Elementary Studios

Spark Studio
(Ages 4-6)

The Spark Studio is a place where our youngest learners come together to explore the world around them. Following an emergent curriculum driven by the child’s natural curiosity, the Spark Studio Program is experiential and intended to cultivate a love for learning. We are Montessori-based to increase confidence, emotional intelligence, and independence. Children use hands-on materials to build a strong foundation of core skills and have ample opportunities for exploration and free play.

Elementary Studio
(Ages 6-10)

The Elementary Studio is a place where students come together to learn core skills, and develop life skills and character while having ample opportunities for collaboration, exploration, and free play. Children use hands-on materials as well as adaptive technology to build a strong foundation of core skills. Our Quests and Socratic discussions put a strong emphasis on creative and critical thinking. A primary goal in the Elementary Studio is to guide children in their development of social and problem solving skills. They learn how to set goals, work collaboratively, and love learning, while also helping and being helped by their friends in the Studio.

The education he is receiving is so far beyond any traditional school experience he has had thus far.  Acton is providing our child with "real world" skills that will be necessary for him to not only thrive and excel in his education, but also to identify what would be a meaningful, purposeful path for his future.
Wendy M. — Parent

Every year at Acton, we build small businesses from the ground-up.

Learning Environment

  • Field trips and guest presenters to extend learning beyond the classroom.
  • Outdoor space with playground and open grass area.
  • Student led PE with different activities every week.
  • No homework or frequent testing.
  • Fun and enriching family activities to foster a strong school community.

21st Century Learning

  • The latest in educational technology for self-paced mastery of reading, writing and math skills.
  • Deep Socratic discussions about heroes, history and self-governance to hone critical thinking skills and the ability to powerfully think, write and speak.
  • Hands-on project based Quests to master the tools and skills needed to solve problems in the real world.
  • Written promises and covenants that form a tightly bound community of individuals learning to form authentic friendships and honestly resolve interpersonal problems.

Our Philosophy of Learning

We believe that:
Clear thinking leads to good decisions,
Good decisions lead to the right habits,
The right habits lead to character and
Character becomes destiny.

A Learner-Driver Community

  • Students create and sign a Contract of Promises describing how each individual will act and the consequences for violating community norms.
  • Mentor teams encourage younger and older students to listen, affirm, set goals and hold each other accountable.
  • “Learn to Be” badges that celebrate character and completing leadership challenges.

Measuring Mastery

Young heroes celebrate the mastery of tools, skills and character by earning badges, assembling portfolios and taking part in public exhibitions.

  • Parents use badges to track academic progress in Core Skills like reading, writing, math and spelling and character development in “Learn to Be” Badges.
  • Electronic and hard copy Portfolios capture rough drafts, photos, video and other creative work.
  • Public exhibitions at the end of most Quests allow young heroes to present work to experts, customers or the public for a real world test.

Personalized Tools