This year marks 30 years of excellence for The Seaside School, a public charter school system recognized throughout South Walton for academic achievement, strong relationships, and a future-focused approach to education. Serving students in grades 5–12 through Seaside Neighborhood School and Seacoast Collegiate High School, The Seaside School has built a reputation for preparing students not only for college, but for life.
At the foundation of The Seaside School’s success is a deep understanding of how adolescents learn, grow, and develop confidence. Across both campuses, students engage in rigorous academics while developing durable life skills including critical thinking, communication, collaboration, adaptability, leadership, and problem-solving that equip them for any path they choose.
At Seaside Neighborhood School (grades 5–8), students experience a learning environment intentionally designed for adolescents. Small cohorts, strong teacher-student relationships, and engaging, interdisciplinary instruction help students feel safe, known, and academically confident during these critical years. SNS is known for its focus on literacy, numeracy, inquiry-based learning, and the arts, while also providing leadership and mentorship opportunities that empower students to find their voice.
Community engagement is central to the SNS experience. Through arts programming, mentorship, service leadership, and community-based projects, students learn responsibility, empathy, and civic engagement, developing a strong sense of purpose and belonging while contributing meaningfully to the world around them.
This strong academic and developmental foundation carries seamlessly into Seacoast Collegiate High School (grades 9–12), where students experience a reimagined high school model that blends traditional student life with advanced academic opportunity. Students participate in athletics, arts, debate, leadership programs, clubs, and school traditions while also accessing dual enrollment and career-aligned pathways.
Ranked in the Top 2% of Florida public schools, Seacoast students benefit from highly qualified, relationship-driven educators, daily tutoring, and personalized academic and college planning. Many graduate, having earned up to 60 tuition-free college credits, often completing an Associate’s Degree before high school graduation, saving families an average of $30,000 in college tuition.
Seacoast student voices reflect the impact of this model. Fernanda Leyva shared, “I’m grateful for every single person and opportunity—everyone here is an advocate for me.”
Sullivan Stubley noted, “Seaside prepares me through its accelerated tracks.”
And Kincső Tischler emphasized the strength of relationships, saying, “The faculty genuinely cares about my well-being, and I have a special relationship with my counselors.”
Seacoast’s impact continues to grow through its expansion at the Northwest Florida State College South Walton Center campus, where the high school now operates within a new, state-of-the-art facility featuring an Innovation Lab, advanced technology and engineering spaces, and collaborative learning environments. Students engage with industry-standard tools while exploring fields such as engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, design, business, healthcare, and the arts—all without leaving South Walton.
As a tuition-free public charter school, enrollment at The Seaside School is completed through an annual lottery. Families interested in Seaside Neighborhood School or Seacoast Collegiate High School are encouraged to apply during the current application window from January 9th to February 13th.
With 30 years of proven results, a strong foundation of trust, and a bold vision for the future, The Seaside School continues to set the standard for innovative, student-centered public education, supporting students from early adolescence through college readiness and beyond.
Families must apply before February 13 to be considered in the open lottery. For more information, visit SeasideSchools.net.
