Academics

STEM

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) are foundational components taught to all our Lower, Middle and Upper School students. Through experiential learning opportunities, STEM engages our students’ sense of entrepreneurship, providing them with the skills they will need for their future.
Since 1924, The Out-of-Door Academy has continuously implemented new programs and strategies to meet the emerging educational needs of the next generation. Enhancements in our STEM facilities and curriculum has empowered our students and they have earned top honors in regional competitions in both elementary and high school levels.

Project-based coursework in STEM challenges our students to solve real-world problems. Their natural intellectual curiosity is stimulated through hands-on projects on renewable energy and marine conservation. Dissection labs demonstrate the internal physiology of organisms, while virtual software allows them to further explore organ structure, and the interconnectedness of various systems.

Cutting-Edge Facilities

In 2015, an 11,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art STEM Center was built on the Uihlein Campus in Lakewood Ranch. The Dart Foundation and Family STEM Center includes a STEM project lab, design and creativity center, a fully equipped marine biology lab, 3-D printers, robotics work stations, and updated classroom spaces. The Center overlooks a picturesque lake where students conduct scientific research.

In 2017, Lower School facilities were renovated to build a devoted STEM lab and a Marine Science classroom that features touch tanks and aquariums. The new Dart STEM Lab allows students to explore the world around them with innovative resources such as robotics, augmented reality software, video-teleconferencing, and 3-D printing. These spaces allow our young students to conduct projects and experiments and connect with scientists from around the world.

In 2020, a 13,500 sq. ft. one-of-a-kind Middle School facility was completed. This state-of-the-art facility includes an academic commons, world language, humanities, and visual arts classrooms. The first floor spaces include an e-Sports room, STEM lab, math classroom, science classroom and laboratory. Electricity for the building is generated and collected from solar panels on the exterior of the facility.

The Out-of-Door Academy

LOWER SCHOOL |  Historic Siesta Key Campus  |  Pre-K – Grade 5
444 Reid Street, Sarasota, FL 34242  |  941-349-3223  |  Fax: 941-349-8133

LOWER SCHOOL |  Lower School Campus on Clark Road  |  Pre-K – Grade 1
1101 Clark Rd, Sarasota, FL 34241   |  COMING SOON

MIDDLE & UPPER SCHOOLS
  |  Uihlein Campus in Lakewood Ranch  |  Grades 6 – 8 |  Grades 9 – 12
5950 Deer Drive, Sarasota, FL 34240  |  941-349-3223  |  Fax: 941-907-1251
The Out-of-Door Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, physical ability, religion, sex, age, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin.
The Out-of-Door Academy is an equal opportunity employer.

© 2023 The Out-of-Door Academy