Meet the Team from acton academy fort lauderdale
"Traditional School Wasn't Getting What Our Children Needed For Today's World
...So We Started One That does"
MEET THE FOUNDERS
Martina Pavlovich-Slaven - Montessori Trained
Head of School | Spark & Elementary Studios
Having raised 4 older children who are now graduated and pretty "cool" adults, Martina brings practical thinking to the Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale family.
A certified Yoga Instructor, and Crypto Investor, she was one of the first generation of students to travel west when the Iron Curtain came down in the early 90's.
Her favorite quote is to "Be the change you want to see in the world" and our Acton Academy is the fruition of what she has been dreaming education could be for our youngest, after watching the older four navigate the traditional education system.
Tobin Slaven - M.Ed
Head of School | Middle School & LaunchPad Studios
Tobin's own Hero's Journey started in education, with an M.Ed in Student Development (trained to be a teacher and school administrator). He was also an award-winning HS and collegiate basketball coach, University instructor, and admissions officer.
For the last 20 years Tobin has operated in the business world, as consultant and entrepreneur specializing in helping expert-based businesses create and launch "Offers That Sell Themselves."
He recently co-authored the book Experts Never Chase, and is the host of several business-focused podcasts, including K12ReimaginED.com. You can learn more about at TobinSlaven.com
Divya - Our Inspiration For Starting The School
Our first 'Dragonaut' Student of the Elementary School Studio at Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale.
Meet our directors
Tyler Eassa - IALDS Silver Certified Guide
Technology Director & Guide-In-Training
Tyler brings a willingness to learn and share new technology, along with a patience to work with younger people in helping them see the amazing world all around them.
In his spare time, Tyler loves foraging for mushrooms, learning about herbal recipes, and is inspired by traveling to new locations.
Chantal Tompkins - IALDS Silver Certified Guide
Arts Director & Guide-In-Training
Art and the appreciation of all different forms of beauty is central to Chantal's life, as she is a practicing artist and graphic designer.
As a Guide-In-Training, Chantal is responsible for bringing both a fun and "gameful" experience to the learning environment, for students and adults alike.
Ján Tompkins - BA (MA-2023)
Visual Culture and New Media Specialist
Ján Tompkins is an archival researcher specializing in audiovisual storytelling. He is the co-founder of the Prague-based production company Daisy with Rider.
The company's current projects include The Republic of Dreams: a multimedia project produced by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in Warsaw, which adapts the work of Polish writer Bruno Schulz, using video, illustrations, and sonic experiences all inspired by dreams and dreaming (see more at republicofdreams.online), and The Infinite Library: a virtual reality exploration of various systems of knowledge that relate to the human experience made in collaboration with Berlin-based High Road Stories and the Goethe-Institut in New Delhi.
Ján is currently completing his Master's degree in Humanities at Anglo-American University in Prague, the city where Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale's sister school will be opening in 2023.
meet our advisors from The Original acton academy In austin, TX
Laura Sandefer
CoFounder of Acton Academy Austin and Author of Courage To Grow
Laura is cofounder and head of school of Acton Academy (Austin). Raised by a science teacher and minister, Laura lived on both coasts and in between as a child and then landed at Vanderbilt University for her undergraduate studies in the College of Arts and Science. After working in London and New York City in the aviation insurance business, Laura yearned to follow her heart into the world of teaching.
She went back to Vanderbilt's renowned Peabody College and received her Master of Education. This led her to work in arts education at the Oklahoma Arts Institute. Laura later married Jeff and has two sons and a stepdaughter. It is the inspiration of these children that led Laura and Jeff to cofound Acton Academy. Her greatest hero is her beloved late mother, who was a master teacher as none other. Her wisest mentor is her father, who sent her off to college with two words of advice: "Be curious."
Jeff Sandefer
CoFounder of The Acton School of Business, at the University of Texas
Jeff is an entrepreneur and a Socratic teacher. As an entrepreneur who most recently sold Sandefer Capital, an energy investment firm with several billion dollars in assets. He cofounded the Acton School of Business, a school dedicated to America’s next generation of principled entrepreneurs and famous for its 100-hour work weeks. The Princeton Review has consistently ranked Acton’s teachers, students, and program among the best in the country.
While at the University of Texas, Jeff’s students voted him the school’s Most Outstanding Teacher five times, and he was named by Businessweek as one of the top entrepreneurship professors in America. He also cofounded Acton Academy (Austin), where he is a middle school lead guide. Jeff has been a longtime board member of National Review, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, The Philanthropy Roundtable, and the Harvard Business School and is one of the youngest members ever elected to the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
Our School Philosophy Is Inspired
By This 'Emeritus' Board of Educational Leaders
Maria Montessori
Italian Physician and Educator | 1870-1952
Maria Montessori was an Italian physician and educator best known for the philosophy of education that bears her name.
Montessori considered her work in the Orthophrenic School and her subsequent psychological studies and research work in elementary schools as "scientific pedagogy", a concept current in the study of education at the time. She called for not just observation and measurement of students, but for the development of new methods which would transform schools through "Scientific Education."
Lord John Acton
Historian and Politician | 1834-1902
Lord John Acton was an English Catholic historian, politician, and writer best known for the remark, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."
In that spirit, the Acton name inspired the Acton School of Business, an MBA program based in Austin at the University of Texas. That affiliation led to the start of the network of Acton Academy schools in 2009.
Ján Amos Comenius
Professor and Philosopher | 1592 – 1670
John Amos Comenius (often written as Komenský) was a Czech philosopher, pedagogue and theologian who is considered the father of modern education.
Comenius was far ahead of his time and is best known for developing the concept of "schooling by games".
Comenius introduced a number of educational concepts and innovations including pictorial textbooks written in native languages instead of Latin, teaching based in gradual development from simple to more comprehensive concepts, lifelong learning with a focus on logical thinking over dull memorization, equal opportunity for impoverished children, education for women, and universal and practical instruction.
Ivy Cromartie Stranahan
Teacher and Philanthropist | 1881 – 1971
Often referred to as the "mother of Fort Lauderdale," Ivy Stranahan was the city's first teacher of its one room schoolhouse.
And like the Acton Academy focus on peer-to-peer learning, Ivy was known for teaching her older students, so they could in turn teach the younger learners.
Ivy is also well known for supporting the rights of the Seminoles of Southern Florida and aiding them in moving to an Indian reservation.
She is closely associated with the Friends of the Florida Seminoles, an organization through which she sought to support the education of Seminole children, build homes and eventually to support themselves fully.
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Privacy Policy Your privacy is important to us. It is Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale's policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect from you across our website, http://ActonAcademyFL.com, and other sites we own and operate. Information we collect Log data When you visit our website, our servers may automatically log the standard data provided by your web browser. This data is considered “non-identifying information”, as it does not personally identify you on its own. It may include your computer’s Internet Protocol (IP) address, your browser type and version, the pages you visit, the time and date of your visit, the time spent on each page, and other details. We may also collect data about the device you are using to access our website. This data may include the device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, device settings, and geo-location data. What we collect can depend on the individual settings of your device and software. We recommend checking the policies of your device manufacturer or software provider to learn what information they make available to us. Personal information We may ask for personal information, such as your: Name Email Social media profiles Phone/mobile number This data is considered “identifying information”, as it can personally identify you. We only request personal information relevant to providing you with a service, and only use it to help provide or improve this service. How we collect information We collect information by fair and lawful means, with your knowledge and consent. We also let you know why we’re collecting it and how it will be used. You are free to refuse our request for this information, with the understanding that we may be unable to provide you with some of your desired services without it. Use of information We may use a combination of identifying and non-identifying information to understand who our visitors are, how they use our services, and how we may improve their experience of our website in future. We do not disclose the specifics of this information publicly, but may share aggregated and anonymized versions of this information, for example, in website and customer usage trend reports. We may use your personal details to contact you with updates about our website and services, along with promotional content that we believe may be of interest to you. If you wish to opt out of receiving promotional content, you can follow the “unsubscribe” instructions provided alongside any promotional correspondence from us. Data processing and storage The personal information we collect is stored and processed in United States, or where we or our partners, affiliates and third-party providers maintain facilities. We only transfer data within jurisdictions subject to data protection laws that reflect our commitment to protecting the privacy of our users. We only retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide a service, or to improve our services in future. While we retain this data, we will protect it within commercially acceptable means to prevent loss and theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification. That said, we advise that no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and cannot guarantee absolute data security. If you request your personal information be deleted, or where your personal information becomes no longer relevant to our operations, we will erase it from our system within a reasonable timeframe. Cookies We use “cookies” to collect information about you and your activity across our site. A cookie is a small piece of data that our website stores on your computer, and accesses each time you visit, so we can understand how you use our site. This helps us serve you content based on preferences you have specified. Please refer to our Cookie Policy for more information. Third-party access to information We use third-party services for: Analytics tracking User authentication Advertising and promotion Content marketing Email marketing Payment processing These services may access our data solely for the purpose of performing specific tasks on our behalf. We do not share any personally identifying information with them without your explicit consent. We do not give them permission to disclose or use any of our data for any other purpose. We may, from time to time, allow limited access to our data by external consultants and agencies for the purpose of analysis and service improvement. This access is only permitted for as long as necessary to perform a specific function. We only work with external agencies whose privacy policies align with ours. We will refuse government and law enforcement requests for data if we believe a request is too broad or unrelated to its stated purpose. However, we may cooperate if we believe the requested information is necessary and appropriate to comply with legal process, to protect our own rights and property, to protect the safety of the public and any person, to prevent a crime, or to prevent what we reasonably believe to be illegal, legally actionable, or unethical activity. We do not otherwise share or supply personal information to third parties. We do not sell or rent your personal information to marketers or third parties. Children’s Privacy We are committed to protecting the privacy of children who use our services. We encourage parents to engage with us in protecting their children’s privacy, ensuring a safe and enjoyable online experience. Please refer to our Children’s Privacy Policy for more information. Limits of our policy This privacy policy only covers Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale's own collecting and handling of data. We only work with partners, affiliates and third-party providers whose privacy policies align with ours, however we cannot accept responsibility or liability for their respective privacy practices. Our website may link to external sites that are not operated by us. Please be aware that we have no control over the content and policies of those sites, and cannot accept responsibility or liability for their respective privacy practices. Changes to this policy At our discretion, we may change our privacy policy to reflect current acceptable practices. We will take reasonable steps to let users know about changes via our website. If you are a registered user on http://ActonAcademyFL.com, we will notify you using the contact details saved in your account. Your continued use of this site after any changes to this policy will be regarded as acceptance of our practices around privacy and personal information. Your rights and responsibilities As our user, you have the right to be informed about how your data is collected and used. You are entitled to know what data we collect about you, and how it is processed. You are entitled to correct and update any personal information about you, and to request this information be deleted. You may amend or remove your account information at any time, using the tools provided in your account control panel. You are entitled to restrict or object to our use of your data, while retaining the right to use your personal information for your own purposes. You have the right to opt out of data about you being used in decisions based solely on automated processing. Feel free to contact us if you have any concerns or questions about how we handle your data and personal information. Data Controller Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale Head of School: Tobin Slaven info@actonacademyfl.com Data Protection Officer Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale Head of School: Tobin Slaven info@actonacademyfl.com This policy is effective as of 25 May 2021. Cookie Policy We use cookies to help improve your experience of https://actonacademyfl.com. This cookie policy is part of ActonAcademy Fort Lauderdale's privacy policy, and covers the use of cookies between your device and our site. We also provide basic information on third-party services we may use, who may also use cookies as part of their service, though they are not covered by our policy. If you don’t wish to accept cookies from us, you should instruct your browser to refuse cookies from http://ActonAcademyFL.com, with the understanding that we may be unable to provide you with some of your desired content and services. What is a cookie? A cookie is a small piece of data that a website stores on your device when you visit, typically containing information about the website itself, a unique identifier that allows the site to recognize your web browser when you return, additional data that serves the purpose of the cookie, and the lifespan of the cookie itself. Cookies are used to enable certain features (eg. logging in), to track site usage (eg. analytics), to store your user settings (eg. timezone, notification preferences), and to personalize your content (eg. advertising, language). Cookies set by the website you are visiting are normally referred to as “first-party cookies”, and typically only track your activity on that particular site. Cookies set by other sites and companies (ie. third parties) are called “third-party cookies”, and can be used to track you on other websites that use the same third-party service. Types of cookies and how we use them Essential cookies Essential cookies are crucial to your experience of a website, enabling core features like user logins, account management, shopping carts and payment processing. We use essential cookies to enable certain functions on our website. Performance cookies Performance cookies are used in the tracking of how you use a website during your visit, without collecting personal information about you. Typically, this information is anonymous and aggregated with information tracked across all site users, to help companies understand visitor usage patterns, identify and diagnose problems or errors their users may encounter, and make better strategic decisions in improving their audience’s overall website experience. These cookies may be set by the website you’re visiting (first-party) or by third-party services. We use performance cookies on our site. Functionality cookies Functionality cookies are used in collecting information about your device and any settings you may configure on the website you’re visiting (like language and timezone settings). With this information, websites can provide you with customized, enhanced or optimized content and services. These cookies may be set by the website you’re visiting (first-party) or by third-party service. We use functionality cookies for selected features on our site. Targeting/advertising cookies Targeting/advertising cookies are used in determining what promotional content is more relevant and appropriate to you and your interests. Websites may use them to deliver targeted advertising or to limit the number of times you see an advertisement. This helps companies improve the effectiveness of their campaigns and the quality of content presented to you. These cookies may be set by the website you’re visiting (first-party) or by third-party services. Targeting/advertising cookies set by third-parties may be used to track you on other websites that use the same third-party service. We use targeting/advertising cookies on our site. Third-party cookies on our site We may employ third-party companies and individuals on our websites—for example, analytics providers and content partners. We grant these third parties access to selected information to perform specific tasks on our behalf. They may also set third-party cookies in order to deliver the services they are providing. Third-party cookies can be used to track you on other websites that use the same third-party service. As we have no control over third-party cookies, they are not covered by Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale's cookie policy. Our third-party privacy promise We review the privacy policies of all our third-party providers before enlisting their services to ensure their practices align with ours. We will never knowingly include third-party services that compromise or violate the privacy of our users. How you can control or opt out of cookies If you do not wish to accept cookies from us, you can instruct your browser to refuse cookies from our website. Most browsers are configured to accept cookies by default, but you can update these settings to either refuse cookies altogether, or to notify you when a website is trying to set or update a cookie. If you browse websites from multiple devices, you may need to update your settings on each individual device. Although some cookies can be blocked with little impact on your experience of a website, blocking all cookies may mean you are unable to access certain features and content across the sites you visit. Children's Privacy Policy We are committed to protecting the privacy of children who use http://TobinSlaven.com and its services. This children’s privacy policy is part of our approach to privacy, and covers the way we collect, store and manage information provided by children under the age of 13, in accordance with the US Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). We encourage parents to engage with us in protecting their children’s privacy, ensuring a safe and enjoyable online experience. Collecting information from children At times, we may require information from children to enable participation in certain activities, for example, registering an account, customizing a profile, or receiving notifications. When collecting non-personal information, we encourage children never to provide any details that may personally identify them or reveal their location. We do not require children to provide more information than is necessary to participate in an activity. We do not use children’s contact details for marketing purposes, though we may use them for our internal marketing and research in order to improve the quality of products and services offered across our site. Parental consent In accordance with COPPA, if an activity does require any personal information (such as first name, last name, or email address), we will provide notice to and seek consent from a parent or guardian prior to collecting the information. We only retain collected information for as long as necessary to enable participation in the requested activity. In the event we discover we have collected personal information in a manner non-compliant with COPPA, we will either delete the information or seek parental consent. As a parent/guardian, if you believe your child is participating in an activity that collects personal information, and you have not received a notification or request for consent, please feel free to get in touch via our contact page http://ActonAcademyFL.com. We do not use parent contact details for marketing purposes unless marketing materials are explicitly requested. Safeguarding children’s privacy We take security seriously, and do what we can within commercially acceptable means to protect your child’s personal information from loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification. That said, we advise that no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and cannot guarantee absolute data security. Information abuse and community misconduct We do not tolerate doxing (publishing of private or personal information about an individual without their consent), cyberbullying, or other forms of information abuse on http://ActonAcademyFL.com. If we discover that a child’s personal information has been disclosed on our site without the express consent of their parent/guardian, we will remove the content in question as quickly as possible and effect disciplinary measures (a warning, suspension or ban) on the offending account. Third-party access to information We do not knowingly disclose any personally identifying information or personal information provided by children to third parties. We may, however, disclose anonymized and aggregated versions of this information (analytics and statistics) for business, marketing or public relations purposes. Parental controls and intervention As a parent/guardian, you may at any time refuse to let us collect further information from your children for a particular activity or account. If you have given us consent previously, you may log in to your child’s account to review, edit or delete the information, or contact us via to request the removal of the information from our records. Please be aware that the removal of certain information may result in the termination of the associated account, or withdrawal from the associated activity.