Orchard STEM School

09/11/2026

"What do we owe children?"

That was the question in a recent discussion I had with elementary school educators. There were the typical responses describing school policies and procedures which one would expect in a system driven by standardized curricula and assessments.

I responded, "We owe children childhood."

Children are born eager to learn. They take delight exploring their world and making connections. As educators, we owe children our unwavering support as they experience joy and wonder in learning. If we're diminishing that in any way, then we're failing as educators.

- Todd Hepworth, Director

(Image generated using Gemini AI)

08/14/2026

Orchard STEM School is hiring a part time teaching assistant!

- Hours: Mondays through Thursdays, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
- Pay: $20 per hour, 24 hours per week.
- Work environment: Mostly in our outdoor classroom in a Santaquin orchard. Indoors if needed due to weather. Frequent day trips to nearby areas such as Santaquin Canyon.
- Responsibilities: Assist in teaching fifth- and sixth-grade students including coaching students through projects and other learning activities, guiding students in off-site day trips, coordinating with other teachers, implementing learning objectives, and evaluating student progress. You will always be working with another teacher.
- Qualifications: Experience working with older children and/or adolescents required. Experience working in a learning environment preferred.

If interested, please send your resume to [email protected], and check out our website to learn more about our amazing school!

Enroll your K-5 student in Orchard STEM School to learn in an interest-driven, project-based program. Connect critical early STEM concepts by immersing your student in nature in small groups. Apply for the Utah Fits All Scholarship today!

05/29/2026

Our fledgling ornithologists discovered a pristine nest with 3 delicate eggs! As trained naturalists, they only observed, not disturbed, this interesting step in the Robin lifecycle.

Want this for your child? Registration for K-6 is open 🌸

05/15/2026

Jason Wright, author of "The Wednesday Letters," "Christmas Jars, " and "The Final 4th of Sergeant Drummond," came to Orchard STEM School! He taught us about "creativity goggles"--a way to look at the world in different ways when creating a story.

Thank you, Jason and Stephen, for enduring the freezing rain to be with us!

09/02/2025

A hummingbird landed on a students hand and it sparked an amazing unit study! For math students calculated wing beats, time spent eating vs flying, and measure distances flown to calculate some basic statistics. Science class consisted of learning more about hummingbird habitats and language arts was filled with interesting books about hummingbirds!

Want a more natural approach to learning for your K-5 student? We have a few spots with NO annual tuition still available! Message us for details!

05/03/2025

We’ve been loving our new Chomp Saw! What would your kiddo want to make? Some favorites so far are key chains, an epic fort, and characters!

Registration for 2025 is open! OrchardSTEM.org

04/16/2025

This is a few steps from our outdoor classroom. The kids wanted to know what kind of tree it is, because it looks different from the surrounding trees in the orchard.

Science time!

We gathered evidence: We took a few of what looked like peach pits from under the tree. We carefully observed the color and shape of the blossoms. We noted the size of the tree and the way the branches grow.

Then we started searching.

There's an adjacent orchard, which we know from the fall harvest is filled with nectarine trees. Guess what we found! Fruit pits under the trees which matched the ones we had collected. Similar color and shape of blossoms. Similar tree size and branches.

Conclusion: That's a nectarine tree blossoming amid all those young apple trees!

Science rules!

04/12/2025

There’s still plenty of time to apply for an $8,000 scholarship!

Apply for the 2025-2026 Utah Fits All Scholarship by the May 1 deadline! Find the education that fits your values, expectations, and children’s unique needs!

Whether a first-time applicant or waitlisted this year, you apply as a new scholarship. Get all the helpful details on our Application Resources & Recommendations page:
https://www.utaheducationfitsall.org/2025/04/utah-fits-all-application-resources-recommendations/

Ready to apply? Head to the portal now:
https://ufascholarship.com/apply

Don’t miss out—apply today!

04/02/2025

Fall 2025 registration is OPEN!

Enroll your K-5 student in Orchard STEM School to learn in an interest-driven, project-based program. Connect critical early STEM concepts by immersing your student in nature in small groups. Apply for the Utah Fits All Scholarship today!

03/10/2025

Need a better fit for your child's education? Apply for the Utah Fits All Scholarship MARCH 3! 🚀

https://ufascholarship.com

*An application does not guarantee a scholarship, and does not require unenrolling from public school this year