| Out-of-Door Academy | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Sarasota, Florida, United States | |
| Information | |
| School type | Independent, Preparatory |
| Established | 1924 |
| CEEB Code | 101579 |
| Head of school | David Mahler[1] |
| Teaching staff | 54.1 (FTE) (as of-2007-08)[2] |
| Grades | Prekindergarten-12 |
| Gender | Coed |
| Enrollment | 600 (as of-2007-08)[2] |
| Average class size | 16 [3] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 10.6 (as of-2007-08)[2] |
| Color(s) | Navy and White |
| Athletics | FHSAA 1A (1B District 6 for football) |
| Mascot | Thor |
| Team name | Thunder |
| Newspaper | The Bolt |
| Yearbook | The Sandpiper |
| Endowment | $1.8 million [3] |
| Website | http://www.oda.edu/ |
Out-of-Door Academy is a college preparatory school in Sarasota, Florida. It serves students in prekindergarten through grade 12 on two campuses in the Sarasota area, one on Siesta Key and one in Lakewood Ranch.
In 2006, Out-of-Door Academy was recognized as a Cum Laude Society School, a distinction reserved for the top 1% of all secondary schools in the United States. Out-of-Door Academy is regularly voted "Best Private School" by Sarasota magazine.[4][5][6]
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The Out-of-Door School was established in 1924 by Fanneal Harrison and Catherine Gavin, followers of Belgian progressive education pioneer Ovide Decroly. Classes and free time were spent outside on the school's 20-acre (81,000 m2) campus on Siesta Key, with wooden cabins serving as classrooms during inclement weather and dormitories.[7] Over time, the classes were held indoors. In 1977, the school was purchased by 120 school families and transformed into a nonprofit organization, at which point the school became known as Out-of-Door Academy.
The Lakewood Ranch campus was established in 1996.[8] Seventh and 8th grades were moved to the new campus in 2000, and in 2008 the campus became known as the Uihlein Campus at Lakewood Ranch.[9]
The Out-of-Door Academy is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools[10] and the Florida Kindergarten Council. The school is a member of the Cum Laude Society, the National Association of Independent Schools, the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education, and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
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Out of Door School
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| Location: | Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida |
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| Built: | 1924 |
| Architect: | Ralph Twitchell |
| Governing body: | Private |
| NRHP Reference#: | 94001276 |
| Added to NRHP: | October 28, 1994 |
The Siesta Key lower school campus is on the National Register of Historic Places as Out-of-Door School. The 85-acre (340,000 m2) Upper School campus is located at Lakewood Ranch.[11]
Construction began in 2008 for a performing arts center at the Uihlein Campus at Lakewood Ranch, and the center opened in 2009. Renovation of the Siesta Key campus and construction of new athletic facilities also began in 2008.[12]
The academy's curriculum is a balanced liberal arts program that includes math, English, science, social studies, French, Spanish, Latin, music, and arts. Advanced Placement (AP) and honors courses are available.
Student groups and activities include art club, community service club, drama club, filmmaking, forensics, Habitat for Humanity, National Honor Society, newspaper, Relay for Life, SADD, science/environmental club, student council, Tri-M Music Honors Society, stargazing and yearbook. Community service is required for upper school students.
The Out-of-Door Academy athletic teams, known as the Thunder, compete in interscholastic competition in baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, sailing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.