Why We Started Acton Academy Palm Beach
In 2020, when schools started going virtual, parents across the country got a glimpse into what schooling was like for their children. To say it was a disaster would be an understatement. For some parents, the worst that happened was their children sitting down on a Zoom call for 5 minutes before disappearing into another room while the teacher kept talking to an empty wall. Many other parents, however, got their first reality check of how poor of a job school did in educating their children.
I couldn’t accept that my children might end up in a school system that crushes their spirit, creativity, and passion for learning. I wanted a school that celebrates personal responsibility, creative freedom, and the pursuit of one’s life's purpose. You know… just those three things.
The first thing I tried was googling “Schools that don’t suck,” but the results were surprisingly not helpful. After going down a rabbit hole on homeschooling, I came across an amazing school system that sounded too good to be true. It was a school that not only checked the boxes of what I was looking for but one that lets children experience real-world, hands-on projects. One that throws away pointless tests in favor of mastery and excellence in everything from leadership skills to community involvement to academics. One that doesn’t have teachers but Guides who put every decision, big or small, into the hands of the learners. One that is an extension of a family and not a replacement. And one that celebrates failing as a way to push yourself forward.
That school ended up being Acton Academy. When I took a deep dive into all that Acton Academy has to offer, I knew that is the school system I wanted for my children. My wife and I lived in New Jersey at the time and talked about moving many times over the years. We looked at Covid as the last nail in the coffin for New Jersey and started applying our children to Acton Academy’s all over the country in places we thought would be great to live. Through every application process, I spoke to the owners of each, told them my story, and listened to theirs. Their reason for starting an Acton Academy and the passion they had behind them connected with me at a deeper level. It was at that point that I knew I wanted to open one. Not just so my children can have a school that lets them be whom they are meant to be and not what someone else wants them to be, but so families all around us can have a school that lets their children change the world each in their own ways.
After an extensive application and onboarding process and many months of hard work, I am beyond proud to say the doors to Acton Academy Palm Beach in Palm Beach Gardens are finally open. I would love to tell you more about all we offer and give you a tour, so please reach out. The only question I have left is, are you ready to reinvent education for your child?