Experience how Acton is transforming education in this independent, award-winning documentary.
Parents around the world are reinventing education by opening Acton Academies.
We started this school because, like most parents, we want the best for our children. Specific to our school search, we found an array of good options, even a few very good options, during our school search for our boys. The closest fit we found was a play-based preschool that integrated democratic principles (they made their own rules) with projects they could choose. Our boys thrived in this environment, but sadly they didn’t do primary school. The search continued, with a Montessori based charter school and a small, progressive and very caring private school that were both good. But we wanted better than good; we wanted the unthinkable: extraordinary learning and life experience for our boys.
When we were looking into school options leading up to our big move from CA to NH, an idea started to grow in our heads that we couldn’t shake: why not open our school? Years before, in his twenties, Brian had been a school teacher and guidance counselor and although he loved working with children, he often clashed with and was disheartened by the way traditional schools tried to systematize learning, often stripping the fun, discovery, imagination, and inspiration out of the educational experience. He researched alternative philosophies that were more child-led and democratic, models that gave children the freedom to choose, dream, and create.
Fast forward to now, we are both in points in our careers where giving back and living our gifts has become a priority: opening an Acton Academy was a perfectly logical choice. With Sarah feeling her entrepreneurial calling and Brian revisiting his educational dreams that he wasn’t ready to actualize earlier in life, it is a perfect fit. We feel like we are on our own Hero’s journey, and we want to take our kids, our team and your kids along with us. So come on board!
We promise adventure, inspiration, profound life lessons and pure magic. We promise to journey with you, forging ahead into uncharted territory. We promise to create space for our children to grow, thrive and challenge themselves to be the best versions of themselves. We promise to help our children discover and boldly share their unique gifts with the world.
Sarah Cheek
Co-Founder and Head of Acton Academy Seacoast
Our Promises To Your Child
He or she will:
- Begin a Hero’s Journey.
- Learn to be a curious, independent, lifelong learner.
- Develop a deep respect for economic, political and religious freedoms.
- Cherish the arts, wonders of the physical world and the mysteries of life on Earth.
- Discover his or her most precious gifts and learn to use them to solve difficult problems.
Embracing rigor is part of saying ‘yes’ to a Hero’s Journey. Deep learning brings a special sense of joy, but the mastery required for a Hero’s Journey goes even further, requiring commitment, discipline and hard work towards a worthy goal.
JOY + RIGOR = MASTERY
Who We Are
Quin brannaka
Lead Guide - Explorer Studio
Quin hails from Pennsylvania, but her heart has always been in New England. Her background is primarily in Outdoor Education, where she worked as a climbing guide, challenge course facilitator, and adventure educator for seven years. She loves to play in the mountains, but more than that, is inspired by work and play that empowers others to achieve and go beyond their goals. She has also taught English to Speakers of Other Languages, working with both adult and elementary learners. When not teaching or playing outside, Quin loves to curl up with (or talk about!) a good book, to try making a new food, or to start a fabric-related art project.
Upon discovering Acton Academy, Quin realized that she had found the perfect combination of her own most powerful learning experiences and the philosophies of experiential education that she had been using in the outdoors. She is excited to help young heroes realize their own potential, but also looks forward to what they will teach her.
sandi valentino
Spark Guide
Sandi lives in Wells, Maine, with her husband and fur baby, Roxi. She loves singing, playing in oobleck, reading, and taking road trips with her husband, Mike.
For the past 36 years, she has had the pleasure of helping young children develop a love for learning. Through the years, Sandi has experienced several changes in early childhood settings. She is most passionate about children exploring and figuring things out for themselves and grew disheartened by the traditional preschool environment where children were encouraged to sit and memorize. She knew she needed a change.
In 2015, Sandi stumbled into a position at Childlight Montessori school, where she ran the aftercare program for four years. When she began there, she felt like she was in a dream. Children were engaged, excited to be there, and busy learning, most amazingly! This inspired her to earn a certificate in Montessori Education. We love Ms. Sandi and all she brings to our Spark Studio!
carmen LaMonica
Guide Mentor - Explorer Studio
Carmen is a proud mom of two very independent grown sons. She has worked as an occupational therapist for 26 years, with twenty of those working in public school special education in Northern Illinois. Through that experience she noticed an increase in issues with children, and she saw dedicated teachers struggle with the ever increasing demands. In her frustration Carmen started looking for other ways for children to learn.
This search led her and a fellow occupational therapist to TimberNook. Carmen trained and is a licensed TimberNook provider and co-owner of a TimberNook business in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.
On her journey to find different types of learning environments for children, the opportunity arose for Carmen to teach in a home school learning pod. At the end of the 2020 summer, Carmen accepted the challenge to work with Wild Tides Home School Collaborative in Dover, NH. Moving herself in the middle of a pandemic to work with a wonderful group of 14 children ranging in age from 3.5 to 9. The program was heavily focused on time spent in outdoor play and meeting the social/emotional, developmental, and academic needs during a critical time. Carmen’s passion around the importance of play, particularly outdoor play is reflected in her own interests. When not working you will find her hiking, biking, kayaking, etc.
Carmen came to Acton Academy Seacoast in the summer of 2021 looking to learn about the school and it’s philosophy. She walked away from that meeting with a job offer and has been thrilled to work with the school in implementing it’s philosophy in the Explorer Studio.
Monique Morgan
Lead Guide- Spark Montessori Studio
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.
Sarah Cheek
Co- Founder | Head of School
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 Cheek
Founder | Lead Guide Middle School/Launchpad
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.
Acton Academy Seacoast
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