A Grade Ahead of Des Moines • Virtual Academy

Servicing Des Moines and all surrounding areas.
Monday: 5pm - 8pm
Tuesday: 5pm - 8pm
Wednesday: 5pm - 8pm
Thursday: Closed
Friday: Closed
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Are you in our territory? Enter your zip code to check.

After–School Enrichment Classes in Math and English — Now Online!

Better than tutoring, we offer academic enrichment through our virtual academy with online classes.

Outstanding Curriculum

A pragmatic approach using traditional paper & pencil learning blended with interactive, online exercises.

Weekly Online Classes

Unlike tutoring, a proper lesson is taught each week.

Small Class Sizes

No more than 8 students per teacher ensures individualized attention.

About A Grade Ahead of Des Moines

A Grade Ahead of Des Moines, Iowa provides academic enrichment, which is better than traditional tutoring, to help all students improve their grades and confidence. Our after-school classes in math and English are taught by educated teachers and offer specific subjects like Algebra, Geometry, and Pre-Kindergarten. A Grade Ahead students receive the same benefits as private tutoring through small class sizes and individualized attention, at an affordable cost.

Our virtual tutoring academy in the Des Moines, Iowa area serves children from Des Moines, West Des Moines, Urbandale, and Waukee. Some of the school districts we serve include Waukee Community School District, Johnston Community School District, West Des Moines Community School District, Urbandale Community School District, and others.

A Grade Ahead of Des Moines’ owners, Kumar Melam, Pani Baruri, & Shrikar Somayajula, opened our learning academy to help provide academic enrichment to students in Iowa. We work together to implement the A Grade Ahead method, teaching small groups of students with a challenging curriculum each week. This proven approach has helped our students reach their academic goals. Many of the younger children are advancing beyond their peers, scoring high on standardized tests, and winning awards at Math Kangaroo. Some of our older students are beginning to graduate and are attending excellent colleges where they study medicine, engineering, and other advanced majors.

Are you ready to make your child’s dreams come true? Our Des Moines, Iowa hybrid enrichment academy can help!

Our Process

Getting ahead in today’s world can be tough. It is not enough to have a basic understanding of concepts, and rote memorization will only get you so far. That’s why at A Grade Ahead, your child will work to achieve a deep understanding of educational concepts and learn how to think critically and problem-solve.

1

Assess

An assessment will determine your child’s strengths and areas of opportunities.

2

Enroll

Register your child for weekly classes with your local enrichment academy.

3

Learn

Your child will learn a new skill each week through a traditional lesson taught by the teacher.

4

Apply

Concepts are applied to real-world situations using hands-on activities, word problems, and exercises.

5

Reinforce

Your child will log into AGA Online to complete interactive exercises, reinforcing the weekly concept.

6

Excel

As your child progresses, you will see positive results in their homework, school, and everyday lives.

Our Curriculum

Reinforces essential skills

Promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Applies concepts to real-world problems

Challenges and rewards

Prepares for standardized testing

Aligns with national standards

Combines the traditional and online learning in the most effective manner via our unique proprietary blended approach

  • Numerical Fluency
  • Skills Practice
  • Word Problems
  • Grammar
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension
  • Writing
  • Number Sense
  • Counting
  • Handwriting
  • Phonics
Curious about our material?
Get a sample instantly!

Meet The Owners

A Grade Ahead of Des Moines is owned and operated by Kumar Melam, Pani Baruri, and Shrikar Somayajula. These three partners wanted to bring their love of education to the Des Moines community by opening an enrichment academy. With master’s degrees in business administration and finance, the owners agree that they owe their success to their dedication to education. They have strong roots in the Des Moines, Waukee, Johnston area and have the best interests of your children in their heart.

“Education is the key to a successful future, and because of the curriculum here at A Grade Ahead of Des Moines, we are able to lead our students to their highest academic potential.”– Kumar Melam, Pani Baruri, and Shrikar Somayajula