New Elementary School Opening near the National Cathedral

[nicolspen]

We are pleased to announce the opening of a new elementary school near the National Cathedral (Garfield and Massachusetts) for the 2015/2016 school year.

Acton Academy of Washington, DC is accepting applications from families with children who will be starting grades 1-3 in September 2015.

Acton Academy of Washington, DC is an independent affiliate of Austin-based Acton Academy, a school that educates children differently. In short, Acton Academy puts students in charge of their own education, exposes them to projects with real-world applications, seeks to inspire in them a love of learning, and helps them discover what they are good at and passionate about in life.

Acton’s results are impressive. Students who have been at Acton Academy in Austin through elementary school (and are now in middle school there) are on average 5.7 grade levels above age in reading and 5.6 grade levels above age in math. But even more importantly, they love to learn, love school, and love to challenge themselves and each other.

Acton Academy of Washington, DC will start with grades 1-3, and grow with its students, adding grade levels each year and eventually opening middle and high schools.

Other Acton Academy affiliates are opening in Chicago, San Diego, Houston, Toronto, and London.

For more information, and to sign up for our mailing list, please check out our website at www.actondc.org.

Regards,

Nicole Spencer & David Kirby
Cofounders
Acton Academy of Washington, DC

[Anonymous]

nicolspen wrote:

Acton’s results are impressive. Acton students are on average 5.7 grade levels above age in reading and 5.6 grade levels above age in math. But even more importantly, they love to learn, love school, and love to challenge themselves and each other.

So on average, Acton students in first grade are reading and doing math at the sixth-grade or seventh-grade level?

[nicolspen]

To clarify, these figures are for middle school children: Students who have been at Acton Academy in Austin through elementary school (and are now in middle school there) are on average 5.7 grade levels above age in reading and 5.6 grade levels above age in math.

http://www.actondc.org/faq/#tests

[Anonymous]

In your mission statement, it says that children will learn to value "political, economic, and religious freedom." This feels like a euphemism for something -- what exactly does it mean? Are you religiously or politically affiliated with something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In your mission statement, it says that children will learn to value "political, economic, and religious freedom." This feels like a euphemism for something -- what exactly does it mean? Are you religiously or politically affiliated with something?

I was thrown by this as well. It sounds like an agenda. How do you teach kids in lower elementary to value economic freedom?

I was also thrown by the statement that they don't take kids with SN who need any kind of accommodation. There is no school that I'm aware of that says this. Even the big 3 will support kids with mild learning differences who need minor accommodations like extra time. Of course every school has its limits, and those limits will vary from school to school. But to say nope, not at all? I look at that, statements of preparing children for their "heroic journey" to create "profound change" and "value political, economic and religious freedom" and it sounds like they are trying to create ubermen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In your mission statement, it says that children will learn to value "political, economic, and religious freedom." This feels like a euphemism for something -- what exactly does it mean? Are you religiously or politically affiliated with something?

I was thrown by this as well. It sounds like an agenda. How do you teach kids in lower elementary to value economic freedom?

I was also thrown by the statement that they don't take kids with SN who need any kind of accommodation. There is no school that I'm aware of that says this. Even the big 3 will support kids with mild learning differences who need minor accommodations like extra time. Of course every school has its limits, and those limits will vary from school to school. But to say nope, not at all? I look at that, statements of preparing children for their "heroic journey" to create "profound change" and "value political, economic and religious freedom" and it sounds like they are trying to create ubermen.

I noticed that too... nice (not).

[Anonymous]

So what happens if learning disabilities are discovered once a child is already attending the school?

[Anonymous]

I suppose they get sent out to go on their non-heroic journeys.

[Anonymous]

nicolspen wrote:To clarify, these figures are for middle school children: Students who have been at Acton Academy in Austin through elementary school (and are now in middle school there) are on average 5.7 grade levels above age in reading and 5.6 grade levels above age in math.

http://www.actondc.org/faq/#tests

I wonder how that translates here. We may be smarter than Texans.

[Anonymous]

I find this whole concept very interesting and odd. The website has scant details about anything, no curriculum, nothing except that kids in Austin are testing years ahead of their grade level. For the vast majority of people (I'd guess) who want their kids to be challenged and love school , but aren't particularly concerned about grade levels ahead, I'd strongly encourage the school to provide more detail about what you want to do. Every school states that it wants kids to love leaning and excel. Why would any parent who could afford $20k a year pick your school over those with decades of data and track records?

For a school started by business people, you really don't seem to give much credit to your consumers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In your mission statement, it says that children will learn to value "political, economic, and religious freedom." This feels like a euphemism for something -- what exactly does it mean? Are you religiously or politically affiliated with something?

I was thrown by this as well. It sounds like an agenda. How do you teach kids in lower elementary to value economic freedom?

I was also thrown by the statement that they don't take kids with SN who need any kind of accommodation. There is no school that I'm aware of that says this. Even the big 3 will support kids with mild learning differences who need minor accommodations like extra time. Of course every school has its limits, and those limits will vary from school to school. But to say nope, not at all? I look at that, statements of preparing children for their "heroic journey" to create "profound change" and "value political, economic and religious freedom" and it sounds like they are trying to create ubermen.

Read the website. It said "SERIOUS learning or behavioral challenges." Man you people are grouchy!

[Anonymous]

'Serious" is their slight of hand. Read the whole thing. The question is do they serve kids with SN and the answer starts with "unfortunately" and says we can't do any accommodations for kids with "serious" issues. But kids with serious issues do not go to mainstream schools. if you asked Sidwell if they can serve kids with SN they will tell you they can provide minor accommodations for kids with mild learning differences. I have a child with minor SN (who is an excellent student at a top 3 school) and I read this as "we don't want your child."

Acton Academies were founded by Jeff Sandefer who is a wealthy Texas conservative -- board of the National Review, big donor to Rick Perry. So when he talks about liberty, he's thinking a particular kind of liberty. I'm assuming the couple starting the DC school are also conservatives. if thats what you want, fine. Just making what wasn't clear, clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:'Serious" is their slight of hand. Read the whole thing. The question is do they serve kids with SN and the answer starts with "unfortunately" and says we can't do any accommodations for kids with "serious" issues. But kids with serious issues do not go to mainstream schools. if you asked Sidwell if they can serve kids with SN they will tell you they can provide minor accommodations for kids with mild learning differences. I have a child with minor SN (who is an excellent student at a top 3 school) and I read this as "we don't want your child."

Acton Academies were founded by Jeff Sandefer who is a wealthy Texas conservative -- board of the National Review, big donor to Rick Perry. So when he talks about liberty, he's thinking a particular kind of liberty. I'm assuming the couple starting the DC school are also conservatives. if thats what you want, fine. Just making what wasn't clear, clear.

Well I guess that clears up what they mean by "economic freedom".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find this whole concept very interesting and odd. The website has scant details about anything, no curriculum, nothing except that kids in Austin are testing years ahead of their grade level. For the vast majority of people (I'd guess) who want their kids to be challenged and love school , but aren't particularly concerned about grade levels ahead, I'd strongly encourage the school to provide more detail about what you want to do. Every school states that it wants kids to love leaning and excel. Why would any parent who could afford $20k a year pick your school over those with decades of data and track records?

For a school started by business people, you really don't seem to give much credit to your consumers.

Because it's 20,000 not 40,000!

[Anonymous]

Libertarians

http://m.statesman.com/news/news/local/ex-oilmans-drive-for-market-based-education-has-in/nRZr4/

They save money by teaching kids with computers. Not so good for foreign language.

https://www.edsurge.com/acton-academy