanthropy-driven school network launchThe organization launched its school network through a strategic business plan and by securing funding partnerships with local and national philanthropic organizations. This strategy highlights a reliance on external funding and strategic planning for initial growth and expansion.
- Philosophy-Driven Leadership and Organizational Alignment philosophy-driven school leadershipThe organization integrates visible, philosophy-driven headmasters into its academy structure to ensure alignment with its core values and educational philosophy. This leadership model emphasizes intellectual and moral ideals as a core component of organizational success, guiding the overall direction and ethos of the schools.
- Philosophy-Driven Leadership and Organizational Alignment philosophy-driven school leadershipThe organization integrates visible, philosophy-driven headmasters into its academy structure to ensure alignment with its core values and educational philosophy. This leadership model emphasizes intellectual and moral ideals as central to organizational success and the consistent delivery of its educational approach.
- Philosophy-Driven School Leadership philosophy-driven school leadershipThe organization integrates visible, philosophy-driven headmasters into its academy structure to ensure alignment with organizational values and emphasizes intellectual and moral ideals in leadership as a core component of organizational success.
- Philosophy-Driven School Leadership philosophy-driven school leadershipThe organization integrates visible, philosophy-driven headmasters into its academy structure to ensure alignment with organizational values and to emphasize intellectual and moral ideals in leadership as a core component of organizational success.
- Proactive Site-Based Counseling for Holistic Wellness proactive-site-based-counselingRecognizing social-emotional well-being as foundational to academic success, GREATHEARTS AMERICA utilizes a proactive and comprehensive, site-based counseling model to support student wellness, aligning with the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.
- Social-Emotional Foundation for Academic Success social-emotional-foundation-for-academic-successGREATHEARTS AMERICA views social-emotional well-being as foundational to academic success. It implements a proactive, comprehensive, and site-based counseling model to support student wellness, aligning these efforts with the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty to create a holistic educational environment.
- Social-Emotional Foundation for Academic Success with Proactive Counseling social-emotional-foundation-for-academic-successGREATHEARTS AMERICA views social-emotional well-being as foundational to academic success and utilizes a proactive, comprehensive, site-based counseling model to support student wellness, aligning with the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.
- Student-Led Communication and Storytelling student_led_communicationGREATHEARTS AMERICA utilizes student-led storytelling and media production to highlight community, tradition, and educational excellence across its network. This strategy empowers students while effectively communicating the organization's values and achievements.
named programs · 8
what they call their work
Archway Classical Academy Network
K-12 classical education schools across Arizona and Texas
Character Development Initiatives
Programs aimed at fostering character and leadership skills among students.
Classical Education Program
Offers a curriculum based on the classical education model, focusing on the liberal arts and sciences.
Great Hearts Academies (Upper and Lower Schools)
Classical liberal arts schools serving elementary, middle, and high school students in Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana
Great Hearts Christian Academies
Christian-affiliated classical education programs in Gilbert and Maryvale
Great Hearts Online - National Academy
Online classical education program serving students nationally
Great Hearts Online - Texas
Online classical education program serving students in Texas
Young Hearts Preschool
Early childhood education program serving preschool-aged children at multiple locations
relationships · 20
who they work with
- Arizona Board of Regents Government — Oversees public universities in Arizona; Jay Heiler served on the board from 2012 to 2020.
- Arizona Department of Education Government — Ranked Chandler Prep, Archway Lincoln, and Arizona K-5 Archways as top schools in Arizona
- Dan Quayle Partner — Conducted an interview with former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle.
- Great Hearts Academies Network — Operates as part of the Great Hearts network of charter schools.
- Great Hearts Arizona School Counseling Department Partner — Provides school-based mental health services and supports students across campuses.
- Great Hearts Christos Academy Partner — Private Christian academy within the Great Hearts network in Arizona.
- Great Hearts Harveston Partner — Operates as a Great Hearts Academy in Baton Rouge, LA, within the Great Hearts network.
- Great Hearts Online - Arizona Partner — Part of the Great Hearts network offering remote learning options in Arizona.
- Great Hearts Online - National Academy Partner — Online program operated under the Great Hearts network
- Great Hearts Online - Texas Partner — Interim leadership in place for online Texas program
- Great Hearts Online - Texas Partner — Part of the Great Hearts network offering remote learning options in Texas.
- Headmaster Partner — Collaborates with the Dean of Students to determine whether acts constitute policy violations and to decide appropriate responses.
- Phoenix Business Journal Partner — Recognized six Great Hearts academies among the top 20 charter schools in Metro Phoenix and analyzed statewide SAT scores placing five academies in the top 15 public high schools in Arizona
- Sarah Sponcil Partner — Featured an interview with professional volleyball player and Olympian Sarah Sponcil.
- SchoolAxis Partner — Online enrollment platform used for Arizona school applications and status tracking.
- SchoolMint Partner — Online enrollment platform used for Texas school applications.
- Tony Blair Partner — Conducted an interview with The Honorable Tony Blair.
- U.S. Secretary of Education Government — Hosted a visit from the U.S. Secretary of Education.
- Young Hearts Preschool - Buckeye Partner — Preschool program operated by Great Hearts in Buckeye, AZ
- Young Hearts Preschool - Scottsdale Partner — Preschool program operated by Great Hearts in Scottsdale, AZ