The Island School

Get to Know Our Teachers and Staff

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Staff Group FY20 Resized

How blessed we are to call Boca Grande our island home! Its natural abundance of flora and fauna, beaches and skies of magnificent clouds and sunsets with birds on the wing, are obvious to all. Less obvious are the people who serve us in every area and make the continuing life of our community so rich and vital, such as the personnel of the Gasparilla Inn from management to domestic service, the medical teams of the Boca Grande Chnic, fire and police department members, our maintenance and construction crews, our restaurants and shops, to name a few.

The Island School Mission and Core Values

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The Mission of The Island School is to create an educational environment, which stresses academic excellence while nurturing the spirit of the child. Inherent in our philosophy is the belief that the responsibility for and ownership of education belong to the child.

Standards of excellence in early childhood education are based on a commitment to core values which are deeply rooted in child growth and development. It is a privilege to work with children. Accordingly, we dedicate ourselves to:

  • Appreciating childhood as a unique and valuable stage of development.
  • Recognizing that children are best understood and nurtured in the context of family, culture, community and society.
  • Helping children and adults achieve their full potential through relationships which are based on trust, respect and good will.
  • Respecting the dignity, worth and uniqueness of each individual’s learning style and thinking preference.
  • Honoring the gifts of every child, teacher, parent and Board member in our community.

NEXT: Read about our curriculum.

News from the Foundation

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How blessed we are to call Boca Grande our island home! Its natural abundance of flora and fauna, beaches and skies of magnificent clouds and sunsets with birds on the wing, are obvious to all. Less obvious are the people who serve us in every area and make the continuing life of our community so rich and vital, such as the personnel of the Gasparilla Inn from management to domestic service, the medical teams of the Boca Grande Chnic, fire and police department members, our maintenance and construction crews, our restaurants and shops, to name a few.

These quality people who serve us in so many key capacities are most often young parents raising children. Like all of us who are parents and grandparents, their children’s education is their top priority. They look about them at the local pubhc schools in South Florida and are concerned that they do not meet the high standards that they hold for their families, neither academically nor in values and knowledge of our democracy. Fortunately, through the foresight and generosity of island leaders, we are able to offer them an alternative: our Island School, a tuition/free charter school, under the direction of Jean Thompson, Head of School. Jean’s superb leadership since her arrival three years ago, has led to a robust enrollment and families actively inquiring about the school, to ensure a future place in The Island School for their children’s elementary years. Jean Thompson’s own words describe best what makes her leadership of The Island School so very special:

 

“I strongly believe that all my educational experiences were in preparation to serve here at The Island School. I am passionate about education and helping students. I loved the classroom and never planned on leaving, but I also had a vision that was bigger than the classroom. The Island School is the perfect fit because I can lead a school but also have direct contact with students. I am
working with students directly on a regular basis, and this is what truly feeds my soul. There is still so much to do on our quest to educate the whole child and give
students the best all /round foundational skills to be successful in life. From the first time I stepped onto campus, I knew that this was the school for me.”

Thank you for what you have done in the past and will do in the future. Truly, the future of our country has never depended more on an education of our young that emphasizes superior academics, good citizenship, and knowledge of what makes our country strong and great.

Paula Lillard, Trustee

News from the Board of Directors

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The Island SchoolFall 2015

I’ve always loved the start of a new school year, the excitement and anticipation, the back to school shopping, new pencils, crayons, and the promise of what’s to come. There was a lot of excitement and anticipation at the start of this year, especially for Nicole Tillotson and JT Tremaine, the two new teachers at The Island School.

Ms. Tillotson attended Florida State University’s College of Education. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in English Education in 2004 and received a Master of Science in English Education in 2006. She has previously taught seventh grade language arts in Orange County Public Schools and second grade reading at Park Maitland School in Orlando. In addition, Ms. Tillotson has taught literature and composition as an adjunct instructor at the college level. This will be her tenth year in the classroom.

Mr. Tremaine, who has always had a keen interest in science, technofogy, engineering, and math, completed his teaching degree at Edison State College and graduated in 2014. Before he began his teaching career, he worked in graphic design and information technology.

It’s hard to believe that The Island School recently completed its 15th school year and successfully renewed its charter for another 5 years! None of this would be possible without the support of our amazing community members, as well as the Board of Directors for the School and Foundation, who constantly and consistently demonstrate their unwavering support of a quality education for all children!

As 2016 rapidly approaches, we are looking forward to another successful $1,000,000 Island School Golf Shootout! This year the tournament is scheduled for Thursday, February 4th at the Gasparilla Inn Golf Club. This event offers golfers 18 chances to win $10,000 for a hole-in-one and 18 chances to qualify for the $1,000,000 post-event shootout with one golfer guaranteed to win $10,000! A post-event cocktail reception will allow all non-golfing friends of the School to watch the exciting shootout action and support the school at the same time.

Here is to another great year, with my heartfelt thanks for your support!

Margo Freeman, President

Get to Know The Island School Board of Directors

The Island School PTO Annual Fundraiser Dinner

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Chowder DinnerCome join us for this years fundraising event for the Island School PTO, “Chowder Dinner & Silent Auction.”

The parents of the PTO will be serving a variety of chowders prepared by many of your favorite local restaurants. Salad & desserts will also be served. During the event there will be a silent auction of various pieces of art donated by local artists.

Dinner will be served in the Louise Dupont Crowninshield Community House located at 131 Banyan St. from 4pm-to-7pm Saturday January 24th. $15 for adults (price includes a memento created by one of the Island School children), $5 for kids, cash at door. Silent auction ends at 6:30pm. All items awarded & paid for at event.

Can’t stay for the event? We will be providing chowder to-go orders as well!

Contact: Mark Teaney
E-mail: mteaney@earthlink.net
Cell: 941-830-3106

Open Enrollment Begins in March

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Admissions Process for the 2024-2025 School Year

Registration for current students is from February 1, 2024 to February 23, 2024.  Current students must return their registration form no later than February 23, 2024 to keep their seat for the upcoming school year.  If existing students miss the deadline they will have to reapply as a new applicant.

Once a student has been admitted to The Island School through an appropriate process, he or she may remain in attendance through subsequent grades as long as the registration deadline is met for current students.

The applications and waiting list do not roll over from one year to the next year.  Each year, prospective students will need to complete new paperwork and submit it by the open enrollment deadline.

Open enrollment for new students is from March 1, 2024 to March 28, 2024. If there are more applicants than spaces available, The Island School will hold a lottery to enroll new students.  Each prospective student must have a completed application and required documentation on file by March 28, 2024, to be included in the lottery.  After the lottery is completed, additional applicants will be added to the waiting list. The lottery for the 2024-25 school year will be held on Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 3:30 pm. Applicants are not required to be present.

The acceptance letter for new students who are not residents of the island have a contingency clause stating that if a new resident applies by June 30th of the enrollment year, they may take the place of the non-resident applicant.

Separate lotteries will be applied based on our enrollment policy.

In recognition of the officially sanctioned purpose of The Island School, the Board of Directors set forth the following:

Enrollment Preference Policy

  1. Existing students
  2. Siblings of current students whose families reside on Gasparilla Island.
  3. Children whose families reside on Gasparilla Island.
  4. Siblings of existing students who do not reside on Gasparilla Island, but whose families work on Gasparilla Island.
  5. Children whose parent(s) work at The Island School.
  6. Children whose families do not reside on Gasparilla Island, but whose families work on the Island.

Sibling Preference 

The Island School and its families benefit from keeping families together.  For this reason, The Island School offers admission preference for siblings. A sibling is defined as a biological or legally adopted brother or sister who lives in the same household (at least part-time) as the current Island School student.  No preference is given if siblings are not currently enrolled in The Island School.

Welcome to The Island School

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THE ISLAND SCHOOLThe Island School is a multiage charter school for grades K-5 in Boca Grande, Florida. It was founded and approved by the Lee County School Board in 2000. Its purpose is to educate the children whose parents live or work in the community of Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island, a small barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Island School strives to help each child develop their individual potentials and unique strengths. We provide a multiage, developmentally appropriate program with the belief that this is the best setting to encourage an inclusive family style learning context.

The Island School maintains high academic and social standards within a safe, responsive, and caring environment. It is within these contexts that we expect all students to take expanding responsibilities for their own learning, behaviors, and choices.

NEXT: Read about our Mission & Core Values.

Register Now for The Island School $1,000,000 Golf Shootout

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UPDATE: The 2016 Island Golf Shootout is “Sold Out” again. Thanks for your support. If you have reserved your 2016 Team, you will receive an invoice prior to the event. Sponsorships are still available. You can view them by click on the link below.

Please join us for the 3rd Annual Island School $1 Million Golf Shootout on February 4, 2016. This is an exciting event that has sold out quickly so register your team now. You can register online or call The Island School at 941-964-8016 to reserve your team.

2015 WinnerThe Island School $1,000,000 Golf Shootout on February 4, 2016 is a truly unique golf event in support of The Island School’s development fund. This event will offer golfers 18 chances to win $10,000, and 18 golfers a chance for $1,000,000. Plus one golfer will win $10,000 cash – guaranteed.

Here are the event details:

  • The Gasparilla Golf Club will be set up as all Par 3 holes. Tees will be moved up for many of the holes this year.
  • A hole in one will win $10,000 on any hole with 18 chances to win. Multiple winners are allowed on each hole.
  • The 18 golfers closest to the pin during the event will participate in a shootout. Prizes awarded to the 18 golfers who qualify for the shootout.
  • Every golfer in the Shootout will have a chance to win $1,000,000
  • Every golfer in the $1,000,000 Shootout will take one more shot. The golfer closest to pin from these will win $10,000 – GUARANTEED!
  • We will play 6-person teams in scramble format. Prizes for top 3 teams in the scramble. Teams cost $3,000.

All golfers, volunteers and sponsors are invited to a cocktail reception following the golf.

Register now to guarantee a place in the 2016 event. 

You can register online or call The Island School (941-964-8016) or Paul Courter (248-640-0212) to reserve your team or sponsorship.

If you cannot attend, please consider a tax-deductible donation to The Island School Foundation. Thank you!

About the School

The Island School is a multiage charter school for grades K-5 in Boca Grande, Florida. It was founded and approved by the Lee County School Board in 2000. Its purpose is to educate the children whose parents live or work in the community of Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island, a small barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico.

School Grade: A
School Accountability Report

Our Mission

The Mission of The Island School is to create an educational environment, which stresses academic excellence while nurturing the spirit of the child. Inherent in our philosophy is the belief that the responsibility for and ownership of education belong to the child.

Contact Us

Please contact us with any questions you may have about The Island School.

JenniferMatt@LeeSchools.net
941-964-8016 Phone

Head of School: Christine Oliver

The Island School
135 First Street West
PO Box 1090
Boca Grande, FL 33921

Office Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-3:00 PM
Summer Office Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM

2025-26 Island School Instructional Calendar