Finding A School for Hands-On Learners Near Cincinnati

July 25, 2025 Michael Miller 4 min read

Years ago, I sat across from a successful entrepreneur. Someone I respected deeply. We were talking about what came next for each of us.

“I’m going to start a school,” he said.

I laughed. “You can’t just start a school. That’s the government’s job.”

He shook his head. “You’d be surprised.”

That conversation stuck with me. It was the first time I’d heard of Acton Academy—a private, learner-driven model that didn’t follow the traditional rules. No desks in rows. No lectures. No busywork.

Just kids, taking charge of their learning. Asking questions. Building businesses. Solving problems.

It was my first real look into what alternative education could be.

From Montessori to Forest Schools: Making the Ultimate Wish List

Later, when my wife and I were trying to find a school for our oldest daughter, I sat down with a notebook and made a list of everything we hoped for:

Montessori principles: child-led learning with purpose and structure
Time outside, like forest schools in Scandinavia
Creativity and rhythm, like Waldorf
Project-based learning, like Reggio Emilia
Flexibility and freedom, like homeschooling
Leadership education, like an entrepreneurship and a Thomas Jefferson education.
A strong connection to the nature
A values-based culture that supports our faith
A place where kids could work with their hands and build real-life trade skills
A learning space that felt more like a farm than a classroom

I remember looking at that list and thinking: Surely someone has already built this.

We searched Cincinnati. Milford. Loveland. We found good places… but nothing that checked all the boxes.

Some Montessori schools were beautiful but had long waitlists.
Some homeschooling co-ops lacked structure.
Some outdoor schools didn’t integrate core academics.
Public schools didn’t align with our values.
Some alternative schools lacked business acumen.

The more I searched, the more I realized: I wasn’t just looking for a school. I was designing one.

The One Room Schoolhouse: Reinvented for Hands On Learners

As an entrepreneur, I’ve always believed in combining the best of what’s out there and making something my own.

That’s how I’m building Mission Farmstead’s Farm School for Homeschool Kids.

I’m blending the parts I love from models like Acton, Montessori, and Waldorf into something unique—a one-room learning studio in the middle of a working farmstead.

Here, learning will be hands-on. It’ll be real. It’ll be rooted in the land and the lives of the children who grow up here.

When my daughter showed a passion for art, I didn’t just hang her drawings on the fridge—I built them into her academic goals. That’s the beauty of Montessori principles and learner-driven models. I met her where she was and invited her into her own journey.

Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, and Acton Academy: What We’re Borrowing

I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel.

I’m learning from the best and adding my own soil, sunlight, and structure.

From Reggio Emilia, I’m taking a love of creativity, exploration, and child-directed projects
From Waldorf, I’m borrowing rhythm, beauty, and connection to the seasons
From Acton Academy, I’m building a culture of ownership, character, and purpose-driven learning

And I’m anchoring all of it on a working farm, because nothing teaches perseverance, resourcefulness, and meaning like growing your own food and caring for animals.

Homeschooling Values, Without the Isolation

There’s a lot I admire about homeschooling. The freedom. The flexibility. The deep relationship between learning and family life.

I’m carrying that same spirit into the academy but adding peer interaction, Socratic discussion, mixed-age collaboration, and hands-on work in nature.

It’s a balance between structure and spontaneity. A rhythm of work and wonder.

And it’s ideal for hands-on learners who need more than a desk and a test.

A Different Kind of Education Near Cincinnati

I want my kids to grow into confident, capable humans. To know who they are. To know how to use their gifts.

But not every child thrives in a classroom built for compliance.

Some need space to move. Others need space to think. Many need to build, not just memorize.

That’s why I’m building this farm-based learning model.

Mission Farmstead’s Farm School isn’t a traditional school. It’s an academy where hands-on learners will finally feel at home.

If you’ve been searching for something different near Cincinnati…
If your child needs more than a desk and a workbook…
If you’ve ever made a list like mine and thought, “Why hasn’t someone built this yet?”...

Come see what I’m building. I’m doing it for kids like yours. And for families like mine. Click here to learn more.

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