Marine Science Charter Adding Middle School Capacity at Its Key Largo Location

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 07/23/21

A charter school in Florida is seeing the sun rise on a new middle school. The middle school at Ocean Studies Charter in Key Largo is expected to finished by Thanksgiving, allowing the free public charter to enable its existing K–5 students to continue their education at the same facility.

While the school covers the basics—English language arts, math, geography, science and PE—students also study marine science. Each week, they take a field trip to connect their lessons to real-life experiences. Ocean Studies employs a full marine science teacher who works with small groups on projects.

Ocean Studies Charter Middle School

According to local reporting, the addition of a two-story wing facility will include four new classrooms with a courtyard and seating in the middle, where students can eat and learn "in the open air." During the first year, the school will welcome its first crop of sixth-graders, adding grade 7 and 8 students in 2022-2023.

On the curriculum front, the charter will allow its middle schoolers to expand their understanding of the environment of the Florida Keys and "start to compare it on a national and global level."

Once the construction project is done, the school will start work on an outdoor science lab and play area.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Pfluger Architects Announces Promotions of Seven Staff Members

    Texas-based architecture firm Pfluger Architects recently announced that it has promoted seven staff members to senior-level positions. One of the promotions is that of Dallas-based Senior Project Architect Chad Martin to Principal, according to a news release.

  • Addressing the Housing Affordability Crisis Through Creative Campus Development

    Many Southern California college and university campuses are living amidst surging housing costs, driving the need to house more of their populations on campus. Especially for community colleges, the need to support millions of unhoused and housing insecure students has become a prominent issue that lawmakers and institutions alike are trying to solve.

  • Craig Gaulden Davis Architecture Announces Merger with PBK

    Craig Gaulden Davis Architecture (CGD), based in South Carolina and Maryland, recently announced that it has merged with PBK, the largest K–12 architectural firm in the U.S., according to a news release. The firm will operate as Craig Gaulden Davis | PBK with 31 offices across the country.

  • Tennessee District Opens New Central Office

    The Franklin Special District (FSD) in Franklin, Tenn., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new 38,400-square-foot Central Office facility, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers to create an administrative space designed to boost productivity, collaboration, and employee wellness.