About Us, FAQs, Resources
Hi! We're the Millers
I’m Laura, wife to an amazing husband Kyle and mom to two incredible boys. I had a traditional public school education and then received a BS in Economics from Vanderbilt University. I had dreams of being an orthodontist, and while that did not come to fruition, I did have an amazing career at Kaplan Orthodontics for almost 20 years. If you need to know anything about braces or Invisalign I can help and I know the best orthodontist in Georgia! I did not anticipate a career change or that I would be joining this movement of parent entrepreneurs who are working to revolutionize the educational landscape, but in my search to find the best option for my oldest son, I found Acton Academy. I had never before questioned the educational system but once I learned more about the Acton philosophy, I wondered why hadn’t I asked these questions before.
How is educating someone different than the active process of learning? To learn, we should play, explore, and then add the rigor. Children’s days should be filled with wonder, curiosity, and challenges – both exciting and difficult. Freedom should be given to children to discover the most effective way they learn. They should be taught how to learn, not just what to learn. At Acton Academy, curiosity and personal responsibility are celebrated and learners are equipped with tools and systems so in time they can learn to operate autonomously. I did not know this was what I was looking for but as soon as I saw it, it clicked and stuck. And so began my Hero’s Journey to open an Acton Academy in Peachtree Corners – for my children, for myself, and for you and your family.
Our Advisors
Jeff Sandefer, Co-Founder
Jeff Sandefer is a life-long entrepreneur and educator. He taught at the University of Texas and later co-founded the Acton School of Business. In 2009, he and his wife, Laura, co-founded Acton Academy in Austin, Texas. He served as a guide at the school and a leader in the company for more than ten incredible years. Jeff continues to be an active part of the global Acton network and graciously instills his years of knowledge into the next generation of parents wanting to give their children the experience of Acton Academy.
Laura Sandefer, Co-Founder
Laura attended Vanderbilt University for her undergraduate studies and later a Masters in Education. She worked at the Oklahoma Arts Institute, creating fine arts education programs for teachers and students. It was her three children that led her and Jeff to create Acton Academy. She served as the head of school and a leader in the growing affiliate company more than ten years. Laura’s wisest mentor was her father who sent her off to college with two words of advice she still holds closely today: “Be curious.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hybrid school?
Hybrid schools provide a creative and collaborative educational experience for children and parents. This type of school is perfect for families who are currently or considering homeschooling, exploring unschooling, or want flexibility and more time for family or extracurricular activities. Children come to school 1-4 days per week for academics or enrichment and the balance of the week are homeschooled. Depending on the goals of the child and family the days at home may include additional academics or only enrichments. Parents or guardians must file a Declaration of Intent to Homeschool with the Georgia Department of Education and abide by Georgia’s homeschooling laws. Acton Academy Peachtree Corners is a unique hybrid school because it provides the accredited and time-tested Acton Academy learning design while keeping the parent as the ultimate guide in their child’s educational adventure.
What is the calendar, schedule, and hours of operation?
For our January 2025 soft opening, we will be opened from January 7th through May 22nd 2025. School day options are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:00 AM until 2:30 PM, with an additional 20 minute drop-off and pick-up window. The emphasis on Tuesday and Thursday will be foundational core skills and lots of nature free play. Wednesday will be reserved for adventures in science, history, and practical skills such as gardening, cooking, construction, and yoga. The 2025-2026 school year will be from mid August 2025 through the end of May 2026. We will have six sessions that are on average six weeks long, followed by a week-long break (two weeks between December and January). For 2025-2026, we are strongly considering adding a fourth day per week to ensure we are meeting the needs of our families. Summer camps will also be available!
What ages do you serve?
For January 2025 as well as the 2025-2026 year, we will be accepting learners, ages 5 to 12 years old. In the future we will accept older learners as our school grows. Do you have an older child who wants to join our community and loves to mentor? Ask us about an apprenticeship guide position!
Will children be grouped by age?
Yes, but with a wider range than a traditional educational setting. We believe children learn best when working with peers both younger and older than themselves and therefore provide a multi-age learning environment. As our community grows, we anticipate our learners will be grouped into four studios – Exploration Studio (lower Elementary), Discovery Studio (upper Elementary), Adventure Studio (Middle school), and Launchpad (High school). All studios will be in one location with plenty of opportunity for even the oldest learner to help the youngest and visa versa.
What is a guide?
A guide is the adult in our school. Guides are not teachers, they do not lecture, or even answer questions. The role of a guide is to support and inspire our learners to stay curious, ask great questions, and work hard to discover solutions. Our guides function as game makers – they create our quests and launch our discussions. Guides inspire and ask questions to help deepen the learning but they are not the centralized source for knowledge and authority. Acton Academy Peachtree Corners believes the parents are the main guide for their child, however, we help facilitate the exploration and learning by giving either the time and space, curriculum, inspiration, fun, guidance or help, an amazing community of friends, or all of the above!
What type of child would thrive in Acton’s learner-driven environment?
A child who is kind, curious, self-motivated, and likes to try to figure things out, before asking for help, would thrive in a learner-driven environment. Our learners develop personal responsibility as well as a growth mindset. They are ready for challenges, failure, and success. They are team players and strive for excellence.
What are the necessary traits of an Acton parent?
Acton parents must be lifelong learners who understand challenges, setbacks, and failure are all part of the process of learning, accomplishing goals, and growing character. Acton parents have the often difficult job of stepping back and allowing their child to do hard things. They must work to handle challenges with patience, kindness, and a growth mindset. An Acton parent must be more interested in evidence of their child’s growth through discussions and the ability to be self reliant rather than simply getting good grades. They are joining a new and innovative learning community and challenges will be present, we must all be willing to go on this journey together.
Does Acton Academy really have no homework, tests, or grades?
Acton Academy Peachtree Corners is a hybrid school and depending on the goals of the child and the number of days spent at school, some work may be completed at home, however, time is given for all daily lessons to be completed at school so evenings can be spent with family. Rather than tests and grades, our learners’ progress is monitored through earning badges and by presenting their work in public exhibitions, which shows proof of excellent work and mastery of concepts.
Where is Acton Academy Peachtree Corners located?
For the January 2025 soft opening, school will be in session from our home, which is one mile from Peachtree Corners Town Center Green. We will look to move into our permanent location in either August 2025 or August 2026.
Is Acton Academy Peachtree Corners accredited?
Yes, the curriculum and instruction at Acton Academy Peachtree Corners is accredited through the International Association of Learner Driven Schools (IALDS), which is an accreditation entity with a focus on strong values, proven methodology, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
What do you mean by a hero’s journey?
We believe many moments in life can look like the hero’s journey – we accept a new adventure, face challenges, find friends, overcome obstacles, and return changed for the better. The goal of our school is to find the intersection of your child’s great gladness and our world’s deep hunger. This will include them trying new things, working hard, finding what they love, overcoming obstacles, failing, succeeding, and changing for the better. Our mission is to remind every child they are a hero and prepare them for this journey.
What do you mean by “every child can change the world”?
We believe each of our learners will find the convergence of their passion, their talents, and how those two can serve others to change the world for better. This will look differently for each person and that is wonderful.
Does Acton Academy serve special needs children?
We are not yet trained to serve children with severe learning disabilities but are open to discussing needs on an individual basis as the Acton model has successfully served children with ADHD, ADD, and dyslexia. Through open conversation we can determine if we are a good fit for your child.
What is the food policy?
Currently, we are not a nut-free environment but this may change depending on the needs of our families. Children are able to snack when and where they want throughout the day, as long as they clean up their messes. Children bring snacks and lunch from home. We provide a refrigerator and microwave.
Is Acton Academy Peachtree Corners a franchise of the flagship Austin location?
Acton Academy Peachtree Corners is part of the network of almost 400 Acton Academies across the globe that inspire and mentor one another. We are not a franchise and therefore programs, methods, and implementation will vary but we all receive our framework and curriculum from the original Austin location and pull from its 15 years of experience.
Don’t see your question? Ask us via our Contact Us page and we will be in touch soon!
Resources
Does this all sound too good to be true and you are wondering who are these people and is this real? Do you want to hear from our founders and advisors, Jeff and Laura Sandefer, as well as other amazing Acton owners and educational innovators? Are you trying to decide if this innovative approach is exactly what your family and child wants and if you should apply? Dive into the videos and books below for a deeper understanding of the Acton Academy approach. If you are here as step one of the application process then please choose at least four resources to read or watch to ensure this approach is best for your child and your family!
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