School, as we know it, was designed in 1893
Schedule a TourOur school was born different. Acton Academy is one of the newest and most innovative (and downright coolest) school designs in the world. Each Acton school was founded by parents who believe there is a better way to educate their children and help other like-minded families in their community.
For the best experience, we encourage you to read this booklet on a tablet or PC.
"How does Acton help my child love to learn, step into excellence and choose to grow their character?"
s fellow parents, we understand wanting to dig deeper & do your own research. Here are some resources to get you started!
Check out the playlist of videos we've put together on our youtube channel. From Acton's Jeff Sandefer to Khan Academy Founder Sal Khan, see how Acton is Disrupting Education
Watch the VideosThis blog by Laura Sandefer, Co-Founder of the Acton Academy, is a great resource for parents wanting to dig deeper. You'll also find links to articles on Acton from national publications like Forbes & Inc.
This book written by Laura Sandefer is a must-read for any parent considering Acton Academy. No really, we ask that all applicants read the book. It's simply that good.
316 East Hwy 30 Gonzales, LA 70737
The schedule is flexible to accommodate different learning needs. Students can rearrange work blocks and choose from a variety of work options based on personal goals, passions, and commitments.
Goal setting, math, writers' workshop, reading, civilization discussion, "Brain Breaks" throughout
Hands-on work, team-based challenges, sciences, coding, entrepreneurship, art & music, history, report on goals.
We are the Molley family. Like many of you, we wanted to provide the best possible learning environment for our children that would spark their natural curiosity, inspire them to be lifelong learners, challenge them to grow in character, and equip them to be leaders that will change the world.
After exploring a range of educational settings, including public school, private school, and homeschool, we were unable to find anything that fit our vision of what education could be.
When we eventually came across the Acton model, we knew that it was EVERYTHING we were dreaming of...and MORE!
We knew we had to be part of this unique and special community and were thrilled at the opportunity to bring this special private school to other families in Ascension seeking a similar experience for their children.
Together, with parents, we work to make our school the perfect blend of individuality, curiosity, and community.
Our dream was to create an environment where meaningful skills are taught through real-world scenarios.
Where good character gets rewarded, and where developing a problem-solving mindset is the goal instead of an afterthought.
Where children are taught how to think, not what to think.
Where children wake up on Saturdays disappointed that there is no school.
Sill have questions, check out our FAQs below ⬇️
Active Leadership Academy is part of the network of over 300 Acton Academies around the world. We follow the same exact Learning Design (curriculum) and learning model that our owners helped create at the original Acton Academy campus.
The school is accredited through the International Association of Learner Driven Schools (link https://ialds.org).
We are currently accepting applications for children aged 5 to 10 years old. As our school's original founding students grow older each year, we will progressively extend our enrollment to encompass middle school and eventually high school.
Our campus is located at 316 E Hwy 30, Gonzales, LA 70737 US.
Our school year extends over a 10-month period, typically in line with Ascension public school calendar, allowing ample time for students to immerse themselves in diverse educational opportunities and achieve their academic goals.
We know this is an important question for any family, and we challenge you to think in terms of a growth mindset. (How can we afford this amazing opportunity for our family?) Annual tuition for all during the 2023-2024 school year: $6,299. 10 Monthly payments or weekly payment plans available. Tuition can be paid upfront for additional savings. Non-refundable registration deposit of $299 to confirm enrollment, or $500 for an entire family. Sibling tuition discount of 10% per additional student. We do not offer scholarships or financial aid at this time. Don’t worry, we DO NOT require parents to work fairs, sell chocolate, attend fundraisers, etc.. Tuition + registration covers ALL materials. The are NO additional fees or charges throughout the year with exception of occasional field trips that average around $15. Tuition is adjusted annually for inflation.
Our Montessori studio is the perfect base for young learners to begin an Acton journey! We respect and incorporate Maria Montessori's philosophy but our Elementary studio is not a Montessori school. We also use the latest interactive technologies, hands on projects and the Socratic Method for discussions.
Active encourages exploration and independent learning, however, we leave the teaching of specific doctrine up to individual families. Children and families of all faiths are welcome at Active Leadership Academy. Learners explore the importance various religions have played throughout history, but we do not promote any one religion.
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.
We provide a 21st century learning environment using the latest in educational technology for self-paced mastery of reading, writing, elective courses, and math skills. Students are placed according to ability so that our program can meet the student right where they are. Students move on to the next level only after the content has been mastered, which ensures there are no learning gaps.
Students celebrate the mastery of tools, skills, and character by earning badges, assembling portfolios, and taking part in public exhibitions. Public exhibitions allow students to present work to experts, customers, or the public for a real-world test. Parents use our online platform JourneyTracker and school app to monitor progress in Core Skills like reading, writing, math, and character development. Electronic and hard copy Portfolios capture rough drafts, photos, videos, and other creative work. Once a year, we offer the Iowa standardized test, and you know what? Most of our students score 1-2 grade levels ahead of the national average.
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.
We believe in the power of balance. Using the incredible, self-paced eLearning tools now available, we are able to provide the rigor needed for learning math, vocabulary, spelling and grammar in about 90 minutes each day in our elementary studio, while freeing up the rest of the day for engaging, project-based learning. The two are highly complementary. Our Montessori studio is mostly hands on using Montessori works, with the occasional use of technology to enhance learning and prepare them for the next studio!
Our students experience varied and unique art and music workshops throughout the year ranging from cake decorating, painting, sculpting, to making and recording their own music.
Although we do not offer formal team sports, many of our students participate in our afterschool sports program, and/or our evening martial arts classes. Our school embraces a deep commitment to physical fitness and overall health awareness. Active students explore a variety of physical activities that have ranged from martial arts, hiking, dance, yoga, to rock climbing. Our students are very active, and we strongly support good sportsmanship and teamwork.
You will need to provide your child with a healthy lunch each day. They will have access to a full kitchen. We are not a peanut free facility, however learners are not allowed to share food due to allergies. We have a healthy snack store and we believe that it's important to help young people develop healthy lifestyle habits.
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.
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.
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 and believe that many minor learning disabilities are commonly misdiagnosed.
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.
We believe in liberty and justice and the ideals of the American Revolution as the cornerstones of civilization. In addition to experiential learning, we will study the American documents and the true meaning behind them, as we examine other cultures and forms of government.
Founder at Active Leadership Academy
Thank you for your interest in Active Leadership Academy! Let us know where to send the Info Kit, and we'll be happy to send it to you right away.