The Learning Cottage Preschool

Ivybrook Academy on North Honore Avenue is a locally owned campus, opened by an owner who left a 20-year career in public accounting to bring this half-day preschool model to families around Sarasota, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch. Our students range in age from 18 months to 6 years. Our day is a half day by design, with focused learning periods followed by play and rest. Classrooms combine Reggio Emilia group projects with Montessori hands-on materials, and teachers use ongoing assessment to adjust lessons to each child's skills. Children are placed by age and development in toddler (18 months to 2 years), 2-year-old, 3-year-old, and 4- and 5-year-old prekindergarten and transitional kindergarten classes. Lessons cover early literacy and phonics, math, science, social studies, creative arts and social-emotional learning, with music, movement, gardening and outdoor nature exploration. Rooms use soft natural colors and child-height materials to keep the space calm, and children wear their own clothes rather than uniforms. Tuition depends on the program and schedule, and families can join mid-year when space opens.

Sea of Strengths Academy is a private school in Sarasota for students with dyslexia and related language-based learning differences. The school serves Grades 1–12 and offers Bright Start, an early-literacy program for children in Grades 1–3 who show early signs of reading difficulty. Teachers use structured literacy rooted in the Orton-Gillingham approach, multisensory instruction, small-group lessons, project-based experiences, and mastery-based math. Students strengthen reading, writing, language, and math through explicit instruction and planned practice. Bright Start gives younger learners focused early-literacy support, while the wider school program serves students across elementary, middle, and high school grades. Families begin admissions with an inquiry and share available educational records so the team can review a student’s learning profile. The school may invite the student to a Shadow Day, where the family can explore the classroom experience and discuss program fit. Admissions decisions consider the student’s needs, classroom availability, and the school’s ability to provide appropriate support. This process gives families a chance to talk through a learner’s strengths, areas of difficulty, and goals before choosing a placement. Sea of Strengths organizes its academic program around direct literacy instruction, active learning, and carefully planned support across core subjects. In reading, the Orton-Gillingham approach guides structured, multisensory lessons. Small groups give students a focused setting for practicing new skills, while project-based experiences connect learning to hands-on work. The math program uses mastery-based instruction and includes language support. Bright Start adds an early-literacy option for younger students who need focused reading help. Together, these programs give families several ways to explore a school day built around structured literacy and individualized academic practice. The Sarasota school offers specialized learning for students whose reading and language needs call for explicit instruction and a deliberate pace across core academic skills.

Seeds of Life Montessori Academy is an AMS-verified Montessori school at 5805 Whitfield Ave in Sarasota. Children attend from 18 months through sixth grade. The campus is bilingual, with English and Spanish immersion, and the programs are Nido (18 to 36 months), Casa (ages 3 to 6), junior elementary, and upper elementary. After-school activities and community theater are available for families in Sarasota, Bradenton, Fruitville, Lakewood Ranch, Bee Ridge, South Bradenton, Bayshore Gardens, and Gulf Gate Estates. The program is inclusive and research-driven. Teachers adapt the curriculum to each child's strengths, learning styles, and abilities. Families can schedule a tour and apply through the enrollment process.