General Information

Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences is funded by the state of Florida, tuition free, multicultural, public charter middle school, which strives for academic excellence while providing all students with a small, safe, and intimate learning environment. Visit our website for a long list of our most recent awards and recognitions!

Enrollment and Hours

Student applications are received online, from families residing in Sarasota and surrounding counties. If the number of applications received exceeds our enrollment capacity, a lottery process will be conducted to fill enrollment vacancies. A student must be in 5th grade or above to apply. Our enrollment policies are included on our website or can be requested from our front office.

Grades: 6-8    Hours: 9:00a.m. to 4:15p.m.     Enrollment: 750 students                Class Size Average: 22:1

Curriculum and Special Programs

SSA+S’ curricula includes a program of studies based on the Florida Sunshine State Standards, with a focus on the holistic approach to educating the “total” child, via an interdisciplinary, thematic approach, focusing on the cognitive , affective and psychomotor domain, coupled with input from community partners and involvement in the service learning program .

Special Community Partnerships

Exclusively designed field trips to educational partner facilities, for classroom enrichment, throughout the year.

ABC Channel 7 TV Studios	G-Wiz Hands-on Museum
Mote Marine Laboratory	Ringling School of Art and Design
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens	Van Wezel
Ringling Museum of Art	Holocaust Museum – St. Petersburg

Service Learning

Mayor’s Feed The Hungry Campaign	Humane Society
Salvation Army	SPARCC

Special Programs

Visual and Performing Arts Show Choir / “Danz” Team / Entertainers / Jr. Thespians / Cheerleading / Chorus / Tiger Idol	Gifted Program / Odyssey of the Mind Competition / History Fair	Physical Education & Interscholastic Florida Gulf Coast League Sports – basketball, volleyball, soccer, golf, skateboard team, cross country, track, Karate (Martial Arts), and tennis
Band – Concert and Jazz Guitar Club Drum line	Advanced Academics for High School Credit – Spanish 1, Algebra 1 Honors, Geometry Honors, Speech 1	School-wide Violence Prevention – Bully Prevention, utilizing the 2nd Step Program taught to all grade levels.
Computer Technology / Graphic Arts / Ceramics / Pottery	Foreign Language – Spanish is required for 6th and 7th grade only, Spanish 1 optional for High School Credit for 8th grade	Science Fair – all grade levels are required to participate with a project
VPA Portfolio Development	Read 180 Program / Math Lab	Health & Wellness Education
Student Council	Exceptional Student Education	Pre IB American History
8th grade I. B. and MaST preparation	Model United Nations	Scholastic Book Fair
International Fair	School Newspaper – “The Independent”	Field Trip to Holocaust Museum
School Dances	E-pep and Career Choices Exploration	7th gr Field Trip to St. Augustine
Celebration Dinner & Auction  (adults only)	Arts Festivals & Gallery Exploration	8th gr overnight Graduation Trip to Universal Studios
Immigration Day / Colonial American Day / Native American Day	PTSS Sponsored Events	Greek Day / Egypt Day /  Explorer Day / Roaring 20’s Day

Before & After school Options

Before School Care is a FREE service offered starting at 7:30am, and is supervised by faculty members. A Sarasota County Food and Nutrition supplied “Grab and Go” breakfast is offered, and microwaves are available.   

After school Care Options: SSA+S offers various after school activities and clubs, with differing times and dates. Currently we do not offer a year-round, daily afterschool program. 

Alternative suggested programs and transportation offered are listed below;

• Walking distance to Selby Library (currently adding a teen center)

Current After school bus transportation from SSA+S:

• Boy’s & Girl’s Club / Fruitville Rd. (Ph# 366-3911)
• Girls, Inc. / Tuttle Avenue (Ph# 366-6646)
• Phoenix Academy / behind Sarasota High School & Alta Vista Elementary  – 2 blocks from either PAL Sailor Circus (Ph # 361-6350) or Frank G. Berlin YMCA Teen Center (Ph# 955-8194)
• Potter Park  & Crocker’s Lake Blvd – Walking distance to Evelyn Sadlier Jones / Potter Park YMCA and Selby Aquatic Center (Ph# 922-9622)

**Please contact these offices directly for their availability and student fees**

Sampling of a few of the afterschool activities offered throughout the year at SSA+S

National Junior Honor Society	Student Council
Service Learning Club	Drama Club
Anime Club	Club Unity
Terra Cycle Club	Martial Arts Competition
Jazz Band  / Guitar Club	Interscholastic Sports Program

Bus Transportation

Visit the SSA+S Website or contact Carl Williams, Assistant Principal, ext 202 for transportation needs.

SSA+S offers pocket pick-up throughout Sarasota County, utilizing Sarasota County School Bus routes. Manatee County residents are serviced by the SSA+S owned school buses for a minimal monthly fee. Pocket pick-up / drop off and seating availability is limited to first come, first serve basis, for the Manatee County Bus.

Lunches

Students have the option of participating in the Sarasota County Food and Nutrition Lunch Program with the countywide menu, purchasing A la Carte items such as pizza, bagels, “Clux Deluxe” chicken sandwiches, or bringing their own personal packed lunch. Microwaves are available for use. Mylunchmoney.com is an optional online service, which allows families to add money to their student’s lunch account and track purchases. Applications are available for the free and reduced lunch program through Sarasota County Food and Nutrition at 941-486-2199.

Uniforms

See the SSA+S website for full description of our strictly enforced dress code policy.

Uniforms may be purchased at:

Children’s World Uniform Supply

4525 Bee Ridge Rd

Sarasota, FL 34233

www.childrensworlduniform.com

PHONE: 941-955-6999 / FAX: 941-955-6990

Communication and Parent Involvement

Parent / Student Contracts - are required standards of excellence for communication, behavior, and work ethics.

School website – contains upcoming events, an electronic copy of Team News, sports schedules, and the school calendar.

Student Agenda Books – contain a complete student / family handbook, general school information, a daily planner, and a hall pass sign off. The student agenda must be with them at all times.

Team News – is a weekly, grade-level specific newsletter outlining each classroom’s activities for the upcoming week, long-term projects, school-wide fundraising and upcoming events, a hard copy of the attendance form, and a note to school. It is archived throughout the year online, under the student section.

Parent Teacher Student Society, Inc (PTSS) – 5 mandatory meetings per year + volunteer hours are required per family. (10hrs for 2 parent family & 5hrs for single parent family per year)

Edline – is an online service for parents and students to track their progress. (Activation codes are supplied to each family). This service also utilizes email communication to notify parents of upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and school-wide correspondence.

Connect–Ed – is a telephone broadcast system used to notify parents of a student’s unexcused absence from school that same day, detentions, and important notifications from our Administration or District School Board.

Raptor – is Security and Driver’s License scanning system offering initial background checks / security risk, for visitor badge sign-in.                                                                                                                             REV I- 071111KB