Sarasota School Of Arts & Sciences Builds Anew

A Sarasota charter middle school that has received accolades for its teaching is getting a new building.

The Sarasota School of Arts & Sciences at 645 Central Avenue in the Rosemary District broke ground on a three-story facility on Oct. 27. Its board president, Laurence Eger, says the new building will serve as a showcase for talented faculty and exceptional students.

"Our school has probably one of the most diverse student populations in the Sarasota area," says Eger, who is an attorney with the Public Defender's office in addition to leading the school's board. "It's an A-grade school on all levels. And we will now have a facility that will match the excellence of the programs we offer. We have an outstanding academic program and finest teachers in the state, and now we'll have a building to adequately showcase those attributes."

Eger says that the first phase of the project, which includes construction on the three-story facility, is expected to be completed in March, 2011. The second phase, in which the existing school facility will be replaced with a new gymnasium, is scheduled for completion in 2012.

Eger helped found the school in 1996. It opened its doors to its first 50 students in August of 1997. Executive Director Pepar Anspaugh, joined its administration in January 2001, and his philosophy of "The Holistic Approach of the Total Child" has led the school to acquire Adequate Yearly Progress for the 2009-2010 school year and  an "A" school rating. Its mission statement embraces diversity and a teaching method that promotes learning as a way of life.

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Laurence Eger, Sarasota School of Arts & Sciences