Our Story

Acton Academy Red Rock was born as a solution to the problem that faces our young children today; an antiquated education system only viable during the time of the industrial revolution.

By nurturing and engaging the natural curiosity that all young children are gifted with, we meet our learners where they are and through goal setting and peer accountability, guide them to achieve mastery in all areas growth and development. We are a one-room schoolhouse created to prepare 21st century learner to find their life's passion and share it with the world.

Acton Academy Red Rock Founders

Our Red Rock Campus

Acton Academy Red Rock is centrally located at 10050 Banburry Cross Drive, LV, NV, 89144.

Our Team

Amy Novak

Acton Academy Red Rock Founder

Amy’s story begins with the realization of our lacking and conforming public school systems that are causing harm to our younger generation.

She knew something had to change.

After touring many different education models in the U.S., she finally stumbled upon the Acton Academy philosophies and methods… This was precisely what she’d been looking for.

She took the leap and opened up a school of her own in Southern Nevada. Though it wasn’t easy, especially amid a pandemic, she persevered to provide her community with a unique and meaningful education system.


Deborah Appleman Fink

Acton Academy Red Rock P/T Spark Guide

Her goal as a teacher is to always take her class on adventures, where they are able to investigate new ideas, and form their own thoughts and ideas through hands-on learning experiences. She believes every child is unique and learns at their own pace, but they all deserve an opportunity to learn through their own learning style. Debbie and her husband, Mark, have 2 young men attending college.

During her leisure time, she enjoys being at home with her 3 dogs and watching movies.

Chelsea Wilson

Acton Academy Red Rock MS-Adventure Studio/Launchpad Guide

I had really fun jobs after college- teaching dance, doing makeup, and interviewing celebrities on red carpets, but felt like I wasn’t doing anything meaningful in the world. So naturally, I became a teacher. I taught and coached dance in CCSD for eight years, then our oldest son (Andy) came along and changed the entire picture. I became a stay-at-home mom, which I have loved for the past eight years. When I recently began contemplating my next step, which was definitely going to involve working with young people again in some capacity, Amy asked me about possibly coming to Acton. So here I am, ready to unlearn and learn, work with the best humans ever (kids!), and continue to hopefully empower parents to get outside of the traditional education box so many are stuck inside of with unhappy, underchallenged, dispassionate children. I am a huge believer in empowering children and turning over the reins to allow them to run their own lives and be their own people. I have seen my own son take the wheel of his life, have many opportunities to fail and succeed at Acton, and grow greatly as his own person. Doing things non-traditionally is hard, but is so worth it in the end.

Kimberly Bernstein

Acton Academy Red Rock Guide

Known affectionately as "Ms. Kim" by the learners I work with, I am a passionate and dedicated educator with over 20 years of experience. My journey in education began in Pennsylvania, where I was raised, and continued when I moved to Las Vegas 28 years ago with my parents and four siblings. I pursued my degree in Elementary Education at UNLV and have since devoted my career to nurturing young minds.

I am happily married and the proud mother of two daughters, ages 17 and 20. When I'm not in the classroom, you’ll often find me training for triathlons, indulging in a good book, or enjoying quality time with my family.

Four years ago, I embarked on a transformative educational adventure with Acton Academy, inspired by my dear friend Amy Novak’s vision for change in education. Embracing this new approach has been a remarkable experience, and like the students I work with, I am continuously learning and evolving on my own Acton Journey.

Our Advisors

Jeff Sandefer

Co-Founder - Acton Academy

Jeff Sandefer lives a dual life as an entrepreneur and a Socratic Guide. As an entrepreneur, he founded his first company at age 16 and went on to found or co-found seven successful businesses. As a Socratic teacher at the University of Texas, Jeff’s students five times voted him the school’s Outstanding Teacher and Businessweek named him one of the top Entrepreneurship professors in America.

Jeff went on to co-found the Acton School of Business, an MBA program perennially ranked by the Princeton Review among the best in the nation. In 2012 The Economist honored him as one of the top fifteen Business School professors in the world.

Jeff is a graduate of the Harvard Business School, where he served for over twenty years on the school’s governing committees. He was a longtime director of the Philanthropy Roundtable and National Review magazine and one of the youngest members ever elected to the Texas Business Hall of Fame.

Laura Sandefer

Co-Founder - Acton Academy

Laura lived on both US coasts and in between as a child, then settled into Vanderbilt University for her undergraduate studies in the College of Arts and Science. After being awarded the highly competitive Walter Wattles Fellowship at Lloyd’s of London, Laura worked in the aviation insurance industry in New York City.

Deciding to follow her calling into the world of education, Laura returned to Nashville and earned her Master of Education at Peabody College. This led her to her work at the Oklahoma Arts Institute, creating fine arts education programs for teachers and talented high school students.

Laura married Jeff Sandefer and is the happy mother of Sam and Charlie and step-mother to Taite. It is the inspiration of these children that led Laura and Jeff to co-found Acton Academy.

Her greatest hero is her mother who was a Master Teacher. Her wisest mentor is her father who sent her off to college with two words of advice: "Be curious."

Our Promises

We promise through Socratic guiding and experiential learning to encourage each member of our community to:

  • 1

    Begin a Hero’s Journey,

  • 2

    Discover precious gifts and a commitment to mastery.

  • 3

    Become a curious, independent, life-long learner.

  • 4

    Embrace the forging of a strong character.

  • 5

    Cherish the arts, the physical world, and the mysteries of life.

  • 6

    Treasure economic, political, and religious freedom.

Acton School Guide

Our Beliefs

We believe clear thinking leads to good decisions, good decisions lead to the right habits, the right habits forge character, and character determines destiny.

  • 1

    We believe each person has a gift that can change the world in a profound way;

  • 2

    We believe in learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be.

  • 3

    We believe in a closely connected family of life-long learners.

  • 4

    We believe in economic, political, and religious freedom.

Acton School Guide

Our Economic Model

We believe self-directed, peer-to-peer learner-driven communities built by our young Heroes will deliver transformational learning at a cost all parents can afford.