In late 2014, a group of homeschooling families in Austin, Texas began researching what was working in education. We found solid evidence that Project-Based Learning, Socratic teaching, the case-study method, flipped classrooms, blended learning, and student-driven education were having better results than the traditional model of lecture-based education. As we learned what was working, we stumbled upon Acton Academy, also in Austin, Texas, where Jeff and Laura Sandefer were already distilling, refining, and synthesizing many of these same elements. Acton Academy’s model seemed to be an excellent manifestation of what researchers knew worked.
So, we approached Jeff and asked to be twice odd: we wanted to be the first Christian Acton and the first to use a homeschool co-op, three-day structure. We wanted to talk about God when discussing a Hero’s Journey, and we wanted to be involved in our children’s education. That was the birth of Acton Imprimis, the first Christian, homeschool Acton.
Despite initial plans to “start small,” Imprimis opened its doors in September of 2015 with a full Elementary, Middle, and High school. (When God says, “go,” sometimes you need to be ready to drink from a firehose.)
After outgrowing our 4700 sq. ft. schoolhouse in the woods off of Spicewood Springs Rd, we moved into our current facility near the new ACC Highlands Campus in north Austin in 2019. Now we have 11,000 sq. ft. in which to grow, complete with a sport court, library, and maker space.
Most recently, we changed our name from Acton Imprimis to Studio Preparatory, in the spring of 2019. Our philosophy, approach, crazy Christian staff, and amazingly loving families remain unchanged.
Starting full on day one has taught this adventuresome team many lessons, not the least of which is how to learn from failure, and yet God is faithful. He asked us to create a place where love triumphs, leaders grow, and differences bless, so we can all be a reflection of Christ. And we still see Him working daily in the halls of Studio Prep.
