We believe in learning to be, learning to learn, and learning to do. As an Alberta Education accredited and funded non-profit school in Calgary, we meet and exceed Alberta curriculum standards—empowering students to think critically, take ownership of their learning, and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways.
The latest in educational technology for self paced mastery of reading, writing, and math skills.
Daily hands-on project-based quests to master the tools and skills needed to solve problems in the real world.
Multiple times each day, learners engage in deep Socratic discussions on heroes, history, and self-governance—sharpening their critical thinking skills and developing the ability to think, write, and speak with confidence and power.
Professional tools for art, engineering, tech, and storytelling in place of worksheets and busy work.
Written promises and covenants that form a tightly bound community of individuals learning to form authentic friendships and honestly resolve interpersonal problems.
In conventional classrooms, all learners move through subjects at the same pace, regardless of comprehension. This often results in frustration for those struggling to keep up and disengagement for those ready to move ahead. At Acton Central, we’ve transformed this approach with mastery-based learning—ensuring progress is based on understanding, not time. By embracing mastery-based learning, every child at our school in Calgary is appropriately challenged, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. This personalized approach nurtures intrinsic motivation, builds confidence, and fosters a lifelong love for learning—preparing students to thrive both in school and beyond.
Learners advance only after fully mastering a skill or concept, ensuring they have a solid foundation for tackling more complex material in the future. This approach eliminates gaps in understanding and fosters deep, meaningful learning.
Each learner creates an Individualized Learning Plan and sets SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals tailored to their strengths, interests, and growth areas. Regular reviews of these tools provide guidance, accountability, and opportunities to celebrate progress.
At Acton Central, education goes beyond academics to prioritize the development of essential soft skills—critical for leadership, meaningful relationships, mental well-being, and future success. Through intentional practice, learners build confidence, resilience, and emotional intelligence, preparing them to navigate the real world with purpose. Soft skills and leadership development aren’t add-ons at Acton Central; they are at the heart of our educational approach. By engaging in these practices daily, learners grow into compassionate, adaptable, and visionary individuals, ready to make a lasting impact in their communities and beyond.
Every day, learners work together on hands-on, interdisciplinary projects, practicing effective communication, conflict resolution, and cooperative problem-solving. These experiences foster empathy and teach learners how to navigate diverse perspectives.
Leadership is built through self-governance, where learners co-create studio and school norms, mediate peer conflicts, facilitate discussions, and take ownership of shared responsibilities. Older learners mentor younger learners, developing a sense of purpose and reinforcing their leadership skills and learnings.
Regular Socratic discussions and public exhibitions empower learners to articulate their ideas with clarity, think critically, and engage in respectful, meaningful dialogue and debate.
Learners are encouraged to see challenges as opportunities for growth. Through daily reflections, 360° peer feedback, and SMART goal reviews, they build perseverance and learn to embrace mistakes as part of the learning process.
At Acton Central, learning happens through immersive, hands-on 'Quests'—interdisciplinary projects that connect academic concepts to real-world applications. Each Quest spans several weeks and culminates in a public exhibition, where learners present their work to families and the community, fostering pride, confidence, and purpose. These Quests inspire learners to take ownership of their education, apply their skills to meaningful challenges, and build confidence as problem-solvers. Through these transformative experiences, they develop not only academic mastery but also the resilience and practical skills needed to thrive in life. A few examples:
Learners explore how communities operate, how policies are shaped, and how they can drive meaningful change.
Activities include:
Learners develop essential money management skills through engaging, hands-on activities, such as:
Beginning as early as age 6, learners design and launch their own businesses, developing key financial and organizational skills.
Activities include:
Learners explore the basics of renewable energy and create hands-on projects to understand how it works:
At Acton Academy Calgary Central, we believe intrinsic motivation is the key to lifelong success. By emphasizing personal growth, we cultivate confident, self-driven learners who embrace challenges and strive for excellence. We inspire and sustain this growth through intentional practices that foster independence, curiosity, and resilience. This holistic approach ensures that every learner develops the confidence and intrinsic drive to thrive—both academically and personally.
Learners regularly set SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—tailored to their strengths and growth areas. Progress is marked by earning mastery badges, making achievements personal, tangible, and deeply rewarding.
To foster accountability and financial literacy, learners earn ‘Hero Bucks’ by meeting goals, contributing to the community, and demonstrating positive behaviors. This currency can be exchanged for privileges, teaching responsibility in a fun and engaging way.
As learners show leadership, accountability, and effort, they earn increased independence and privileges, empowering them to take ownership of their learning and build self-discipline.
Regular feedback from peers encourages self-reflection, helping learners identify strengths, address challenges, and develop teamwork and empathy.
Young heroes celebrate the mastery of tools, skills, and character by earning badges and taking part in public exhibitions.
Learners use badges to track academic progress in Core Skills like reading, writing, math and spelling and character development in Servant Leader Badges.
Young heroes deliver public exhibitions of their work at the end of each five to seven week sprint.
Self-management and self-governance skills are measured by peer reviews at the end of each session.
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We believe clear thinking leads to good decisions, good decisions lead to the right habits, the right habits forge character, and character determines destiny.