Seaside Neighborhood School is a public charter school in the Walton County School System - learn more at http://www.seasideschool.net
https://websites.omegafi.com/omegaws/seasidefoundation/campaign/why-a-campaign-2/?doing_wp_cron=1387938294.5754039287567138671875
A growing year-round population . . . few high school options . . . overcrowded elementary schools . . . academic scores that are slipping . . . these are the challenges facing the citizens of South Walton County. These are the challenges the Seaside Neighborhood School hopes to address with your help by expanding and building a new:
Overcrowding is already an issue. The Walton County School Board recently moved fifth graders from Bay Elementary and Van R. Butler Elementary to area middle schools to relieve the congestion. There is talk of moving fourth graders as well.
Building a new elementary school within the Seaside charter will begin to address this problem, but there are other challenges, as well.
The data appears to show that the fifth graders who left Bay and Butler for Emerald Coast and Freeport Middle Schools performed worse after the move to the middle school environment.
In addition to elementary school challenges, problems persist at the high school level as well. Each year, some of our best and brightest students flee the County to pursue high school opportunities in Niceville and elsewhere.
There’s more we can do to enhance public education opportunities for children and to provide more options for parents. If South Walton is to thrive and grow as a year-round community, we must do better.
The Seaside Solution: A Crown Jewel in the Heart of 30A
Since its founding, Seaside School has been a unique experiment that has turned into a nationally-recognized resource for the community. Consider some of the accomplishments and features of this innovative school:
We believe the time is right to take this same approach and commitment to public education by implementing the Seaside solution for a student’s entire pre-college academic career throughout grades K through 12.
Advantages of a Small School
Why a Sense of Belonging is Important
When students feel they belong, they experience:
Sense of belonging recognizes the importance of the teacher-student relationship and active involvement of life in the classroom and community.
https://websites.omegafi.com/omegaws/seasidefoundation/campaign/why-a-campaign-2/?doing_wp_cron=1387938294.5754039287567138671875
A growing year-round population . . . few high school options . . . overcrowded elementary schools . . . academic scores that are slipping . . . these are the challenges facing the citizens of South Walton County. These are the challenges the Seaside Neighborhood School hopes to address with your help by expanding and building a new:
- Elementary school campus and
- Seacoast Collegiate High school with Northwest Florida State College
Overcrowding is already an issue. The Walton County School Board recently moved fifth graders from Bay Elementary and Van R. Butler Elementary to area middle schools to relieve the congestion. There is talk of moving fourth graders as well.
Building a new elementary school within the Seaside charter will begin to address this problem, but there are other challenges, as well.
The data appears to show that the fifth graders who left Bay and Butler for Emerald Coast and Freeport Middle Schools performed worse after the move to the middle school environment.
In addition to elementary school challenges, problems persist at the high school level as well. Each year, some of our best and brightest students flee the County to pursue high school opportunities in Niceville and elsewhere.
There’s more we can do to enhance public education opportunities for children and to provide more options for parents. If South Walton is to thrive and grow as a year-round community, we must do better.
The Seaside Solution: A Crown Jewel in the Heart of 30A
Since its founding, Seaside School has been a unique experiment that has turned into a nationally-recognized resource for the community. Consider some of the accomplishments and features of this innovative school:
- Ranked the third highest performing out of 583 middle schools in the State of Florida
- Florida Department of Education’s “A” rating for 2011
- 100% of students taking the 2012 Algebra 1 EOC scored a level 5 (the highest score)
- 100% of students taking the 2012 Geometry EOC scored a level 3 (the highest score in 2012 for Geometry). One student made a perfect score on the Geometry EOC.
- Low student-to-teacher ratio
- Strong parental involvement
- Community faculty members
- Curriculum that is developmentally responsive, performance based and interdisciplinary
- A small school environment
We believe the time is right to take this same approach and commitment to public education by implementing the Seaside solution for a student’s entire pre-college academic career throughout grades K through 12.
Advantages of a Small School
- Attitudes are more positive toward school subjects
- Extracurricular participation is higher
- Attendance is better
- Smaller percentage of students drop out
- Academic achievement is higher
- Higher rate of parent participation
- Students and staff have stronger personal efficacy
- Students are held accountable
- Students have a greater sense of belonging
Why a Sense of Belonging is Important
When students feel they belong, they experience:
- An enhanced sense of self-worth
- Increased self-confidence
- More motivation
- Higher expectations for success
- A stronger belief in their academic work
Sense of belonging recognizes the importance of the teacher-student relationship and active involvement of life in the classroom and community.