Frequently Asked Questions
First, browse this website. Especially read our Home Page and the About Us link. This will give you a good overview of our objectives. After that, you can go to this Frequently Asked Questions section and see that many of your questions will be answered here. Finally, you can visit YouTube and explore materials and content yourself by searching for Acton Academy.
To visit our Campus, click here and follow the steps indicated.
Virtus - An Acton Academy School, is part of a network of schools within the Acton Academy Group, currently comprising more than 300 schools across 42 American states and 27 countries.
As stated on the "About Us" page, Acton Academy was founded by Jeff Sandefer and his wife, Laura. Today, Acton Schools boast a robust network of dedicated and enthusiastic employees. The first Acton School campus in Brazil was launched in 2020 in the city of Ilhabela, in the state of São Paulo. Virtus, an Acton Academy School, shares the same founders and adheres to the same methodology as the Ilhabela campus.
At Acton schools, we embrace a learner-driven approach where the student's active engagement in the learning process is paramount. Rather than simply providing answers and content, we empower students to search, think critically, reflect, and discover solutions or information within the subjects they encounter.
This occurs from ages 3 to 6 through the Montessori Method, and in the following years, where the Acton Method is fully applied. To learn more about the Montessori Method.
All Acton schools follow the multigrade model adopted by the Montessori method. We believe that children learn best when they work together with peers of varying ages rather than solely with those of the same age group.
In this sense, in addition to the individual curriculum, students are divided into four large groups (studios): Sparks (ages 3-6), Lower Elementary (ages 6-8), Upper Elementary (ages 9-10), Middle School (ages 11-14), and Launchpad (ages 15-17).
For the upcoming school year (2024-2025), Virtus will not yet have the Launchpad Studio operational.
Our school calendar follows the North American calendar. For the 2024-2025 school year, classes begin on July 29th.
Virtus-An Acton Academy School operates from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, except on Fridays, when school ends at 1:00 pm. This schedule applies to students of all ages.
There exists a multitude of good schools and effective methodologies within the realm of private education. Hence, it is crucial for each family to comprehend the distinctions and discern what suits their children best.
The learner-driven methodology at Virtus-Acton hinges directly on the utmost level of individual accountability for collective achievement and advancement.
Drawing upon years of experience and insights gleaned from Acton's extensive network of affiliates, our standards and practices are crafted to ensure that students and their families are sufficiently equipped and willing to confront the challenges essential for navigating the heightened degree of autonomy, and consequently, the responsibilities inherent in exercising such autonomy.
The classroom environment (referred to as the studio) embodies, quite literally, a microcosm of civil society where the school fosters conditions for students to cultivate real-world skills pertinent to their fulfillment and success.
Our objective is to establish the conditions conducive to this success, mitigating distractions that sap energy and diminish productivity. It is, therefore, imperative that all families within Acton embrace the same ethos, fostering success for all and individual growth for each member.
We undertake a discerning parent selection process to ensure alignment with our school's principles and your aspirations for your children's education.
Our Selection Process is ongoing throughout the year, enabling you to engage at your convenience. Availability of openings depends on age and the timing of the Selection Process. To participate, please visit our website's selection page and follow the indicated steps.
We offer an international curriculum, focusing on English language proficiency from an early age. In the Sparks Studio (ages 3-6) and Lower Elementary (ages 6-8), students are immersed in English language learning as part of their daily activities. Fluency in English is required for enrollment starting from age 9.
For Lower Years, ages 3 to 6 (Sparks), fluency in English is not a prerequisite. For ages 6 to 8 (Lower Elementary), it is important for the child to have a basic understanding of English. From age 9 onwards, students must be able to read and communicate effectively in English; otherwise, they will struggle to keep up with their studies.
Our school aligns with the standards of the Brazilian ‘Base Nacional Comum Curricular’ (BNCC).However, as a bilingual institution with Socratic discussions, practical experiences, and a strong emphasis on technological support starting from Upper Elementary, our approach to learning diverges from that of traditional schools.
A typical day at Virtus Acton, beginning from Lower Elementary (ages 6 and up), starts at 8:30 am and ends at 3:30 pm. Mornings are dedicated to Core Skills sessions covering Mathematics and Language (reading and writing in both Portuguese and English). In the afternoons, students engage in 'Quests', which are interdisciplinary projects allowing exploration of real-life situations, delving into subjects traditionally presented in a conceptual and theoretical manner in other schools.
Alternating with these 'Quests', Virtus Acton also offers a Socratic-style subject called 'Civilization'. This subject integrates History, Geography, Economics, and Philosophy through the simulation of historical events, placing students in the shoes of characters from various historical periods and scenarios, allowing them to make real decisions.
Our emphasis isn't on securing college acceptance for your child, but rather on enabling them to choose what they want to do in life and excel in the real world, whether they opt for college, entrepreneurship, or a career path of their choosing. We aim for education not to be confined to an academic stage, but to equip our students with the essential skills for navigating the complexities of life beyond school. Our goal is to prepare them to confront the significant challenges of civilian life, with or without college as a component of their journey.
At Virtus-Acton, we are committed to the health and well-being of our entire school community.
Our in-house dining service provides students with nutritious food every day of the week.
Our menu is carefully crafted by checking the freshest items on the market weekly, considering seasonality and availability, and purchasing them throughout the week.
The menu, in addition to balancing food groups, follows the typical diet of a Brazilian family, featuring combinations of rice, beans, and a variety of cooked vegetables, alternated with fish, meat, and chicken.
We offer plenty of salads and fruit daily, depending on the season.
In the morning and afternoon, we provide snacks consisting of fruit, nuts, sandwiches, and natural fruit juices.
We believe that mealtimes should be healthy, enjoyable, sociable, and filled with positive memories for our students.
It is important to note that we do not offer vegan or vegetarian options, but we understand that if a child follows these dietary principles at home, they should continue to do so under the guidance of their parents.
Adaptations to our menu are exclusively for students with health concerns, such as dairy intolerance or celiac disease.
