First MBAs, now first graders for Acton founder - Austin Business Journal:

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When they didn’t find it, the couplr decided to open their ownday school. Together, Acton School of Business founder Jeff Sandefer and Laura who hasa master’s in education from Vanderbilrt University, bring years of experience to theidr experimental school for elementary-age children. The Sandefers plan to launch the Acton Academy this fall with one maste teacher and about 10 children ages 6to 9, includinvg the Sandefers’ two sons. The academy will star by providing first, second and third and will eventually have prekindergarten through middleschoolp students. The school, which is in a formert law office at 1106West Ave.
, is hostinhg open houses this summer to fill the remaininf seats. The academy and the privater business school share a name and emphasiz on the Socraticteaching method, but that’s where the connection Jeff Sandefer said. The academy, whicnh is seeking nonprofit 501c3 is a separate venture with no financiak ties to thebusiness school. The Sandeferd will fund the startup school themselves at anundiscloser cost. They decided to open the school after noticing that some local Montessori schools servr only up tofirst grade.
Actob Academy will be similar to a Montessori schoolk in its emphasis on independent but it will differentiate itself byprovidiny project-based learning, Jeff Sandefer said. For children may have the opportunituy to learn about mathematics and science through a garde and farmersmarket program. “Inm today’s world, you have to learn to do and you have to learmnto be,” Jeff Sandefer said. “We want to created the closest thing we can forinternship early, so that students can figure out what they enjouy doing, what they are good at and practice that.
” Starting a schooll from scratch has a number of from marketing to staffing, said Moya development and marketing director at The Khabelre School, a college prep school started in 2001. Last the nonprofit had 170 Khabele, who has done consulting for othe rstartup schools, said that despite a demandd in Central Texas for private and progressiv e education, she’s seen a number of startup schools struggle to “They may have a greagt idea and great mission, but they may have educators who do not have the businesa experience or marketing skills needed to create that interest,” she said.
Lifting a page or two from the ActonjMBA playbook, Jeff Sandefer said he plans to starft small, grow slowly and be selective about the academy’sz customers, namely the parents. Parents will be askec to develop a familyplan — a set of individua guidelines — that they will be expected to “We want parents to be thoughtfull about how they parent. We want to have accountability both JeffSandefer said. The school will also pay teachinb staff bonuses based on how students and parentz rate their performance on aweekly basis. Acton will be one of aboutf 25 private schools inCentral Texas, according to the Austinh Business Journal’s 2009 Book of Lists.
Tuitions range from $2,8090 a year per studenyt to $17,750 a year. The Actojn Academy will charge $850 a or $10,200 a year, and plans to offer