At Acton Blairsville our children learn in a collaborative studio of multi-age learners.
Our flexible approach challenges each student with their own differentiated learning plan and inspires them through real-world projects and experiences.
Our Learner Driven Community puts children at the center of their learning, allowing them to create and maintain personal goals and relational covenants, as they Learn to Learn, Learn to Do, and Learn to Be.
Example:
Instead of memorization to cram for the test ...
... You are Harry Truman.
Example:
Instead of schools designed to minimize behavior problems ...
... Young people learn to lead by doing so, with Servant Leader Badges celebrating the most important milestones, like:
Above all, we believe in delighting families with a school experience you're thrilled about.
One of the great experiences of life is the feeling of learning something challenging and worthwhile. Real growth is hard work – just like developing a muscle. It's often even harder for parents than it is for children. It's not easy, but few meaningful things are.
For those up for the challenge, some of the outcomes we've observed are:
Students who can't wait for summer break to be over, want to come to school on weekends, and sing on their way to school.
Families discover the joy of learning is a shared journey. As one parent described: "Acton Academy has transformed our family, inspiring each of us to find a calling and discover a Hero's Journey."
While only a small portion of the day is spent on Core Skills, and there is zero "teaching to the test," over the 9 years of Acton's history we've seen an average of 2.5 grade levels per year growth on the IOWA standardized test.
The result parents likely appreciate most is seeing their children take ownership of their learning. Meeting an Acton student speaks for itself: they look you in the eye, ask powerful questions, are curious about the world around them, and have plans they're passionate about.
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The acronym D.E.A.R. stands for "Drop Everything and Read". Students spend 30 minutes every day developing a love for reading by, well, reading! Students choose from a wide selection of books in the Hidden Creek Library, find a comfortable place to relax, and silently delve into a book of their choice.
Heroes at Acton Academy Blairsville look to the horizon, set specific and meaningful goals and strive to reach them.
Early on in the Discovery Studio, a Hero might set two to three goals each day. Later on, the goal setting horizon expands to a week and then a few weeks and even sessions.
By late middle school, daily, weekly, session-length and annual goals become a deeply embedded habit; and by high school, even multi-year goals should be common.
The key tool for all goal setting at Acton Academy is SMART goals:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant and
Time-bound milestones and deadlines.
Heroes set SMART goals for each session, in order to focus attention and effort, provide Growth Mindset praise and allow Squad Leaders and fellow travelers to hold each other accountable.
Learning (and practicing) to set, evaluate, and refine these goals is done throughout each session. Weekly SMART goals are set with Running Partners or in Squads each Tuesday morning and progress is measured each Thursday afternoon. Sometimes, a Wednesday virtual check-in is added, especially for Heroes who may be struggling with procrastination or intentionality.
The goal is to engage Heros in a weekly discussion about their goals and their work habits. Doing this in a group gives them exposure to more ideas and experiences and leads to some peer accountability. Often individual, Squad-based or studio-wide extrinsic rewards can be tied to SMART goals, either by referencing Weekly Points or Badges earned.
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