John K Murch- Lead STEM Teacher

John K. Murch spent his formative years in Indianapolis. He attended North Central High School, and upon graduation decided to pursue his dream of becoming a professional rock climber. The subsequent years were better than expected. Not only had he secured sponsorships, but, piggybacking on his success as a climber, he had accomplished his second goal of owning a business. The business, of course, was climbing. Coaching youth teams, as well as individuals, he discovered his passion for teaching.

Fast forward a few years and a couple degrees later, Mr. Murch found himself teaching High Ability students in HSE. His experiential learning model was an immediate success. Not only were students learning things relevant to their lives outside the classroom, they were excelling on standardized tests, too! By 2017, Mr. Murch had all the evidence he needed to start his own school. Prime Initiative was born. Its mission: create a learning environment tailored to the needs of the individual. No more one-size-fits-all curriculum. The standards would be taught through the interests of each student—admittedly more difficult with larger class sizes—focussing on the broader impacts of education on society. The motto: Fail fast, fall forward, find a way to help. Prime Initiative was on its way to change the face of education until…COVID. Unforeseen and unfortunate, education and the world itself began to devolve. Rather than fight an uphill battle with an unknown future, Mr. Murch took time to reflect and further develop his curriculum, waiting for the right moment to resume teaching. That moment came in the form of a new school, similar to his own, by the name Indy Premier Soccer Academy!