
Thank you for your interest in Acton Academy Seacoast! You are embarking on an exciting journey, learning more about how Acton is revolutionizing education. Let us know where to send the Info Kit and we’re happy to send it to you right away.
Our mission is to reinvent education for the Seacoast region by providing each child with an educational experience that honors their uniqueness, fosters their independence, and allows for them to explore their natural curiosities while connecting them to their purpose so they can authentically share it with the world.
Starting in the fall of 2022, we will be expanding to include a new art studio, outdoor classrooms, and more!
Meet Sarah and Brian Cheek, the founders of Acton Academy Seacoast. Their passion to create more than a school but a community dedicated the future of education and evolving the school system.
We believe each of our students will find a passion – something they love and have a gift to do – finding and pursuing this gift we call the Hero’s Journey. Our mission is to equip our students with the skills and tools they will need to find and pursue their life’s purpose.
Sarah is a mom of three young boys who is coming into her own as the service-minded entrepreneur that has always lived inside her. She was a bedside nurse for 12 years and then evolved that career into a process improvement leadership role, implementing Lean healthcare principles to improve safety, service and patient outcomes. She led health organizations (surgery centers and hospitals) down the Lean path – working with executives and front line staff and everyone in between to rethink their organizational habits, dig deep to foster much needed (and at times painful) change, and to re-imagine systems and thought processes in ways not previously dreamed possible. She went on to help families, and specifically moms of young children, to apply these systems in their personal lives to gain efficiency, lower daily stress, and create more time for personal renewal.
Starting a school for her children felt like the next logical step for her in her journey to expand and serve more people. Building an educational village, starting with her children is a dream that excites her. The moment she learned about the Acton Academy model, she knew it would be a part of her life path and allow her to make a large impact on the world.
Brian has been an Actuary, corporate consultant, teacher, guidance counselor, tutor, entrepreneur, and realtor. Common themes running through his varied experience include a deep caring for his students and clients, a desire to help people make their best decisions in any given moment, and a calling to express himself authentically, to continually expand, grow and inspire others. As an educator, he has always stood up for the child in all of his roles; he has dreamed of a school environment with more freedom, exhilaration, and discovery and is now grateful for the opportunity to turn that dream into reality.
He has mentored children to navigate the school system while rediscovering their unique gifts and skills and currently coaches adult clients to realize their full potential. He has become more aware and conscious about his life as an adult and is excited to guide young people to awaken this magical part of themselves as children.
Monique grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and had the benefit of knowing a real life hero. Her mother was an example of hard work and perseverance as somebody who put herself through college while working and providing for her children. Monique loved the stories her mother would tell of the many children she taught in the Boston Public School system, but had her own dream of traveling and exploring the world.
Monique, determined to make her dream a reality, enrolled at Massachusetts Maritime Academy where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Marine Safety and Environmental Protection as well as a USCG 1600-Ton Near Coastal Mate License. During her maritime career she traveled to many places such as Gibraltar, Spain, Greece, Cuba, Barbados and Aruba but her favorite was a summer in Valdez, Alaska. Her college experience also includes meeting her husband who she moved to Southern Maine with in 2002. There she has embarked on the fulfilling experience of creating a family.
Her children attended ChildLight Montessori School in Berwick, Maine and through their positive educational experience Monique formed an appreciation for the Montessori Philosophy. She jumped into the fascinating world of education and received her American Montessori Society Early Childhood Credential from Northeast Montessori Institute. As her own children grew and moved on to other schools, Monique remained at ChildLight Montessori school finding joy in guiding 3 to 6 year olds on their individual learning journeys for 8 years before it’s closing in 2020.
The opportunity to board another educational vessel presented itself with the start of Acton Academy Seacoast, an adventure that Monique is excited to be part of! She is looking forward to being in the presence of so many heroes along their own unique journeys.
After a first career as a software entrepreneur, Brian spent the past eighteen years teaching a variety of subjects in private 6-12 schools. His teaching experience spans history, French, Spanish, German, math, science, writing, research, economics, programming and robotics.
An innovator from the outset, Brian was an unconventional teacher in traditional schools. His classroom continually morphing to fit the activity at hand, shifted its default configuration from rows to circles and finally to a full studio environment, complete with Socratic circles and computer workstations. Over time, the arbitrary separations between subjects began to fade.
Frustrated with conventional educational models designed around memorization and testing, Brian began designing his own school centered around learning core academics and life skills in an integrated environment. He wanted to create a school based on mastery, meaningful discussions and intrinsic motivation.
Upon discovering Acton, Brian found his people. The integrated, applied quests, student-centered Socratic Discussions, student-maintained studios and regular internships were a perfect fit. All that was missing was a robust world language program, for which Brian already had discovered effective methods both at home and in the classroom.
Brian is especially excited to be the founding guide for the middle school and launchpad at Acton Seacoast. He is excited to help students realize their full potential and nurture their curiosity, creativity, productivity, independence and joy.
At the heart of TimberNook, programming is the philosophy that children flourish when given the time and space to play in sensory-rich, experiential learning environments. Bringing exploration and nature together results in a truly unique way to reach children at a key point in their development. TimberNook programs offer the ultimate sensory experience for children, challenging the mind, body, and the senses through meaningful outdoor play opportunities.
Acton is the right place for your child if they…
Acton uses the best of Montessori methods: mixed-age classrooms, student choice within limits,
large blocks of work time, learning through “discovery,” and freedom of movement in the
classroom. Then we go two important steps further by using the best 21st century eLearning
tools and adhering to the Socratic method of instruction which emphasizes asking and answering
the right questions to stimulate critical thinking. Our students don’t just memorize facts, they learn
how to know, learn how to do, and learn how to be.
We provide a 21st century learning environment using the latest in educational technology for self-paced mastery of reading, writing, elective courses, and math skills. Students are placed according to ability so that our program can meet the student right where they are. Students move on to the next level only after the content has been mastered, which ensures there are no learning gaps.
We believe that students become confident, independent learners, and good citizens when they embrace the following character qualities: integrity, resilience, self-reflection, and empathy. We believe in personal responsibility and high accountability standards. Acton students are encouraged to take responsibility for their choices and actions as we think developing a strong moral compass will help students lead joyful and successful lives. Character learning is woven into all parts of learning at Acton.
At Acton Academy Seacoast we believe in learning to be and learning to do and an important
part of this is encouraging kids to take responsibility for their own behavior and hold those around
them to a high standard. When something isn’t working, we want our students to work together to
solve the problem, not look for an adult to solve it for them. This creates a sense of
independence and confidence that will serve them well in all areas of life.
We believe that children learn best when working with those younger and older than themselves
rather than split up into groups based solely on age. We have three studios: Spark (K/1), Explorer
(2-5), and Launch Pad (6-10).
We measure student progress in several different ways:
At Acton Academy, we believe in the power of balance. Using the incredible, self-paced eLearning
tools now available, we are able to provide the rigor needed for learning math, vocabulary, spelling
and grammar in about 90 minutes each day, while freeing up the rest of the day for engaging, project-
based learning. The two are highly complementary. Those learners in the Spark Studio (K/1) do not
use technology for their academic work period. It is Montessori based for that age group.
For our first two years we will be located in a beautiful space in the Cocheco Mills Building
directly across from Henry Law Park in Downtown Dover. Our long term plans are to buy property
and build a school with lots of space and nature allowing more outdoor exploration for the
learners.
We operate on an 10- month calendar (late Aug to June), but our flexible program allows families to travel together during the year, without sacrificing any learning.
From glow-in-the-dark contemporary painting to making music with ukuleles, boomwackers, and paint buckets, our students experience varied and unique art experiences and music experiences.
We offer music classes as both an elective to explore during school and after school. This is based on the group’s interest and what instrument enough of the would like to learn.
As registered homeschoolers, our students can benefit from offerings at their local schools. They may participate in curricular and cocurricular activities such as sports, music, theater, dances, volunteer activities, and statewide testing.
Our school embraces a deep commitment to physical fitness and overall health awareness. Acton students explore a variety of physical activities that have ranged from soccer, golf, track, hiking, dance, and rock climbing. Our students are very active, and we strongly support good sportsmanship and teamwork.
Acton Academy Seacoast admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
Form 990 filing (including financial statements), conflict of interest policy, and governing documents available upon request.
Thank you for your interest in Acton Academy Seacoast! You are embarking on an exciting journey, learning more about how Acton is revolutionizing education. Let us know where to send the Info Kit and we’re happy to send it to you right away.
Thank you for your interest in Acton Academy Seacoast! You are embarking on an exciting journey, learning more about how Acton is revolutionizing education. Let us know where to send the Info Kit and we’re happy to send it to you right away.