Our Story
Dear Friend,
As a mom of nine wonderful, curious children, I have come to believe that every child is destined to change the world in his or her own way. After spending years trying various schools and homeschooling in search of a balanced approach to prepare my children for success in all aspects of life, I stumbled upon the Montessori Method and Acton Academy. I knew immediately that I had found what I was looking for!
My children attended the Acton Academy near our Virginia home, and relished every minute of it! They never wanted to miss a day of discovery in their studios (classrooms). I saw them grow as individuals, nurture their curiosity, and persevere through academic challenges—constantly expanding their wonder of the world around them and knowledge of their potential.
When the opportunity arose for us to live close to my family in North Carolina, the hardest part was leaving our school. We visited many NC schools—from public, to charter, to private schools—and found a lot of great options, so we enrolled our children at one. I realized we couldn’t go back to traditional education when my son came home from school one day, totally baffled, and said, "Mom, they don't even do science in science class. They just READ about science!" Although I knew my children would be fine, and even excel in a traditional school environment, I wanted my children to continue their educational journeys at a school where learning is an adventure, where they are encouraged to learn through experience, and where they are trusted to rise up and lead.
So, why “Beacon Academy?” In Matthew 5:16 we are taught, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” At Beacon Academy, we are guiding each child to become a light to the world—a beacon, destined to change the world.
Sincerely,
Meredith Carlton
Founder & Chief Encourager of Beacon Academy
Our Team
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MEREDITH CARLTON
Founder & Chief Encourager
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LESLIE TUREK
Director of Programs
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SARA ARNY
Director of Operations
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ESTHER MUELLER
Spark Studio (Montessori Preschool-K) Guide
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CRISTINE AMORIM
Preschool Nature Explorers Guide
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KATELYN SOLECKI
Discovery Studio (Elementary) Guide
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JACKIE CARR-MARTINEZ
Journey Studio (Middle School) Guide
What is Montessori?
Montessori education was developed more than a century ago by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician who studied how children actually learn. She saw that children are naturally curious and learn best by doing. In a Montessori classroom, children work with beautifully designed, hands-on materials in a carefully prepared environment. They choose meaningful work, move at their own pace, and build focus, independence, and confidence along the way. Mixed-age classrooms let younger children learn by watching older ones, and older children grow as leaders by helping. The adult’s role is to observe, guide, and “follow the child,” not to lecture from the front of the room. At Beacon, Montessori principles shape our early learning studios and our love of hands-on discovery at every age.
What is an Acton Academy?
Acton Academy is a global network of learner-driven schools, founded in 2009 in Austin, Texas, by Jeff and Laura Sandefer. Acton is built on the belief that every child is a genius who can find a calling and change the world. Learners don’t sit through traditional lectures. They take ownership of their education through self-paced core skills, Socratic discussions, real-world projects called “Quests,” and apprenticeships. Adults serve as Guides who ask questions rather than give answers, so learners build grit, curiosity, and the ability to solve hard problems on their own. Learners also help write and uphold their studio’s rules, which teaches responsibility and leadership in community. Beacon Leadership Academy is proud to be an Acton Academy, joining Acton’s learner-driven model with Montessori foundations and a Christ-centered mission.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Beacon is a Christian Montessori school and Acton Academy in Stokesdale, NC serving children from pre-K through 8th grade. We meet on campus Monday through Thursday, and children learn from their home on Fridays.
We use best practices from innovative schools and companies around the world to deliver education that prepares young people to become the masters of their own destinies. They learn to build habits for success, work hard and try again when they fail, and have the courage to take a stand for what they believe in.
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- We emphasize developing successful habits and mindset. Academics are only part of the equation.
- We are purposefully a small school to maintain a strong community.
- Our mixed-age classrooms ("studios") give students the opportunity to learn from peers, as well as develop leadership skills.
- We use Socratic guiding (using questions to facilitate investigation) rather than traditional teacher lectures.
- Our students participate in governing and maintaining their studios, giving them a sense of responsibility and ownership of their environment as well as relevant opportunities to solve problems and collaborate to find solutions.
- We use hands-on projects to promote creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
- Our academic achievement system stresses mastery of concepts, and perseverance through challenging work.
- No assigned homework (although, they have been known to bring work home if they are on a roll and don't want to put it down!)
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Our campus is in Stokesdale, NC - conveniently located just off of US-158 between Highway 68 and Route 220. Our address is 8430 Southard Road, Stokesdale, NC.
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Beacon Leadership Academy runs on a 10-month schedule, from August through May. Each school year consists of 5 sessions, with at least one week off between sessions.
Learners arrive between 8:00-8:20 a.m. and are picked up at 3:00 p.m. for preschool/kindergarten and 3:15 p.m. for grades 1-8.
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On Fridays the world is our campus! We believe that building strong positive relationships with family members is an integral part of whole-child education. Our schedule allows for families to spend more quality time together. On Fridays, learners can continue to work on their academic goals for the week from home, or families can take the time for field trips, fun projects, or developing talents.
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Tuition for the 2026-2027 school year:
Half-day Pre-K: $557 per month ($5,570 annually)
Full-day Kindergarten: $819 per month ($8,190 annually)
Elementary: $893 per month ($8,930 annually)
Middle School: $1,000 per month ($10,000 annually)
All learners entering kindergarten and above are eligible to apply for NC Opportunity Scholarship. You can learn more at https://www.ncseaa.edu/k12/opportunity/
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We have an intentional admissions process to help families and the school evaluate if their child will thrive in a learner-driven environment. Here are the parts of the process:
1. Take a tour
2. Submit an Application & Teacher/Mentor Survey
3. Schedule a trial date/dates and read "Courage to Grow," by Laura Sandefer
5. Enroll & Pay your deposit
6. Onboarding--Welcome to Beacon!
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Our Spark Studio is a tech-free environment.
Learners in our Discovery and Journey Studios use Chromebooks or iPad for some academics, as well as research for projects.
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Acton Academy is a school that was founded in Austin, Texas in 2008 by Jeff and Laura Sandefer. Over the years they have developed a learner-driven model of education--observing principles from the most successful schools and businesses and integrating those principles in their school model. Their methods are now used in over 300 schools around the world in the Acton affiliate network, including Beacon Academy.
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We are accredited by the International Association of Learner-Driven Schools.
We are also a Member School of the American Montessori Society.
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At Beacon Leadership Academy, students learn to be independent drivers of their own education, setting goals for themselves and working hard to achieve those goals. Children who are curious, self-motivated, and respectful can thrive at Beacon Leadership Academy.
With increased freedoms and responsibilities, our model can be an adjustment for children transferring from traditional school environments. We have found that it takes about one month in the studio for every year spent in traditional classrooms to adjust.
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In our Montessori Spark Studio, we follow the child. There is incredible variation in the abilities of children ages 3-6, so we track how they progress through the Montessori curriculum lessons, as well as through developmental milestones. However, our priority at this age is to encourage curiosity, kindness, and independence.
In the upper studios, we use a mastery system to measure progress. Badges are awarded when designated milestones are mastered. We use this system because we feel it is important for students to persevere through challenging work until it is mastered--rather than moving on to the next topic regardless of mastery (which is what occurs in traditional education settings with grades).
This system also allows students to work at their own pace, moving quickly in strength areas and taking necessary time in challenge areas, while still holding them accountable for high achievement.
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We are not staffed to serve children with serious learning disabilities, special needs, or who need specialized attention. As a learner-driven community, students must be able to work independently on their goals without distracting others.
It has been our experience that learners at our school who experience mild neurodivergence can be successful in this environment, BUT only with LOTS of outside support from parents who are passionate about our philosophy and learning model, as well as regular interventions from tutors, and private specialists. Parents of children with special needs should only consider Beacon if they are willing and able to provide all of those external supports, as they are not available at our school.
It has been our experience that learners with more than mild neurodivergence do not thrive in our learner-driven environment.
If you are interested in Beacon Academy and believe it is a great fit for your family, please inquire and we will personally assess your unique situation and the fit of your child.
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Beacon Academy is likely a good fit for your family if you relate to the following:
(1) You want your child to develop a life-long love of learning in a wholesome Christian environment.
(2) You think having a growth mindset is an essential ingredient to becoming successful.
(3) You want your child to favor logic and sound reasoning over following the crowd when making decisions.
(4) You believe that the development of high moral character and strong work ethic are more valuable than academic achievement alone.
(5) You understand that children need to take calculated risks in order to build confidence and resilience.
(6) You can back a learning philosophy that recognizes perseverence through struggle (and even failure) as part of the learning. process.
(7) You are willing to believe that every child, including yours, has the potential to change the world.
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We do not assign any homework. However, learners strive to complete a certain amount of work at school each week. If they don’t complete it while at school, they are encouraged to finish their work at home.
NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY: Beacon Leadership Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin (ancestry) in any of its activities or operations.