Hi 👋 We're The Webers

When our youngest was born, we started having some big conversations about our kids’ future — especially their education. We’re proud West Perry graduates and love this community, but we felt drawn toward something different for our own family. We wanted a learning environment that builds independence, curiosity, character, and a genuine love of learning.

Then we heard about Acton Academy. One click led to another, and before long we were watching every video we could find and talking late into the night about what school could look like. This was exactly what we’d been looking for.

After quickly realizing that there wasn’t an Acton Academy close enough to serve our family, we said something that felt both bold and a little crazy: “Let’s start our own school.”

After months of research and completing the audition process, we were accepted in March of 2025 to open an Acton Academy right here in Perry County. From there, Hero Schoolhouse was born.

It’s been a bumpy journey, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. As is at Acton, we are embracing the challenging, but purposeful work and know that failure and growth are hand-in-hand.

Our vision for Hero Schoolhouse is to develop the next generation of leaders for this community we deeply care about. We want to be intentional about building a learning environment rooted in the Acton model — one that welcomes families who believe deeply in learner-driven education and are committed to growing alongside their children.

We look forward to serving you.

With gratitude,

With gratitude, Jake & Cloie Weber
The Weber family
Girl and mom learning together

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.

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.

Children learning with laptops

Our Team

Jake Weber profile picture

Jake Weber

Co-Founder

My path to launching Hero Schoolhouse closely mirrors the very Hero's Journey every learner will experience at Acton. I spent most of my career as a marketing leader in the outdoor industry, focused on strategy to connect Pennsylvanians to the outdoors.

Around the same time Cloie and I were discovering the Acton Academy model, I was experiencing pivotal moments in my own Hero's Journey - becoming free from limiting mindsets, and stepping into entrepreneurship. I realized I didn't need permission, perfect timing, or all the answers to begin, and with a growth mindset, I began tackling the challenge of launching a school for the community.

The journey has stretched and shaped me in ways I never expected. Today, I'm passionate about building Hero Schoolhouse as a place where young heroes take ownership of their learning, embrace meaningful challenges, and discover the unique gifts they are meant to bring to the world.

Cloie Weber profile picture

Cloie Weber

Co-Founder

I was born and raised in Perry County and feel incredibly grateful to still call it home. Today, Jake and I are raising our children on the same farm where I grew up, which makes passing on the values that shaped my childhood even more meaningful. Life on the farm taught me the importance of hard work, responsibility, and appreciation for the land — lessons that continue to shape our family today.

Jake and I take great pride in the life we are building for our family. In a world that often feels rushed and noisy, we have learned the importance of slowing down and focusing on what truly matters. We believe childhood should be filled with curiosity, meaningful work, and opportunities to grow through real challenges. Our goal as parents is to give our children the space to explore their interests, take ownership of their learning, and discover who they are meant to become.

Being a wife and mother is the role I am most proud of. Our family is my foundation, my balance, and my greatest joy. I also deeply value the roles I play as a friend, sister, and daughter, and the relationships that connect our community.

Professionally, I run a full-time insurance agency that serves farmers and growers throughout our region. Working alongside families in agriculture keeps me closely connected to the rhythms of the land and the values of perseverance, patience, and stewardship. Farming reminds us that growth doesn't happen overnight — it requires effort, resilience, and a willingness to learn along the way.

Those same lessons are at the heart of the Acton philosophy. We believe every child is on a Hero's Journey — capable of far more than they realize. It is inspiring to watch young people step into challenges, discover their strengths, and grow into courageous learners who will use their gifts to serve others and make the world a better place.

Nicolle profile picture

Nicolle Binger

Lead Sparks Guide

I can remember in preschool wanting to grow up and become an educator. Ever since those early dreams, I have relentlessly pursued that passion. I am a proud West Perry graduate and spent the last eight years teaching 6th grade math at West Perry Middle School. I received my Bachelor's degree in Middle Level Math and History Education from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and my Master's degree in Reading Education from East Carolina University. In addition, I hold a certification in Health and Physical Education from Messiah University.

While the Mustangs will always hold a special place in my heart, I have come to an understanding of what I would like for my own family regarding their education. My husband and I had been discussing alternative education options for our four children, such as Acton Academy, when Jake and Cloie shared their plans to open an Acton Academy of their own. We felt it was God's timing that brought us together and are so excited to see our children and this community thrive through Hero Schoolhouse.

I'm thrilled to become part of this amazing experience for our young learners. Over the years, I have discovered that everyone learns differently, and I look forward to supporting our heroes as they unleash their full potential.

Our Advisors

Jeff Sandefer profile picture

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 profile picture

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 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.

Heroes Journey World Changer

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