Our Mission
OUR BELIEFS
- We believe each child has a gift that can change the world in a profound way.
- We believe in learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be.
- We believe our learning environment is a closely connected community of lifelong learners.
- We believe in a society in which people live a life of meaning according to their deepest beliefs and who take responsibility for their actions.
OUR PROMISES TO YOUR CHILD
You will:
- Develop a Hero's Journey.
- Enhance your curiosity and love of learning.
- Discover your unique gifts along with the dedication it takes to develop excellence.
- Understand the importance of a strong character.
- Experience the arts, the wonders of the physical world, and explore the mysteries of life.
- Celebrate economic, political, cultural and religious freedom.
Our Team
Chris Howard, Co-Owner
Chris Howard is the is the Co-Owner and founder of Acton Academy Curaçao.
Tracey Howard, Co-Owner, Lead Guide
Tracey Howard is the Co-Owner and founder of Acton Academy Curaçao and the Lead Guide in the Explorer Middle Studio. Prior to Acton, she ran a private coaching company and coached hundreds of high-growth entrepreneurs. She is an internationally certified coach with the International Coach Association, has a Masters in Public Policy, and specializes in conflict resolution.
Shira de Koning, Spark Guide
Shira joined our team in Spring 2025. With a background in nature education, Shira was a manager at a nature center for Staatsbosbeheer in the Netherlands, where she created engaging, seasonal activity programs for children, organized nature-inspired birthday parties, and led outdoor educational adventures. Everything she did centered around connection — to nature, to each other, and to joyfully learning by doing.
Bo van Otterdijk, Spark Guide
Bo joined our team in Fall 2025. Prior to that, she spent three years working in a Montessori daycare, where she learned firsthand how much learners grow when they're given trust, space and a prepared environment. She studied pedagogy management child and education and has a background in kindergarten. Those years shaped her love for child-led learning, independence and creating places where learners feel safe to explore. She believes a well prepared environment quietly does most of the guiding and she loves watching learners discover what they're capable of, and seeing their confidence grow as they do.
Hiring: Middle Studio Guide
Our location is growing quickly with amazing families and we are hiring a Middle Studio Guide to start this August 2026. You're invited to learn more about the role and start the application process.
About The Co-Owners
Tracey & Chris Howard
Hello, we are Tracey and Chris Howard! We are the co-owners of the Acton Academy Curaçao location established in 2024. In the last few years, we've been on a Hero's journey that has brought us here.
Tracey is an American and was private coach and facilitator for entrepreneurs and executives. Chris is English-German and a strategy consultant in the education sector and day trader.
We are parents to two boys, Liam (2019) and Henry (2020). In 2020/21, we moved from London to Germany and then to Curaçao. After two years, we decided to call Curaçao home.
We knew we weren't going to send our boys to a traditional school but weren't sure what to do. It was after we discovered the Acton Academy learner-driven model in 2022 that we knew it was exactly the educational pathway we wanted for our children.
Since an Acton Academy didn't yet exist in Curaçao - we felt called to open one ourselves. We are doing this for all families who believe every child is a genius who deserves to find a calling that will change the world. Thanks for exploring us!