An Education In Innovation For High School Students.
High school is an exciting time. Children are maturing into young adults and setting their course for bright futures. Since 65 percent of all Sarasota high school graduates go on to pursue college or a vocational program, your choice of where they attend is crucial to their success.
The good news is that Gracewater’s Midtown Sarasota location puts families within easy reach of some of the area’s best high schools.
According to Great Schools, more than 2,100 students attend 16 public, charter, magnet and private high schools in Sarasota County. Research shows that high schools that successfully support at-risk students are far more effective for all of their students.
Great schools ranks the top 5 in each area based upon a variety of measures, including academic performance and equity. Another organization, Niche, ranks schools based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, grade school ratings, and overall quality of the school district. Finally, U.S. News & World Report also ranks what it researches to the best in our area.
Because of the Florida Department of Education’s School Choice incentives, Gracewater parents can choose the middle school that best fits their students’ needs and aspirations, whether it’s right outside the gates or across the County.
In this third of a four-part series looking at elementary, middle, high school, and continuing education in Sarasota, we investigated a combination of rating resources to create a list of some of the top two middle schools in each category of private, charter, magnet, and public schools. Our goal is to help you make an informed comparison about the educational opportunities that surround Gracewater.
Public And Magnet High Schools.
The curriculum at Pine View School mixes traditional classroom learning with independent study, mini-courses and ungraded classes. Pine View School places a strong emphasis on parent involvement through volunteering and fundraising opportunities, open houses, newsletters and field trips. Students must maintain a minimum grade point average and complete advanced foreign language courses to graduate.
Extracurricular activities at Pine View include drama club, Model United Nations and National Honor Society. While Pine View School ranks 24th nationally, it is ranked the number-one high school in Sarasota County, according to U.S. News Best High Schools Ranking and 2022 Niche Best Schools.
Suncoast Polytechnical High students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Suncoast Polytechnical High School is 70%. The total minority enrollment is 35%, and 35% of students are economically disadvantaged. Suncoast Polytechnical High School is 1 of 16 high schools in the Sarasota County Schools.
SPHS graduated its first Senior class in June of 2012 and sits on a 66-acre campus that is shared with Suncoast Technical College. SPHS offers the Sarasota community a small school atmosphere by capping the total enrollment for students in grades 9-12 at 600 students. However, SPHS students have big and unique learning opportunities to accelerate in both CTE and academic coursework.
Suncoast Polytechnical is ranked number-one by both U.S. News and Great Schools, and fifth on the Niche rankings.
Charter High Schools.
Excellence through Integrity is the motto of Imagine School at North Port. The mission of Imagine School at North Port is to educate all students in a safe, supportive, individualized and challenging environment where they can learn to be contributing citizens of our community. Imagine School at North Port offers students the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Imagine School at North Port is 71%. Imagine School is ranked number-one by U.S. News and Great Schools, and second on the Niche rankings.
Sarasota Military Academy, founded in 2002, is a nonprofit, tuition-free, public charter school with two unique campuses offering quality academics, character and leadership development. It is committed to preparing students for college, careers, and citizenship by cultivating character based upon the steadfast values of honor, integrity, and respect. Sarasota Military Academy ranks first on Great Schools and Niche rankings, and second by U.S. News.
Best Private Schools Accommodating Grades PK – 12.
Elevation Preparatory Academy (EPA) was founded in June of 2013 as the academic component for the growing number of specialized sports academies in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. EPA is a coed multicultural private school which serves grades 8 through 12. Students representing 80 countries have attended EPA since its inception. EPA attracts highly motivated student/athletes from all over the world, whose ultimate goal is to matriculate to college in the United States. EPA’s diverse curriculum, unique student body, flex scheduling, competitive pricing, and specialized programs provide a one of a kind educational experience.
Sarasota’s longest-established private Christian school, Sarasota Christian School has been named the Best Private School and the Best Preschool by Family Living Magazine’s reader’s choice poll. Founded in 1958, Sarasota Christian School began with only 15 students and has grown into a community of over 450 students and 1,000 alumni.
Reserve your place at Gracewater, where your children can benefit from unparalleled educational opportunities.
Homesite reservations are now available, and the first homes are expected to start construction this fall. To learn more, visit www.gracewatersrq.com or call 941-841-1833.