What is a Hero's Journey?

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Inspiring students to use their most special gifts, in a way that brings great joy, to find a calling and change the world is what we call a Hero's Journey.

 

What is the school calendar?

 

We use a “modified” school-year calendar that incorporates education best-practices to improve student well-being by including more frequent breaks throughout the year as well as a shorter summer. We love this calendar! It’s great not having a big learning gap in the summer — and we don’t count down days until the next break because they happen so frequently. We also love being able to travel off-season like in October and in the Spring during off-peak travel times.

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What age range do you accept at Acton Academy East Bay?

 

Each Academic Calendar, we accept ages 4.5 through 16.

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Why is Acton Academy East Bay Private?

 

Acton Academy East Bay is a completely private school. We do not receive any state funding nor are we subject to state mandated testing or curriculum. It is imperative to our mission and vision that we retain complete control over our curriculum.

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What kind of student thrives at Acton?

 

Students who love to learn, are curious, self-motivated and respectful. Our environment is an accelerator for the independent learner who can tackle challenging questions, follow instructions and solve problems.

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Is Acton Academy East Bay like Montessori?

 

Acton uses the best of Montessori methods: mixed-age classrooms, student choice within limits, large blocks of work time, learning through “discovery,” and freedom of movement in the classroom. Then we go two important steps further by using the best 21st century eLearning tools and adhering to the Socratic method of instruction which emphasizes asking and answering the right questions to stimulate critical thinking. Our students don’t just memorize facts, they learn how to know, learn how to do, and learn how to be.

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If you want to learn more about the subject, please read this blog post by Acton Academy affiliate, the Infinity School.

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How do you measure how a child is progressing at Acton Academy East Bay?

 

We measure student progress in several different ways:

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1. Students set Daily, Weekly, and Session goals regularly.

2. We utilize robust real-time data from each of our online learning tools. Our eLearning tools allow both parents and Guides to find exactly what the students are learning and how they are progressing at any given time. This also helps to identify areas of struggle and where students may need guidance. Our small guide to student ratio is what allows each student to get the direct attention they deserve to help them thrive and close learning gaps. Our programs also monitor skill proficiency, not allowing students to advance until they have shown mastery.

3. We utilize individual paper portfolios where each student can showcase their best work. We measure growth in areas including History, Writer's Workshop, and Quest.

4. Although we never "teach to the test", standardized tests given each Fall and Spring provide benchmark data.

5. Lastly, skill mastery and completion are awarded in the form of a badge. These badges symbolize lesson or course completion and can be converted to a traditional report card to show student progress.

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Do you require immunizations for entry?

 

Yes, per California law, public and private schools require immunizations.  Please see this link for more information.

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Does Acton Academy East Bay serve special needs children?

Our flexible approach to learning is a great fit for many children who need something different than the traditional school environment. Students who have trouble sitting still through a standard school day often flourish in our classroom, which provides space for breaks, comfortable and flexible seating, and room for individual self-regulation.

 

However, we have noticed areas that provide challenges for learners with special needs. Our school program relies on independent learning and dynamic group projects so those who struggle with cooperation, self-regulation, and sensory issues may have special challenges in our studios.

 

Unfortunately, we are not trained able to serve children with serious learning disabilities.

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Nondiscriminatory Policy

Acton Academy East Bay admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at Acton Academy East Bay. Acton Academy East Bay does not discriminate based on race, color, national, or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic, and other school-administered programs.