About American Heritage School
American Heritage School is an effective educational resource for parents worldwide in assisting children and families to realize their divine potential.
Mission
American Heritage School assists parents worldwide in developing the hearts, minds, and bodies of students to realize their divine potential by:
- Being useful in the hands of the Lord in building the kingdom of God on earth;
- Increasing faith in and knowledge of the Plan of Salvation;
- Developing a love, understanding and appreciation for America and the founding fathers;
- Developing the academic knowledge and skills necessary to be able to make self-education a life-long pursuit;
- Learning to reason and discern between right and wrong, truth and error;
- Developing character and self-government of mind and body; and
- Conducting themselves in all aspects of life as Christians.
All activities, teaching, governance, and administration are to be accomplished in light of the above objectives and in so far as possible in harmony with revealed principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and laws of the land. All teachers, staff, administrators and trustees shall strive to be living examples of the values, principles, and skills taught at the school.
From the mission statement, as published 2026-09-25.
Three attributes
Every American Fork class is planned around the same three, and the other campuses share them.
Christ-like Character
Developing hearts centered in Christ, influenced by example and refined through experience.
How it is taughtTransformational Scholarship
Inspiring minds through transformational teaching and learning in the light of the restored gospel.
How it is taughtResponsible Liberty
Choosing moral self-government as the foundation of thriving individuals, families and communities.
How it is taughtSeven Principles of Personal and Civil Liberty
Divine Identity and Purpose
God is our loving Heavenly Father. He has endowed each of His children with the gifts of life, the freedom to choose, and a divine identity and purpose. Civil liberty is founded on the truth that these are inalienable, God-given rights.
Liberty through Christian Self-Government
God has given us the freedom to choose liberty and eternal life through Jesus Christ, or captivity and death. As we seek to obey the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and receive His grace, we will experience liberty. Civil liberty can exist only when there is widespread adherence to moral law by self-governed individuals.
Christlike Character
Jesus Christ is the standard of character and the model of all virtues. Through His Atonement, we can become like Him. America’s heritage provides examples of men and women who were liberated by obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and who sought freedom to develop and express Christian character. America became the seedbed of civil liberty because of inspired reliance upon Christian principles.
Conscience, the Most Sacred of All Property
God has granted each of us stewardship over our individual souls, labor, and possessions. The most sacred stewardship God has given us is our conscience. We experience liberty as we follow our conscience, which is the light of Christ within us. In the civil realm, liberty depends upon protection of the rights of property, including the property of conscience.
The Family, Religion, and Civil Government
Personal and civil liberty depend upon the protection and vitality of three realms: the family, religion and its expression, and civil government. Internal restraints within civil government, such as representation, separation of powers, and federalism, are necessary to temper the exercise of governmental power. These internal restraints protect individual accountability, the rights and responsibilities of families, and religion and its expression.
Cultivating Self-Government in Others
Individuals who experience liberty through Christ seek to bless others with liberty. Christ’s followers are obligated to cultivate and protect the right of self-government for all mankind. Civil liberty is best protected when the decision-making authority of government resides at the level that is closest to those affected by its decisions.
Fullness of Liberty through Unity with God and Man
The ultimate purpose of God’s plan of happiness is to enable us to experience a fullness of liberty. This is possible only through unity with God, our families, and our fellowmen as we experience the atoning power of Jesus Christ. Uniting as self-governed individuals enables and strengthens civil and personal liberty, and magnifies the potential of all.
From the Seven Principles of Liberty page, as published 2026-09-25.
Accreditation
American Heritage School is accredited by Cognia.
Accreditation affords AHS all the benefits of accreditation provided to public and private schools recognized by the Utah State Office of Education. It also joins AHS to a national, collegial community of high quality independent schools, teachers, and administrators who network, collaborate, and share best practices.
One of the most significant benefits of accreditation is school wide engagement in a recurring “self study” process, by which the school reflects on its best practices and areas needing improvement, and then harnesses broad participation of the school community in the examination of strengths and weaknesses. The self study is an important vehicle for ongoing self-improvement and is one assurance that American Heritage School is advancing through a reflective, mission-driven process and is continually assessing itself on robust standards for success. The self study results in many practical improvements and demonstrates the school’s commitment to ongoing progress.
American Heritage School is also approved by the College Board for Advanced Placement® (AP) Testing, as well as ACT testing. The CEEB code assigned by the College Board is 754413.
American Heritage School has met the criteria for educational quality established by the Cognia Global Commission and has received a Certificate of Accreditation by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, the Northwest Accreditation Commission, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement.
If you have questions related to accreditation or would like to participate in our self study process, please contact our Head of School, Mr. Grant Beckwith, at gbeckwith@ahsmail.com or at 801-642-0055.
From the American Fork accreditation page, as published 2026-09-25.
Leadership
American Fork campus administration. Faculty are listed by division on the American Fork faculty page.
- Grant BeckwithHead of School
- Chase HalePrincipal
- Charné AdamsAssistant Principal, (K-5)
- Blaine HunsakerAssistant Principal, (6-8)
- Elizabeth AcuñaAssistant Principal, (9-12)
- Dave BuerAssistant Principal, Athletics
- Rob SwensonAssistant Principal, Performing Arts
- Dayna HarperFront Office Manager
- Alisha HunterFront Office - Attendance
- Makena AvarellFront Office
- Kari BrownFront Office
- Rachel KarlssonFront Office
From the administrators page, as published 2026-09-25.