If the answer is YES, you’ve come to the right place. Acton Academy Charleston is a community that embraces a growth mindset, character development, and a hero’s journey as a metaphor for life. This is innovative education for the 21st Century.

Innovative Education

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Acton Academy Charleston is learning designed for the 21st century. We provide a modern schooling solution by coupling a learner-motivated, Socratic-inspired method with a character-building and entrepreneurial environment.

Schedule a Tour! Please call, use the Contact Form, or email us at [email protected]. Let us know when you would like to come for a visit.

ACTON ACADEMY CHARLESTON is holding a Community Open House!

To RSVP please email

Our Mission

Each person who enters our doors will be inspired to find a calling that will change the world.

Our philosophy of learning

We believe that clear thinking leads to the right decisions, the right decisions lead to good habits, good habits lead to good character, and character becomes destiny.

OUR PROMISES TO YOUR CHILD

Each will:

  • Begin a Hero’s Journey
  • Discover his or her precious gifts and develop a commitment to mastery
  • Become a curious, independent, lifelong learner
  • Understand the importance of a strong character
  • Forge genuine relationships in a supportive community
  • Cherish the arts, the wonders of the physical world and the mysteries of life
  • Treasure economic, political and religious freedom

Our beliefs

We believe each individual has a gift that can change the world in a profound way.

We believe in learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be.

We believe in a closely connected family of lifelong learners.

We believe in economic, religious, and political freedom.

At Acton Academy Charleston...

  • We have Guides NOT teachers
  • We have Studios NOT classrooms
  • We use Socratic questions and do NOT lecture
  • We have Portfolios and Exhibitions NOT grades
  • We have Contracts and Covenants NOT homework
  • Our students find their OWN real-world Apprenticeships
  • We build our curriculum around EACH individual's Hero’s Journey.

Hear from one Acton Academy graduate about her experience as an Acton Academy learner.

About the founding of acton academy charleston

Pam Coleman of Charleston, SC retired to the salt marshes of the Lowcountry in 2017. She and her husband, Mike, have their oldest child living close by. Athena sees the value of grandparents in helping to raise her young daughter, Julietta. Mike and Pam, who met back in high school, are devoted to their granddaughter, whose well-being and education are of foremost importance.

Application Process

We are currently accepting applications for ages 6-9 for January 2023. Please complete the following steps to begin the application process, which helps us all determine if our learning environment is a good fit for your family.

Step 1

Deep Dive

Interested families should review the Acton Academy Charleston website and watch Jeff Sandefer’s TedX Talk on “Rethinking Education: Geniuses and Heroes” ...

Step 2

Schedule a Call

Email us directly at [email protected] with your phone number and 3 possible days and times Pam can call to get to know you and your family...

Step 3

Submit your Application

Please complete the online application. Use the application checklist to prepare everything you need for submission, including (1) your child's most recent academic transcript...

Step 4

Admissions Decision

We will convey a preliminary decision on admission within a week after receiving your application. Admission to our school will be confirmed upon receipt of the $500 nonrefundable registration fee...

What Our Parents Say about Acton Academy Charleston

“My favorite thing about Acton Academy Charleston so far is that I can see how my five year old is learning that he has a voice and he can be the change he wants to see in the world.”

“I believe we are all artists and creators and finding Acton Academy Charleston where the learners are setting their own path rather than being told how to think and what to do was exactly what we were looking for in a school. Through experiential learning our son is seeing what it means to fail and then feeling empowered to get back to it and try again with a new perspective. All that being said, he rushes me out the door to get to school in the morning and that speaks volumes… I couldn’t ask for more as a parent.”

“Together, as a family, we decided that the traditional path towards education via a public school setting wasn’t the answer for our children. After researching a multitude of alternative learning models, we discovered Acton Academy Charleston. Acton has exceeded our standards for the best learning environment for our children because it fosters independent thinking and best prepares our learners for real-life problem solving along with growing an entrepreneurial spirit. We appreciate that there’s ample time spent outside in nature, a focus on teamwork-based projects and peaceful resolution practice amongst learners. Thank you Pam and Acton Academy Charleston for making such a positive and impactful difference in our lives.”

“Why are we so proud to have our daughter at Acton Academy Charleston? Because here we know she is learning and growing every day! She loves to come home and tell us about loose parts play and the new culture she is discovering during culture studies. She is so excited for school that she asks to go in on Saturdays! Our daughter has learned to trust in herself and from that self confidence she knows she can accomplish any task she sets her mind to.”

Applications

Is your family ready for a new adventure in learning? Acton Academy Charleston is a K-12 school. We have rolling enrollment for 2024 -25. We are accepting applications for children ages 5 - 11. Contact us to set up a Tour!