FAQ – Acton Academy Madison West

HOW IS ACTON ACADEMY MADISON WEST AFFILIATED WITH ACTON ACADEMY?

Acton Academy Madison West is part of the network of over 300 Acton Academies around the world. We follow the same learning design (curriculum) and learning model that is used at the original Acton Academy campus in Austin, TX.

WHAT GRADES DO YOU OFFER?

We currently offer two elementary-aged studios:

Spark - Ages 4 to 7 years old
Discovery - Ages 7 to 12 years old
Explorer - Ages 12 - 14 years old (launching Fall 2025)

We have longer term aspirations to start a high school studio called "Launch Pad."

HOW CAN WE ENROLL?

We are now enrolling children ages 4 - 12 (grades 4K - 6) for Spark and Discovery studios. We plan to launch our middle-school Explorer studio (ages 12 - 14) in Fall 2025. See our apply page for more details!

WHAT IS THE SCHOOL CALENDAR?

We operate 10.5 months out of the year. This allows for our students to have extended breaks throughout the year while maintaining their interest and retention by shortening the summer break. Our flexible program allows families to travel together throughout the year, without sacrificing any learning. The school calendar is based on a series of seven 5- to 6-week project sprints called “Quests,” each with a theme – like Physics of Toys, Coding & Robots, Botany & Gardening, Game Design, Architecture and Marine Science. Each Quest is a grand adventure, culminating in a high-stakes public Exhibition for family and friends. Acton Academy Madison West Calendar (2024-25)

WHAT ARE SCHOOL HOURS?

Arrival time is between 8am and 8:25am. The school day ends at 3:15pm. Extended day programming is available after school until 5pm, and we offer camps for most of our school-year breaks.

DO YOU PROVIDE LUNCH?

Students bring their own healthy lunch and snacks for the school day. We believe that it's important to help young people develop healthy lifestyle habits, which is why we are a junk-food-free campus. What does junk-food free campus mean? It means we encourage families to pack whole- and minimally-processed foods for lunches and snacks. We also encourage using healthy foods for celebrations and rewards (e.g. birthdays and class parties) and utilize non-food rewards whenever possible (e.g. playing boards games for 45 minutes instead of eating cake and cookies). We provide snacks during extended day programming from 3:15pm - 5pm.

WHAT IS TUITION?

Spark Studio (4-7 years old)

$13,150 for the 2024 - 25 school year. Or pay in 10 monthly installments of $1,390.

Discovery Studio (7-12 years old)

$13,150 for the 2024 - 25 school year. Or pay in 10 monthly installments of $1,390.

Explorer Studio (12-14 years old)

$13,150 for the 2024 - 25 school year. Or pay in 10 monthly installments of $1,390.

There is a 10% sibling discount. There are no additional fees. Tuition includes all supplies and Chromebook use. Financial aid for K-5 is available for those who qualify. Extended Day (all ages) Extended day care is available from 3:15 - 5pm daily for $10 / hour, billable in 10 minute increments, and invoiced monthly. Day camps during breaks are $65/day.

IS TUITION TAX DEDUCTIBLE?

Parents may deduct up to $4,000 of tuition per student in grades Kindergarten through eight. Use the Schedule PS Private School Tuition form when filing your taxes.

IS ACTON ACADEMY A MONTESSORI SCHOOL?

We respect and incorporate Maria Montessori’s philosophy, but we are not a Montessori school. We do adhere to Montessori principles, however, by using mixed-age classrooms (studios), and allowing learners to move freely about the studio rather than be tied to their desks. In our Spark studio (ages 4 - 7) we have created an authentic Montessori environment, utilizing Montessori tools for learning core skills like math, reading and writing. In addition, we immerse learners in real-world projects, and adhere to the Socratic method of instruction. Our learners don’t just memorize facts; they learn how to learn, learn how to do, and learn how to be.

DOES ACTON ACADEMY MADISON WEST SERVE GIFTED AND/OR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN?

Our learning design is not tailored exclusively to gifted learners, but gifted and exceptional children thrive in our environment. We are accredited by the International Association of Learner Driven Schools for gifted education.

Our learning model offers a great deal of flexibility for pursuing individual areas of talent and passion. The self-paced, learner-driven nature of our approach is well suited for gifted learners.

IS ACTON ACADEMY MADISON WEST A RELIGIOUS SCHOOL?

While we expose children to the importance of mindful spirituality and stress the historical importance of Christianity to the development of Western Civilization, we do not promote any one religion and welcome children and families of all faiths.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A "HERO'S JOURNEY"?

We believe that each of us has a special calling in life, and a series of trials and tests that must be faced with integrity and purpose in order to live a satisfying and fulfilled life. Our mission is to prepare your child for his or her special journey.

WHAT IS AN "INDEPENDENT LEARNER"?

Someone who can research questions, follow instructions, solve problems—admit that they don't know something and figure out a solution when they hit a roadblock without asking an adult for help — participate in discussions, and strive for mastery.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "EVERY CHILD CAN CHANGE THE WORLD"?

We believe each of our students will find a passion — something they love and have a gift to do. They will use this gift to serve others and fulfill a need they are passionate about in the world. This may be by becoming a shoe-shiner who tells stories and makes people's day just by doing his job with love and vigor; it may be by becoming a coach who sees the light in a child’s eyes and guides her to pursue a dream; it may be by becoming a father or mother who leads a family on a Hero's Journey; it may be becoming an entrepreneur or business leader guided by compassion and integrity; or it may be by becoming an artist or writer who brings beauty to people's lives.

WHY A LEARNER DRIVEN CLASSROOM?

At Acton Academy Madison West we believe in learning to be and learning to do and an important part of this is encouraging kids to take responsibility for their own behavior and hold those around them to a high standard. When something isn’t working, we want our students to work together to solve the problem, not look for an adult to solve it for them. This creates a sense of independence and confidence that will serve them well in all areas of life.

WILL CHILDREN BE GROUPED INTO GRADES?

We believe that children learn best when working with children younger and older than themselves rather than split up into groups based solely on age. In addition to individualized curriculum, all ages of students work together in groups. Our Spark Studio serves children ages 4 - 7, while our Discovery Studio serves children ages 7 - 12. Our Explorer Studio (launching Fall 2025) will serve children ages 12 - 14. The opportunities for mentoring and peer-to-peer learning deepen engagement and learning while developing the character traits of leadership, helpfulness, empathy, and growth mindset.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A "RUNNING PARTNER"?

Running partners are classmates who meet together regularly to set goals and hold each other accountable for meeting those goals. Running Partners encourage and inspire each other by asking good questions, listening and providing affirmation.

HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM WITHOUT STUDENTS HAVING TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME?

At Acton Academy, we believe in the power of balance. Using the incredible, self-paced e-learning tools now available, we are able to provide the rigor needed for learning math, vocabulary, spelling and grammar in about 90 minutes each day, while freeing up the rest of the day for engaging, hands-on project-based learning. The two are highly complementary and effective.

We also integrate at least an hour of outdoor time each day into the schedule, along with opportunities to read and work on our outdoor patio when weather permits. Whenever possible, we do Phys. Ed. outdoors and love nature walks!

DOES ACTON SERVE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN?

We are not trained to serve children with serious learning disabilities, but have been able to serve young heroes with dyslexia if they receive special training. We believe that many minor learning disabilities or conditions are commonly misdiagnosed.

IS ACTON ACADEMY MADISON WEST ACCREDITED?

Yes, the school is accredited through the International Association of Learner Driven Schools.

WHO WAS LORD ACTON?

Lord John Emerich Edward Dahlberg Acton (1834-1902) was a Victorian scholar of freedom who saw liberty not as a license, but as the freedom to do what was right. He was suspicious of power for the sake of power, which led to his most famous quote: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." At the Acton Academy, we celebrate his defense of economic, political and religious freedom.

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