Liahona Academy plans expansion

PLEASANT GROVE — Plans for a new building for Liahona Academy, an LDS-oriented private school, were presented to parents of current and prospective students at a meeting Thursday night.

The new school building will accommodate more students, growing from about 130 students to almost 200. The new building will allow the school to reduce class sizes, add a media center and library, offer more elective classes and sports programs and, of upmost importance to director Brent DeGraff, a larger social pool.

"Hormones are a reality, folks, that's just the way it is," DeGraff told the parents. He acknowledged that, while none of the students, parents or teachers is perfect, they try hard and expanding will bring a larger dating pool of people with the same standards. Right now, there are around 40 students in the high school grades. "That's a small pool when you're looking to date."

The decision to grow is one DeGraff and his wife, Kolleen, CEO and head administrator, have been deliberating for the past year. They had looked at hundreds of possible locations when a few parents of students at the school stepped forward and donated 2 acres on which the new 12,000-square-foot building will be built.

"I like the feel of a small school, but sometimes it's dangerous to sit still," DeGraff said.

One of the repercussions of the new building will be a rise in tuition. Over the past 10 years, Liahona has raised its tuition just $95. The new tuition rate will jump from $195 to $225 per month.

Although no final decision has been made, Liahona officials are considering eliminating the 5th- and 6th-grade class levels, a proposal that has upset many parents.

Liahona Academy curriculum is based on teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has been in operation for about 11 years.

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