Welcome to the fourth week of the Second Session’s Launchpad Newsletter! This was one of the shortest weeks in Acton history—only two school days, with the third day reserved for our big Thanksgiving celebration. But before we get to the feast, let’s recap the learning highlights from this short but exciting week. Genre – Food Review Writing This week, we crafted our raison d’être —our reason for being food reviewers. Each learner chose the type of review they will write and

Welcome to the Week 4 Journey Newsletter! Even though this was a short week, we accomplished so much. In Quest, we began designing our space stations. In Genre, we received feedback and revised our drafts. And of course, we wrapped up the week with a super fun Thanksgiving feast! Genre This week, learners both gave and received thoughtful feedback on their drafts. The feedback included suggestions on what to add, remove, change, or move. On Tuesday, everyone revised their fir

Hello parents, learners, and family members, We’re going to start with Writers Workshop. As you all know, WW is Theatrical Writing. This week was a very wonky week—we only had two full days and one half-day because of Thanksgiving, so we only had WW once. For WW this week, learners used the time to catch up on past challenges or take on bonus challenges. Some created new monologues, while others worked on Core Skills if they had already finished their writing. One group in So

Happy Thanksgiving, Sparks Families! Even with a shorter week, our Sparks filled each day with focus, creativity, connection, and joy. Here’s a look back at all the wonderful things they accomplished together: ✨ Movement Monday We kicked off the week by exploring the theme of “looking within.”  During our deep launch, Sparks reflected on how they might react in different scenarios and—most importantly— why  they would make those choices. It was a meaningful conversation that

Welcome to the third week of the second session’s Launchpad newsletter! In Genre , we began narrowing down our restaurant choices. Learners spent time reading food reviews, shaping their reviewer personas, and taking a virtual tour of their top pick. Next week, we’ll finally be eating at our selected restaurant—something we’ve all been looking forward to. After so much prewriting and exploration, the excitement is definitely building! In Quest , we kicked off Module Three of

Hello parents and guardians, Welcome to the Session 2, Week 3 newsletter! This week was a bit unusual because we had a surprise day off on Monday and a trip to Alpine on Friday. With the shorter week, our schedule shifted—we only had Writers Workshop once, but we enjoyed two full days of Quest. 🌍 Quest – Africa, Geography Bee & Map Skills This week in Quest, we prepared for our second geography bee , which took place on Thursday. The geography bee challenges us to answer que

Dear Sparks Families, What a memorable and exciting week we've had in the Sparks Kingdom! With a surprising twist to our schedule, we kicked off the week with Talent Tuesday , setting a creative and flexible tone for the days ahead. ✨ Talent Tuesday – Improvisation in Action Our week began with an unexpected (and wonderful!) opportunity for growth. Two learners who were scheduled for Show & Tell forgot their items, which led to a spontaneous lesson in improvisation. The Spark

Dear Sparks’ Tribe Families, What an exciting and joy-filled week it has been for our tribe! The Sparks embraced every day with energy, curiosity, and connection. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to: ✨ Movement Monday  We kicked off the week with a Halloween follow-along dance that tested each learner’s ability to listen carefully and follow directions. Afterwards, our tribe reflected on how they felt before, during, and after the dance—leading to some wonderful discoverie

Hello parents, this is what we did during week 7. Monday: We held our first Exhibition Sharing and Feedback session. Exhibition hosts presented their plans and progress so far, and their peers offered thoughtful feedback to help make our upcoming exhibition even stronger. It was a great opportunity to practice presenting, listening, and refining ideas. Tuesday: We welcomed a Hero’s Visit ! Ella D’s parents joined us to share how they combined their love of dance with their ca

Dear Families of the Sparks Tribe, As the first session draws to a close, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey our Sparks have undertaken. This final week has been a testament to the strong bonds and remarkable growth we've witnessed since the beginning of the year. Mindset Monday  focused on leadership. The Sparks watched a video exploring the qualities of a leader and then discussed how they would want to be led in various scenarios. It was inspir