“Our son began his Hero’s Journey at Acton Academy Oshkosh when he was just 4 years old. He’s now 7, and not a day goes by without his excitement to head to school. As parents, choosing the right learning environment was not an easy decision. We explored many options and ultimately chose Acton—and it has been one of the most rewarding choices we’ve made for our family.

The Acton model is a radical departure from the traditional system I grew up with, and that’s exactly what drew us in. At Acton, learners aren’t just taught facts—they are empowered to ask meaningful questions, take ownership of their learning, and discover how to learn, not just what to learn. This learner-driven environment has allowed our son to thrive, both academically and personally.

One of the most powerful elements of Acton is its emphasis on personal responsibility. Learners are held accountable for their choices, and they’re encouraged to see failure not as something to avoid, but as a vital part of the growth process. That’s not always easy as a parent—there’s a natural urge to shield your child from struggle—but we’ve come to see that these challenges are essential to building resilience and confidence.

The leadership at Acton Oshkosh is incredibly supportive, transparent, and passionate about the mission. They take the time to explain how the model works and are genuinely committed to helping each learner discover their unique gifts and calling.

While we know that every child is different and no one school is perfect for every learner, Acton has been the perfect fit for ours. It’s not a one-size-fits-all model, and that’s the beauty of it. For families exploring options beyond the traditional path, I highly encourage you to take a closer look at Acton Academy. We’re happy to share both the joys and the lessons learned on this journey—it has truly been transformational for our family.”

— Jason and Courtney Lasky

“My family is so appreciative of the non-traditional learning environment Acton Academy Oshkosh offers.  We were drawn to the ideas that children have genius inside of them, so much hidden potential, and the fact that adults tend to overcomplicate problems/solutions and frankly, screw things up, resonated with us.  We have children in both the younger and older studios.  Watching our older daughter through the last few years has solidified the fact that Acton is working for our family.  She's in her 4th year, wants to go to school every day, she chooses to continue learning at home even though it's not required and has developed some amazing goal setting skills that I envy! We are starting to see the same happening with our younger daughter as well.  We believe that is from the principles of Acton's growth mindset.  The hands-on experiences, learning from play and giving children ownership in their learning are helping our kids to welcome failure, be resilient and courageous.”

— Macey and Dave McClone

“Our family has absolutely loved our experience with Acton Academy Oshkosh. We started when our son was just 4 years old, and now, four years later, we can’t imagine being anywhere else. What we love most is the mixed-age environment, where learners  grow together and inspire one another. The flexibility of the schedule and the way Acton embraces each child’s individual interests has allowed our son to blossom in ways we never expected.

The approach is definitely non-traditional. Rather, it’s hands-on, curiosity-driven, and rooted in learning by doing. It’s not a one-size-fits-all model, and that’s exactly why we feel it's so special. Watching our son discover his passions, take ownership of his learning, and truly grow into who he’s meant to be has been an incredible journey. Acton is still a relatively new and growing environment, and we’re genuinely excited to see how it continues to evolve and expand for older learners. Our son can’t wait to keep growing along with it! We’re so grateful to be part of the Acton studio community and can’t recommend it highly enough to families looking for something meaningful and different.”

— Amanda and Luke Janssen

“When our oldest was approaching school age, finding a school that truly aligned with our philosophies on life felt far-fetched. We couldn’t be more grateful that we found Acton Academy Oshkosh — and that we had the courage to step outside of our comfort zone and try something wildly different from the educations we grew up with.

Now in our fourth year at Acton, with two children attending (and plans to send our third), our entire family loves it. Our kids are genuinely excited to go to school every day. They’re growing in curiosity, confidence, and resilience while taking real ownership of their learning. Responsibility and accountability aren’t taught — they’re lived. Through hands-on learning, exhibitions, and play, our kids gain real-world experience and a deep understanding of concepts before moving on. Learning at their own pace has been incredibly powerful, and the way failure and mistakes are celebrated has built confidence and perseverance we see daily.

We also deeply value Acton’s year-round schedule and lack of homework, which creates better balance, meaningful family time, and space to recharge without long learning gaps. The small-knit community has been meaningful for all of us, and one unexpected gift has been the impact on our parenting — offering reflection, growth, and a way to weave Acton’s philosophies into our home life.

Choosing Acton has been one of the best decisions we’ve made for our children and our family.”

— Kelly and Kyle Kalmerton

“We started our Acton journey in 2020, when COVID changed everything. Our oldest son, who is now 12, was in public school when the shutdown happened, and suddenly both he and our youngest son, who is 10, were learning at home. Spending every day together gave us a different perspective. We noticed how differently each of our boys learned and saw the world, which made us rethink what education should look like for our family.

In 2021, a family member who was also looking at alternative options introduced us to Acton Academy Oshkosh. After reading Courage to Grow, Josh and I really connected with the idea of seeing learners as heroes—children trusted to take charge, meet challenges, and find their unique strengths. It was inspiring, but also somewhat scary. We worried about the cost and whether we were ready to leave the traditional path. But with Acton’s financial assistance, we were able to move forward and say yes. The change required all of us to think differently. Switching from public school to a learner-driven environment meant we had to trust the process and let our boys struggle, fail, solve problems, and grow on their own, without us stepping in to control things. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been more than worth it.

We’ve watched both our children grow in confidence, responsibility, and independence. They set goals, reflect on their progress, and take ownership of their work. One example that surprised us was during an Entrepreneurship Exhibition. Our oldest son has always been interested in computers, gaming, and programming, not creative arts. Yet through a Quest, he designed and created handcrafted resin chess boards and pieces, then brought them to the Acton table at the Oshkosh farmers market table to sell. He experienced the full journey of entrepreneurship — from concept and creation to marketing and sales. Seeing him step outside his comfort zone and discover a new strength was powerful.

It’s also been special to see Acton grow from one building to two. This shows how much the community believes in this model. Most importantly, our boys truly look forward to going to school. We never thought we would say that. Acton has given our family more than merely academics. It has given our children ownership of their learning and the confidence to follow their ideas with courage.

— Mary and Josh Drephal