Frequently Asked Questions

Does Acton Marietta follow the Cobb County Schools schedule?

You can click here to see a copy of our current academic year schedule.

What is the tuition for Acton Marietta?

Acton Academy Marietta strives to keep tuition costs as low as possible.  We are a non-profit registered 501(c)(3).  

​Tuition for the 2023-24 school year is $11,750. Payment plans are available and AAM offers need-based financial assistant. Contact us at info@actonmarietta.org for more information.

What grades does Acton Academy Marietta serve?

Though we don't organize students in traditional grade groupings, we currently serve what is commonly known as Kindergarten through ​8th grade with plans to eventually add a high school studio. We are set to open a high school program in the fall 2024.

What are the nuts and bolts of your learning design?

Each age group or studio has an overarching value and purpose that builds towards finishing Acton with a strong commitment to competency, community, and character.

What is meant by the 'Hero's Journey'?

Acton has found the 'Hero's Journey' to be a powerful metaphor for children as they embark on their learning adventures.  It is a lifelong orientation toward discovering themselves and the world - unearthing unique gifts , talents, and passions and then developing the habits of mind, character, and behavior that allow them to chase down their dreams with energy and joy.  We encourage the pursuit of answers to these questions:

• Who am I and where am I going? 
• What makes me special?
• What gifts do I have?
• How can I use these gifts to do something great, even change the world?
  

Every journey has twists and turns and requires hard work, even heroic effort, to overcome challenges along the way.  Our mission is to help children discover their own unique paths and to embrace their trials and tribulations on their Hero's Journeys.

What is the Socratic Method and why is it incorporated into Acton's approach?

The Socratic Method utilizes collaborative dialogue in which participants ask and answer questions to inspire critical thinking.  Acton uses the Socratic method instead of lectures or the 'expert' imparting of knowledge from teacher to student.  We believe that through debate and actively forming arguments for their beliefs, students hone their critical thinking and speaking skills and gain a better understanding of a topic than by passively taking notes or listening to a lecture.  Outside of discussions, Guides employ the Socratic method with students throughout the day, answering questions with questions or choices, to empower students to be independent learners and problem solvers, able to pursue and answer life's questions on their own.

Is Acton Academy Marietta a Montessori school?

Though Acton Academy Marietta is not a Montessori school, we respect and incorporate Maria Montessori's philosophies about children and learning.  We use Montessori elements such as mixed-age studios, student choice within limits, large blocks of work time, learning through discovery, and freedom of movement in the classroom to help create a rich and stimulating educational environment. 

Is Acton Academy Marietta a religious school?

While we expose students to the importance of mindfulness, ethical principles, and the significance of religion in our history, we are not a religious school and do not ascribe to any one religion in our student exposures or interactions.  We not only respect but value and celebrate individual beliefs.

Is Acton Academy Marietta accredited?

Acton Academy Marietta is accredited through the International Association of Learner-Driven Schools and provisionally accredited with quality through GAC.

Will children be grouped into grades?

We believe that children learn best when working with both younger and older peers rather than being split into grades based on age. Multi-age learning and activities are purposeful and frequent.

What is a typical day like?

All studio schedules are similar in that the day is broken into independent work cycles, collaborative work or play cycles, free time, and community building activities.

Sample Explorer Schedule 
8:30          Morning Circle (Calendar time and launch)
8:40          Mindfulness/Read Aloud
9:00          Open Montessori-based work time
11:30         Quest
12:30        Lunch
1:00         Outside Playtime
2:45         Wrap Up Discussion
3:00         Read Aloud
3:15         Pack Up/Studio Maintenance
3:30         Dismissal

Sample Adventurer & Navigator Schedule 
8:20         Morning Circle/ Mindfulness
8:30         Launch: Socratic Discussion
8:45        Core Skills Work Time (Math, Language Arts, Writing, Reading, Target Language for Navigators)
11:15        Recess/Lunch Break
12:15        Launch: Socratic Discussion
12:30.      Project-based Learning Time (Science, the Humanities, electives)
3:10         Studio Maintenance
3:20         Closing Circle  
3:30         Dismissal

What kind of learner thrives at Acton Academy Marietta?

An Acton Academy Marietta Eagle loves to learn and is curious, self-motivated, and respectful.  Our environment is an accelerator for the independent learner who embraces challenging questions, can follow directions, and shows grit in solving problems. 

Does Acton Academy Marietta serve children with special needs?

We believe that all children are gifted and bring unique strengths and challenges to their learning journey.  While we are not trained to serve students with profound learning disabilities, we welcome the opportunity to discuss individual student learning differences to see if we may be a mutually fitting educational setting.

How does Acton Academy Marietta measure and monitor student progress and performance?

We do this in a number of ways:
1. We set, review, and reflect on daily, weekly, and session goals.  These goals are reviewed and discussed among students, guides, and parents.
2. We utilize robust real-time data for each of our online learning tools.  At any given time, any learner, parent, or Guide can see exactly what a student is learning.  Since these tools are adaptive to the learner, they do not move on with content until mastery is demonstrated, and provide review and remediation where needed. 
3. We utilize individual student portfolios to collect pieces of work that showcase learning and progress.  

How much homework do Acton students have?

We believe that children of all ages need time to relax, play, and spend time with family and friends.  Therefore, all work is completed during the school day in the studio, and no homework is assigned.  All students are strongly encouraged to read for fun in their free time at home.

Is Acton Academy Marietta part of a franchise or chain?

We are not part of a franchise or a chain. Acton Academy Marietta is an independent school, part of a network that finds its inspiration and receives mentoring from the founding Acton Academy in Austin, Texas. Our network of affiliates is passionate about revolutionizing education, pursuing best practices, and creating a 21st century learner-driven environment for our students.  Each affiliate employs its own methods in keeping with these commitments, yet vary in implementation and design based on the leadership at each school and the interests of the community it serves.

Do you have any other resources that will help me better understand the philosophies and methods of Acton Academy?

We recommend this list of resources to anyone interested in learning more about Acton and its methodologies.