Palm Harbor Montessori opened in 1983 after founder Christine Varkas realized there were no Montessori schools in the area. Varkas specifically wanted her children to attend a Montessori school. Varkas is a certified Montessori educator with advanced degrees and specialist credentials in education.
The campus is located on a large wooded property with multiple buildings. The campus allows children to learn in indoor and outdoor environments.
This is a licensed preschool and a private elementary school (K - 5). It is committed to allowing preschoolers to play with the intention of learning, and it emphasizes creative thinking development in the elementary school. New Horizons has a good reputation on greatschool.org, with its reviews showing school improvement as it pertains to social issues since 2005.
No mention is made on its website of the state's Voluntary Pre-K program.
Suncoast Waldorf School is an independent, nonprofit educational institution. The location offers a range of programs and facilities for students, including for kids in grades one through eight. Some facilities and programs include playgroup classes, mixed age kindergarten, a school store, as well as summer and early childhood programs. The school also offers after-school care and activities, including tumbling, gymnastics and guitar. The school is affiliated with the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America.
Cypress Woods is a public elementary school offering grades kindergarten through 5. It also offers YMCA-sponsored after-school programs, scholarship programs, chorus and an after-school band. Cypress Woods gives students the ability to develop leadership skills through programs like safety patrols, student council and a news crew.
Curlew Creek Elementary School is part of the Pinellas County School District. It is a state-rated high performing school and has 40 classrooms, eight of which were built in 2009. The school is located on the corner of Curlew and McMullen Booth roads.