Historical Overview
      

        Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences was conceived in the Fall of 1996, when the State of Florida sanctioned Charter Schools.  Seven distinct individuals [parents and teachers] interested in developing an innovative middle school formed the core group in beginning the process of writing the initial Charter.  An educational consultant was hired to promote and supervise the overall implementation of said Charter.  Charter schools must be unique in nature in order to be considered for approval by the State.  The founders of SSA+S all concurred that a successful middle school should be based upon a solid foundation of arts and sciences, and this type of school was needed in the Sarasota community. To accomplish this goal, a relevant multicultural curriculum was established, based on an interdisciplinary, hands-on, thematic approach.  The entire community was, and is, currently being used as a classroom involving students, parents, staff, local arts, science, environmental, and business contributors, all sharing a synergistic, collaborative vision. Accomplishment of strategic objectives was ensured through the creation of parent/student contracts, which identified expectations and the performance accountability necessary to achieve them.  The Sarasota County School Board approved the Charter on April 22, 1997.  On June 9th, registration began, and the first class of 50 sixth graders entered in August 1997.

        Located in the Rosemary district, we are in an historic downtown neighborhood that is part of a revitalization initiative supported by the City. The SSA+S Board of Directors chose the neighborhood because of its central downtown location near the Selby Public Library and other cultural centers such as the Asolo Theatre, Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota Opera House, Selby Botanical Gardens, Mote Marine Aquarium and Research Laboratory, Sarasota's ABC affiliate, WWSB Channel 40, Ringling Museum, Ringling School of Art and Design, G-Wiz (a Science and Technology Learning Center) and easy access to public transportation. 

        The growth at SSA+S has been substantial, in student population as well as in achievements over the past fourteen years.  Students attending SSA+S come from Sarasota County-at-large and from the southern portion of Manatee County. We are proud that our student population is made up of  35% minorities, allowing all of our children to truly live in a real world environment.  We are excited to report that SSA+S continues to achieve a very strong “A” grade from the Florida Department of Education and makes total Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for student learning gains in compliance with the Federal “No Child Left Behind” Act.  This school year we were one of two Sarasota County charter schools to earn the distinction of “High Performing Charter School” from the state of Florida.

        Our doors opened to 750 students this school year, and we are anxious to move into our brand new facilities.  Our new three-story building will house most of our programs and classrooms, while the existing two-story building handles our needs for additional space.  Once we are settled into the new building, work will start to tear down the old building and a brand new gymnasium will then be erected.