The Indian River County School District is phasing in a classical education program at Pelican Island Elementary School, hoping it will serve as a blueprint for similar programs at other schools here.
This will be only the second district-operated public classical program in Florida, and the school has been renamed Pelican Island Classical Magnet School. Other classical schools in Florida are charter or private schools.
“Classical education is like a very large museum with many beautiful, wonder-filled rooms that could be studied over a lifetime,” according to Classical Academic Press. “It is a long tradition of education that has emphasized the seeking after truth, goodness, and beauty and the study of the liberal arts and the great books. This approach to education also includes the study of Latin. The classical approach teaches students how to learn and how to think.”
The new program comes in a context of dramatically improved public education in the county under the leadership of Superintendent David Moore, who has expressed a determination to make public schools competitive with the growing number of private schools in the county.
“Launching Pelican Island Classical Magnet reflects the district’s commitment to innovation, choice, and excellence in education,” said Moore. “By offering a classical model within the public school system, we are meeting the needs of students and preparing them with the knowledge, skills and values that will inspire success well into the future, while maintaining the highest standards of access.”
The classical education model at the renamed school will start with the youngest students and be expanded to all grades by the 2028-2029 school year, said Kyra Schafte, the district’s director of strategic communications and marketing. The school is expanding enrollment to include students from kindergarten through 8th grade.
“We believe [the classical school program] will improve academic outcomes, social development and long-term student readiness,” Schrafte said.
An aggressive school voucher program that went into effect in Florida in July 2023 provides up to $8,500 per child for parents who want to send their children to private schools, putting pressure on public schools to retain students.
In October 2023, the school board here responded by authorizing Moore and other district officials to explore a variety of education models and begin visiting schools that have applied them, Schrafte said. At the same time, parents were surveyed to find out what sort of school they would like to see in the northern section of the county. Classical was the preferred model.
Teachers from the school visited True North Classical Academy in Miami and Jacksonville Classical Academy and attended in-depth workshops. They were also asked to pair up with mentors and join consulting cohorts, Schrafte said. The district also collaborated with Flagler College’s Classical Institute.
“This is a great, positive opportunity to be part of something new in education in our state,” said Jennifer Justice, principal of the new school, who has been with the district for 25 years as a teacher and principal. “It’s a unique opportunity that grows our school and helps students make connections to their daily lives outside of the school walls.”
Pelican Island Classical Magnet School is fully enrolled and has a waiting list, according to Justice.
Photos by Joshua Kodis