How is Acton Academy Topsail affiliated with Acton Academy?
Acton Academy Topsail 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.
What grades do you offer?
Our school caters to learners aged 6-11 in our Discovery Studio.
We're excited to announce plans for a Spark Studio (ages 3-5) launching in Fall 2025, along with an upcoming Middle School Studio (ages 12-14), and a Launch Pad Studio (ages 14-18).
Where is your school located?
We are thrilled to announce our new location at 226 Ocean Highway in Holly Ridge, NC!
How long is the school year?
At our school, the academic year typically runs from August through the end of May.
What is your tuition?
Our tuition is $920 per month for a ten-month school year. A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required to reserve your spot for the upcoming academic year.
For 2024-2025, generous private funding has allowed scholarships of $300 per month to be awarded to every hero who is accepted into the studio!
Is the Acton Academy a Montessori school?
We respect and incorporate Maria Montessori’s philosophy but, we are not a Montessori school. We also use the latest interactive technologies, hands on projects and the Socratic Method for discussions.
Is Acton Academy Topsail a religious school?
We are open to Believers, Searchers and Non-Believers alike and expose children to the importance of mindful spirituality and stress the historical importance of Christianity to the development of Western Civilization.
Who was Lord Acton?
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.
What do you mean by a hero's journey?
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.
What is an "independent learner"?
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.
What do you mean by a "running partner"?
Running Partners are classmates who meet together regularly to set goals and hold each other accountable for meeting those goals. Running Partners encourage and inspire each other by asking good questions, listening and providing affirmation.
Will children be grouped into grades?
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.
Does Acton Academy Topsail serve special needs children?
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.
What do you mean by "every child can change the world"?
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.
Why do you focus on teaching the "American Experiment"?
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.
