Acton Academy Essex County

Breaking the Mold of Traditional K-12 Education, in Verona, NJ

Child Led

At Acton Academy, we believe children are capable of far more than traditional schools expect. Our learner-driven model empowers students to take ownership of their education, setting goals, exploring interests, and solving real problems—just like in the real world. With mixed-age studios and Socratic discussions, students develop critical thinking skills, independence, and a lifelong love of learning.

Give your child the freedom to learn, grow, and thrive.

A Hero’s Journey

Every child’s journey is unique, and at Acton, we celebrate that. Our model challenges students to set ambitious goals, reflect on their progress, and develop the character traits that lead to success—grit, kindness, and a strong sense of purpose. We believe true education isn’t just about academics; it’s about shaping young people into courageous, capable leaders of tomorrow.

Real World Experience

Education should be more than memorization—it should prepare children for life. At Acton, students launch businesses, tackle hands-on projects, and engage in apprenticeships with real professionals. These experiences teach them resilience, creativity, and the ability to adapt in an ever-changing world, ensuring they graduate not just with knowledge, but with the confidence to apply it.

Explore our Learning Studios

Sparks

Ages 4-7

Elementary

Ages 8-11

Middle

Ages 12-14

Launch Pad

Ages 15-18

FAQs

- The Spark Studio (ages 4-6) and
- Elementary Studio (ages 6-11).
- The Middle School Studio (ages 11-14) .
- The Launchpad Studio (ages 14-18) .
The day starts at 8:45 and ends at 3:30.
Our schedule includes two hours of independent core skills work each morning, group discussions, collaborative hands-on projects, outdoor time, with plenty of free time mixed in.
Our youngest studio (ages 4-7) spends two hours outside in unstructured play.
Our elementary studio (ages 8-11) spend 4-5 hours in unstructured play every week.
Our oldest students (12-17) have a mixed schedule which may include on-the-job training or afternoon externships and internships.
Mixed-age studios allow students to learn at their own pace rather than being confined by grade levels.
Younger students gain inspiration and mentorship from older peers, while older students reinforce their learning by guiding others.
This setup promotes leadership, collaboration, and a strong sense of community.
Instead of letter grades and standardized tests, Acton Academy uses mastery-based learning, where students progress only when they demonstrate true understanding. They track their growth through goal-setting, peer feedback, digital portfolios, and exhibitions of learning. This system ensures that students focus on real progress and skill development rather than just earning grades.

More FAQs

What we are not…

We are not a traditional school with desks in rows, lectures, and standardized tests.

We ARE a learner-driven community where curiosity, creativity, and real-world skills thrive.

We are not about memorization, meaningless homework, or one-size-fits-all education.

We ARE a model that empowers children to take ownership of their learning and discover their unique potential

We are the school you wish you went to.

Start Your Adventure

What Makes Acton Unique?

Self-Paced Learning

Each learner moves at their own pace, ensuring that they fully grasp concepts before advancing. This approach reduces stress, allows for deep learning and engagement, prevents boredom, and fosters intrinsic motivation. Learners take responsibility for their progress, developing essential time management and self-discipline skills.

Unstructured Outdoor Play

Every day, our Sparks studio enjoys two hours of unstructured outdoor play and exploration. Our older ES studio joins them twice a week. Research shows that unstructured outdoor time improves focus, reduces stress, and enhances cognitive function, making it an essential part of our learning philosophy.

Mixed-Age Studios

Instead of traditional grade levels, our learners collaborate in mixed-age studios where younger students learn from older peers, and older students develop leadership and mentorship skills. This dynamic environment fosters a strong sense of community, mutual respect, and teamwork.

Outstanding Academic Outcomes

Our students typically advance quickly in core subjects since self-paced learning encourages focusing on mastery. By middle school, our students are typically 1-2 grade levels above age-matched peers. Acton learners develop stronger critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world application skills, giving them a unique advantage in both academic and entrepreneurial pursuits.

Experiential Learning

At Acton, learning happens through hands-on projects and real-world experiences and. Learners engage in theme-based quests, group projects, and apprenticeships, applying their knowledge in meaningful ways. Whether launching a business, or solving real problems in their community, experiential learning deepens understanding, builds problem-solving skills, and fosters resilience.

Socratic Discussions

Rather than lectures or rote memorization, our learners start the morning with Socratic-style discussions where they wrestle with big ideas, debate ethical dilemmas, and develop critical thinking skills. There are no easy answers—just deep, meaningful dialogue that challenges them to think independently and build critical thinking skills.

Learner-Driven Environment

At Acton, children are not passive recipients of information. Instead, they take ownership of their learning, setting weekly goals, tracking progress, and making decisions about how they spend their time. By engaging in meaningful work, they cultivate responsibility, independence, and a lifelong love of learning.

Real-World Apprenticeships

Starting in middle school, learners embark on professional apprenticeships, working alongside entrepreneurs, artists, engineers, and other professionals to gain hands-on experience in fields they’re passionate about. This bridges the gap between education and real-world success.

College & Career Readiness

Graduates of Acton Academy are well-prepared for the challenges of college, entrepreneurship, or any path they choose and graduate with an extensive portfolio of real-world experiences. Additionally, they have honed their skills of goal-setting and time management through the learner-driven model, which helps them develop those skills at a young age.

What Families are Saying

"I would never have believed children could learn so much from each other... until I saw it with my own eyes. The lessons of self-management and self-governance have prepared our fifth-grade daughter to be a lifelong learner.”

Acton Essex Parent, Elementary Studio

"Growing up my parents would have to drag me out the door to get to school on time or I’d fake being sick so that I could get out of it. My kids, now in their 4th year at Acton Essex, are the ones pulling my husband or I out the door to make sure they are on time and often time fake feeling well so that they don’t miss a day.”

Acton Essex Parent, Elementary & Sparks Studio

“It is more than an academic program which provides the tools for life to be curious and think independently.”