If you consider yourself a forward-thinking family and open to nontraditional school, then Apollo Academy might be the right choice.
Apollo Academy is an affiliate of Acton Academy that uses a learner-driven approach designed for the modern world. Apollo Academy offers mixed-aged studios that allow learners to work at their own pace, engage in real-world hands-on projects and contemplate complex questions via Socratic discussions. We also leverage the latest tools and resources to make learning effective, engaging and FUN!
Our studio is currently inviting families to join us for fall 2023. The K-6 campus is indoors/outdoors and the environment fosters growth and invites curiosity. We opened in August 2022 with a dozen like-minded families in our tribe.
You can read more about founder Beth Ann Valavanis and the vision for bringing this innovative approach to South Tampa on The Guide to Greater Tampa Bay and Florida's reimaginED.
Get an inside look of our studio, quests and exhibitions on our Instagram account.
Scroll to the bottom to schedule a call or get in touch.
FAQs
- How is Apollo Academy different from other private schools?
Apollo Academy’s mission is to inspire each child and parent who enters our doors to find a calling that will change the world. Apollo Academy provides an alternative to traditional education by following the approach of Acton Academy founded in Austin, Texas in 2007 which emphasizes a learner-driven curriculum focused on learning to learn, exploring who to be and discovering through doing.
Apollo Academy is a “one room schoolhouse for the 21st century” that operates under the premise that children are far more capable than we think. Our commitment to families is to provide a framework and environment that prioritizes mastery of foundational curriculum while providing children with the freedom to make their own decisions, problem solve using the resources around them and explore at their will. Check out the differences on our homepage or dive deep into the Acton Academy approach via books, articles and videos on our resources page.
- What is a learner-driven classroom?
At Apollo Academy, we believe in learning to learn, learning to be, learning to do! An important part of this is encouraging learners to take responsibility for their own behavior and hold those around them to a high standard. When something isn’t working, we want our students to work together to solve the problem, not look for an adult to solve it for them. This creates a sense of independence and confidence that will serve them well in all areas of life. Check out more about our approach.
- If there are no tests, then how do you measure progress?
We measure student progress in several different ways: SMART goals, real-time data from our online tools, portfolios, and exhibitions.
- Do you include "special curriculum" at your school?
The arts and athletics are a regular part of our week. This includes painting, crafts, drawing, singing, dance and drama. The same methodology of learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be are also applied to arts and athletics.
- How many students do you have?
We opened in August 2022 with 20 learners.
- How much is tuition?
Tuition for 2023-2024 is $12,000 per year with a 10% reduction for a second child and 15% reduction for additional children. Tuition is paid in 10 monthly installments of $1,200 from August through May. Tuition is subject to annual increases.
- What are the hours?
Our school is five days per week from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm. Parents need to drop off their learners by 8:30 am.
- Where is the school located?
We are currently located at the YMCA Central City pending a permanent location. We purchased property at 2205-2207 W North A St. 33606 that has been under construction since April 2022.
- What is the school calendar?
We mostly follow the Hillsborough County Public School Calendar.
- What is the admissions process?
We are serious when we say "We don't enroll children into our school, we invite families to join us on our mission." You can find the entire admissions process here.
Interested to learn more? Get in touch!
