The School You Wish You Went To!
Would you prefer a traditional high school or the adventure of a lifetime?
Coming 2025
Our equivalent of HS is designed to help you find your talents and achieve your life purpose.
Each year our Learners build small businesses from the ground-up.
Launchpad learners get ready for real-world success by gaining valuable skills, mastering them through apprenticeships, and launching real startups, businesses, and projects. Learners will surround themselves with world-class entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, and heroes in the field they are passionate about.
Your teen’s Launchpad accomplishments will be showcased in a series of badges that will dazzle admissions officers at top-notch universities or convince prospective employers or partners and investors to join forces in a world-changing startup or their own business!
What Makes Our Launchpad Program Different?
- Launchpad learners are the center of their own learning experience so that their education is challenging and relevant, preparing them for college or the career adventure of their choice.
- We have gotten rid of traditional subject-based classes and teaching positions. Instead, staff and learners work in a tightly-knit team of ten-fifteen students. Exploring passion projects while mastering core skills is a common occurrence at Launchpad.
- We are a community aimed at preparing learners for a lifetime of leadership and service. Launchpad instills the importance of giving back to the community by encouraging a generous spirit in our learners through philanthropic projects.
- Our learners are challenged to develop personal character and virtue that will help them navigate their life using their compass kindness, hard work, honesty, responsibility, and a deep sense of life purpose.
- Launchpad learners can earn college credit while at Acton Patuxent as well as complete AP and Honors course work.
- We partner with other learning programs to offer Launchpad learners collaborative and engaging learning opportunities with learners worldwide. Launchpadders can select from various course offerings from engineering to earth and space science; our learners can choose the courses they take as part of their customized graduation plan.
Who is LaunchPad for?
- Want to set your own schedule and complete academic work at your own pace?
- Does traditional school bore you, or do you feel that school doesn’t work for you?
- Do you want to feel free to be who you are?
- Do you see things differently?
- Do you love doing projects and spending time with a small group of peers?
- Are you an innovator, artist, builder, engineer, programmer, or passionate about a social cause?
- Are you committed to being kind and doing your best?
- Do you work hard?
If any of these statements pique your interest, consider checking out The Patuxent School! You might find we are a great fit for you!
Learning at LaunchPad
- Students launch their own business
- No test, no grades, no homework
- Real world, hands on projects
- Field trips and guest presenters to extend learning beyond the classroom
- Earn College Credit through Community College while in Launchpad
- Fine art and music workshops
- Integrated fitness and sports
- Character education
- Hands-on learning
- Foreign language
- Robotics, programming, coding
Core Skills
Self-paced mastery of reading, writing, and math skills through deliberate practice and the latest educational technology.
Character
Develop character, uncover personal gifts, and create genuine relationships with others as you learn about yourself.
Curiosity
Learn critical thinking and powerful communication skills through Socratic discussions on topics from heroes to history to self-governance.
What Parents Say About Acton Patuxent (our reviews will begin on our launch)
Do you want your child to feel like life is an endless stream of opportunities?
Are you ready to learn more about The Patuxent School?
- Step 1. Visit our campus and ask lots of questions.
- Step 2. Begin your family’s application.