American Global School where children embark on a Hero's Journey to find their calling and change the world
Management
Founders
Nadine & Jaco Joubert
Limitless Education Group CEO
Maryna Marais
Advisor
Jeff Sandefer
Advisor
Laura Sandefer
Jaco & Nadine Joubert
Founders
Nadine Joubert is a life-long learner with 20 years experience in secondary teaching both Nationally and Internationally in public and IEB schools.
Qualified with a BA degree in Human Movement Sciences and Psychology and a Post Grad in Education at NW University in South Africa.
4th Nationally in the South African National Teaching awards in 2018. National Teaching awards judge in 2019. SACE certificate for innovative teaching and volunteer in a pilot project for Disruptive education models with Royal Bafokeng Institute.
Subject Head in Life Orientation, Grade Manager, Head of Department in Sport (GR RR - 12) and a Mentor for her school learners in the Duke of Edinburgh's International Presidents Award and youth development programmes.
Various certificates in Health & Fitness.
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A firm believer in holistic childhood development and fostering a lifelong curiosity with children.
Started her entrepreneurship journey with her passion to offer disruptive education to her own children and creating change in the education sector in South Africa.
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Jaco Joubert has been an entrepreneur from the beginning of his professional career, from expanding TACFIT and CST fitness systems into Africa, to operating his own Financial Planning Franchise branch
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We are parents on a journey to find a better way to educate our 11 -year Jayden and 9 -year old Juvan
Maryna Marais
Group CEO
Mrs Maryna Marais has been the Principal and Chief Executive Officer of ORBIT TVET College in Rustenburg from 1 April 2003 – 30 April 2018 and is currently assisting the Department of Higher Education and training with a Turn-around strategy at Ehlanzeni College in Mpumalanga. Her career started in Education as an Accounting and Economics teacher in Hartbeespoort in the North West Province. After 18 years in the school sector as teacher and HoD she moved to the then Technical College sector where she was a lecturer, Registrar and Vice Rector before she became the Principal and CEO of the newly merged ORBIT FET College in 2003.
During her career she has been involved in various educational pioneering projects such as writing articles for newspapers and magazines for grade 12 learners, curriculum development for the National Senior Certificate for the then Technical Colleges, developing RPL procedures, piloting learnerships in colleges, etc.  Ms Marais’ experience as a lecturer, Registrar, Vice Rector and Principal provides her with the relevant knowledge, skills and competencies to have an excellent understanding of skills development what the objectives of an ideal educational institution should be
Mrs Marais played an important role in providing leadership in the TVET College sector and she has served on various College-related structures. The DHET has requested her services for various Ministerial Task Teams, i.e The FET Summit Woking Committee when the new Ministry for Higher Education and Training was created in 2010, Policy on Articulation, Funding Norms for TVET College, TVET College Bursary Scheme, Task Team on SETA offices at colleges, Task Team on Post Provisioning Norms and Standards, etc. She has been serving on the National Executive Committee of the South African College Principals’ Organisation from 2007 - 2018. In 2011 the Minister of Higher Education and Training appointed Mrs Marais as a Ministerial Appointee on the ETDP SETA Board and at the end of 2013 Ms Marais has been approached by DHET to serve on the National Implementation Task Team (NITT) as a DHET representative that has been overseeing the transfer of College staff to the employ of DHET in April 2015.
Having been involved in Education and Training for 45 years convinced her that education in the 4th Industrial Revolution era should focus on developing our young people for the demands of the labour market instead of focussing on outdated and traditional teaching and learning methods. Her passion for Education and Training is evident and therefore it is no surprise that when asked what contributed to her success she states boldly that one cannot be successful unless you love your work as doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life!
Jeff Sandefer
Acton Academy Co Founder and Advisor
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
Acton Academy Co Founder and Advisor
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 Staff
Nadine Joubert
Principal , Master Guide
My vision is that I want to create an environment where children can feel inspired and discover their own Hero within, and be happy. My mission is to empower learners to become the best version of themselves. Where they can reach their full limitless potential. I am an enthusiasts in the areas of mindfulness, holistic well being and health first fitness systems. I explore the mysteries of life be it through travel and the love for music and dance.
Jaco Joubert
Middle-school/Launchpad socratic guide & PE coach
Jaco Joubert has extensive experience in the movement industry, being African Director for the Fitness Systems; Circular Strength Training and TACFIT since 2012.
Diplomas in Neurology, Neurophysiology and Neuro Linguistic Programming. Currently completing his BSc in Business Administration.
Passion for new disruptive technologies and enabling children to contribute towards the future economy.
My vision is to cultivate health and body awareness amongst our Eagles, and to inspire a love for life long movement exploration and healthy holistic living.
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