Compare International Schools in Jacksonville beach, United states

The Discovery School

Instructs in English

Ages 1 - 14 years

Fees $13,500 - 24,500

Pupils 351

Type Co-educational

The Discovery School in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, provides a Montessori-based foundation for early learners and transitions into the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) for grades K–6, with a Middle School that emphasizes decision-making and critical thinking in a low-pressure setting. Serving ages 1 to 14, the school blends Montessori philosophy with the IB framework to offer appropriate learning. Enrichments and Learning Support Services accompany core academics, and an OCEARCH partnership supports experiential science learning. The campus has grown through expansions, including Walchle Multipurpose Building (2010), I.D.R.E.A.M. building (completed 2019), and Peter and Jennifer Sleiman Building (2024), expanding upper elementary and middle school spaces. Distinctive features include hands-on STEM activities, world-language programs in Spanish and Japanese, music and theatre, and after-school options such as Summer Camp and After School Adventures. The program also integrates wellbeing through a Four Pillars of Wellbeing framework, community service, and athletic opportunities through NFISAC participation.

Location

102 15th Street South, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250, United States.

Stages

Toddler Program; Primary Program; Elementary Program; Middle School Program. Montessori Method and International Baccalaureate (IB) Framework are used across the levels.

Additional learning support

The Discovery School provides Learning Support Services with a dedicated Learning Specialist who collaborates with identified students, teachers and families to establish a comprehensive support framework. Services include small group reading intervention, targeted skill remediation, in-class assistance and classroom accommodations. Learning Profiles are created based on psychoeducational reports, 504 plans, or IEPs to address individual learning needs; progress is monitored through curriculum-based assessments.

Country affiliation

United States

School day structure

Program Hours: Precare 7:30–8:30; Toddler Half-Day 8:40–12:30; Toddler Full Day 8:40–3:00; Primary Half-Day 8:30–12:30; Primary Full Day 8:30–2:45; Kindergarten 8:30–2:45; Foundational Elementary 8:00–3:05; Lower Elementary 8:00–3:05; Upper Elementary 8:00–3:05; Middle School 7:45–3:05; Aftercare 3:00–5:30. School Hours: Regular business hours 8:00–5:00; Summer hours 9:00–4:00; Regular teaching hours 8:15–3:10.

Application and Enrollment Fees

- New student application fee: USD 125.00 (one-time; must accompany the online application).
- Enrollment deposit: USD 1,000.00 (non-refundable; required with the enrollment agreement).
- New family facility fee: USD 750.00 (non-refundable; required with the enrollment agreement).
- Parent Association dues: USD 200.00 per family, yearly.

Annual Tuition by Program / Year Group (2026–2027)

- Toddler Program
- 4‑day toddler, half day (18 months–3 years; Tue–Fri, 8:40 am–12:30 pm): USD 13,500.00.
- 5‑day toddler, half day (18 months–3 years; Mon–Fri, 8:40 am–12:30 pm): USD 16,500.00.
- 5‑day toddler, full day (18 months–3 years; Mon–Fri, 8:40 am–2:45 pm): USD 20,000.00.

- Primary Program
- Primary, half day (3–4 years; Mon–Fri, 8:30 am–12:30 pm): USD 16,500.00.
- Primary, full day (3–4 years; Mon–Fri, 8:30 am–2:45 pm): USD 20,000.00.
- Kindergarten (5 years; Mon–Fri, 8:30 am–2:45 pm): USD 20,500.00.

- Elementary Program
- Foundational Elementary (Grade 1): USD 21,000.00.
- Lower Elementary (Grades 2–3): USD 21,500.00.
- Upper Elementary (Grades 4–5): USD 22,000.00.

- Middle School
- Middle School (Grades 6–8): USD 24,500.00.

Installment (Per-Payment) Amount Examples and Billing Schedule

The school offers several tuition payment plans. Per-payment amounts below are calculated by dividing the published annual tuition evenly by the number of payments in each plan.

Payment plan schedule (due months as published):
- Annual Payment — payment in full due March, June, or July.
- 2‑Payment Plan — two equal payments due June and October.
- 4‑Payment Plan — four equal payments due June, August, October, and December.
- 6‑Payment Plan — six equal payments due March–August OR June–November.
- 8‑Payment Plan — eight equal payments due May–December.
- 10‑Payment Plan — ten equal payments due March–December.
- 12‑Payment Plan — twelve equal payments due March–February.

Per-payment examples (USD):
- For Toddler 4‑day half day (annual USD 13,500.00):
- 2 payments: USD 6,750.00; 4 payments: USD 3,375.00; 6 payments: USD 2,250.00; 8 payments: USD 1,687.50; 10 payments: USD 1,350.00; 12 payments: USD 1,125.00.

- For programs at USD 16,500.00 (e.g., 5‑day toddler half day; Primary half day):
- 2 payments: USD 8,250.00; 4 payments: USD 4,125.00; 6 payments: USD 2,750.00; 8 payments: USD 2,062.50; 10 payments: USD 1,650.00; 12 payments: USD 1,375.00.

- For programs at USD 20,000.00 (e.g., 5‑day toddler full day; Primary full day):
- 2 payments: USD 10,000.00; 4 payments: USD 5,000.00; 6 payments: USD 3,333.33; 8 payments: USD 2,500.00; 10 payments: USD 2,000.00; 12 payments: USD 1,666.67.

- For Kindergarten (USD 20,500.00):
- 2 payments: USD 10,250.00; 4 payments: USD 5,125.00; 6 payments: USD 3,416.67; 8 payments: USD 2,562.50; 10 payments: USD 2,050.00; 12 payments: USD 1,708.33.

- For Grade 1 (USD 21,000.00):
- 2 payments: USD 10,500.00; 4 payments: USD 5,250.00; 6 payments: USD 3,500.00; 8 payments: USD 2,625.00; 10 payments: USD 2,100.00; 12 payments: USD 1,750.00.

- For Grades 2–3 (USD 21,500.00):
- 2 payments: USD 10,750.00; 4 payments: USD 5,375.00; 6 payments: USD 3,583.33; 8 payments: USD 2,687.50; 10 payments: USD 2,150.00; 12 payments: USD 1,791.67.

- For Grades 4–5 (USD 22,000.00):
- 2 payments: USD 11,000.00; 4 payments: USD 5,500.00; 6 payments: USD 3,666.67; 8 payments: USD 2,750.00; 10 payments: USD 2,200.00; 12 payments: USD 1,833.33.

- For Middle School (USD 24,500.00):
- 2 payments: USD 12,250.00; 4 payments: USD 6,125.00; 6 payments: USD 4,083.33; 8 payments: USD 3,062.50; 10 payments: USD 2,450.00; 12 payments: USD 2,041.67.

Payment Methods and Administrative Details

- Accepted payment methods: check, credit card (Visa, American Express, MasterCard), or preauthorized ACH debit.
- Tuition payment plan selection and due months follow the schedules listed above.
- Families choosing installment plans that extend beyond the start of the school year are required to enroll in the school's mandated tuition insurance plan. Enrollment deposit and the new‑family facility fee are non‑refundable.

Tuition Insurance and Refunds

- The school requires families on installment plans extending beyond the start of the school year to enroll in the tuition insurance/Tuition Refund Plan; this plan is designed to protect the family's and the school's financial obligations in the event of withdrawal, dismissal, or extended medical absence.
- The Tuition Refund Plan provides benefits to the school for unused insured tuition under specific conditions (for example, it may pay 75% of unused fees for medical withdrawals and 60% for voluntary withdrawals after specified attendance thresholds); the plan's coverage definitions, exclusions, effective dates, claim procedures, and premium timing are set by the plan documentation.
- The school's Enrollment Agreement establishes the family's obligation for the full annual tuition; the Enrollment Deposit and the Facility Fee are non‑refundable.

Extended Care (Precare & Aftercare) — 2026–2027

- Precare annual rate (all levels listed): USD 800.00 per student (times/age groups vary by program).
- Toddler aftercare (monthly rates): 3 days/week 3:00–4:00 pm USD 120.00; 3 days/week 3:00–5:00 pm USD 240.00; 3 days/week 3:00–5:30 pm USD 300.00; 5 days/week 3:00–4:00 pm USD 200.00; 5 days/week 3:00–5:00 pm USD 400.00; 5 days/week 3:00–5:30 pm USD 500.00.
- Primary aftercare (monthly rates): 3 days/week 3:00–4:00 pm USD 110.00; 3 days/week 3:00–5:00 pm USD 220.00; 3 days/week 3:00–5:30 pm USD 275.00; 5 days/week 3:00–4:00 pm USD 185.00; 5 days/week 3:00–5:00 pm USD 370.00; 5 days/week 3:00–5:30 pm USD 460.00.
- Elementary & Middle School aftercare (monthly rates): 3 days/week 3:00–4:00 pm USD 105.00; 3 days/week 3:00–5:00 pm USD 210.00; 3 days/week 3:00–5:30 pm USD 260.00; 5 days/week 3:00–4:00 pm USD 175.00; 5 days/week 3:00–5:00 pm USD 350.00; 5 days/week 3:00–5:30 pm USD 440.00.

Uniforms and Other Routine Costs

- Primary, Elementary, and Middle School students are required to wear uniforms. Logoed uniform items may be purchased through Lands' End (preferred school number provided for ordering); non‑logo bottoms may be purchased elsewhere if they meet the dress code. Specific uniform item prices are not published here.

Boarding

- The Discovery School is an independent day school for students aged 18 months through Grade 8; boarding is not applicable.

Financial Aid and Application Costs for Aid

- Need‑based financial assistance is available through a third‑party process (Smart Aid). The cost to submit a Smart Aid application is USD 35.00 starting January 1, 2026.

Boarding Arrangements

Extended Care is offered; Aftercare runs 3:00 pm–5:30 pm.

Uniform Requirement

Uniform bottoms are worn with designated shirts. On Spirit Days, students may wear a Discovery shirt, a Discovery athletic shirt, a Mad Dash or Dolphin Dash shirt, or a Discovery club shirt with uniform bottoms. Spirit Items are available for purchase at the Spirit Store.

Food Options

Discovery runs a daily lunch program through MyFoodDays; menus rotate every two weeks. Parents may order meals to be delivered to the classroom, and families may also pack lunch.

Governance and Ownership

The Board of Trustees governs the school; Day-to-day operations are conducted under the direction of the Head of School. Discovery is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

The Discovery School provides a School Counseling Program that meets social, emotional, and academic needs through a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate approach, delivered by the school counselor in collaboration with parents, teachers, learning specialists, and administration. The program's curriculum fosters self‑awareness, personal growth, mindfulness, responsibility, and respect for others and themselves. In the Lower School, there is a schoolwide wellness program called The Four Pillars of Wellbeing and a Kindergarten abuse‑prevention program called Safer, Smarter Kids, along with small‑group counseling to build social skills and coping abilities. In the Upper School, the program also uses The Four Pillars of Wellbeing, provides short‑term individual and small‑group counseling, leads classroom lessons on social and emotional topics, and offers support to students in crisis. Parents can access consultations and referrals to community resources through the counseling program.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The Learning Support Services empower students with unique learning needs. A Learning Specialist collaborates with identified students, teachers, and families to establish a comprehensive support framework, fostering academic success and enabling students to reach their maximum potential. Services include small‑group reading intervention, targeted skill remediation, in‑class assistance, and close coordination with teachers to implement classroom accommodations. Progress is regularly monitored through curriculum‑based assessments, and Learning Profiles are developed based on psychoeducational reports, 504 plans, or IEPs to outline tailored accommodations. The school is deeply committed to providing support for students diagnosed with learning disabilities within the classroom environment.

Mental Wellbeing

Mental wellbeing is supported through a school‑wide wellness program called The Four Pillars of Wellbeing, implemented in both the Lower and Upper Schools. The Counseling Program provides short‑term individual and small‑group counseling to support students' social and emotional wellbeing, leads classroom lessons on various mental health topics, and offers crisis support as needed. The counseling team works as part of the Student Services Team and collaborates with teachers, parents, and the Academic Support Coordinator to foster well‑being. The program includes parental consultations to support their child's emotional development and access to community referrals when appropriate.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is integrated through the School Counseling Program and Student Support Services, including an Academic Support Coordinator and classroom accommodations to address student needs. The Lower School establishes a wellness program (The Four Pillars of Wellbeing) and a Kindergarten abuse‑prevention program (Safer, Smarter Kids) with ongoing small‑group counseling. The Upper School also implements The Four Pillars of Wellbeing, provides short‑term and small‑group counseling, classroom lessons on social and emotional topics, and crisis support; Parents can receive consultations and referrals for resources. Health and safety measures include emergency contact forms, health form and immunization requirements, and allergy management with appropriate signage when applicable. The campus operates a secure fence and gate system to regulate access during transitions, and weather/emergency notifications are distributed via Finalsite messaging.

Admissions

Step 1. Tours: Tours are open to families learning about The Discovery School; no application is required before scheduling. To arrange a tour, contact admissions@thediscoveryschool.org. Step 2. Application and Fees: An application for admission and a one-time non-refundable fee of $125 per child must be submitted. Submitting an application does not guarantee admission. Step 3. Student Visit and Assessment: An interview and/or an assessment with a teacher may be requested for children in the Primary, Elementary, and Middle School programs. Applicants for Elementary must show evidence of current standardized test scores (FSA, ERBs, MAP, Stanford/SAT10, IOWA Assessments, CPTs); Applicants for Middle School must share results of the ISEE (school code 571379); If test dates are inconvenient, Prometric testing is available. Step 4. Recommendations and School Records: Current school records, including report cards, standardized test scores, and performance evaluations, are required for students entering Kindergarten through eighth grade. Step 5. Admissions Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but it is encouraged to complete the process by January 31 as applications will be reviewed based on availability. Kindergarten students must be 5 years old by September 1 in the year they wish to attend. Step 6. Admission Decision: Siblings of students already enrolled, children of employees, and Montessori/IB transfer students are given preference in enrollment. Final acceptance and level placement are determined by the Director of Enrollment Management and the Head of School based on interviews, academic and social progress, and the balance of ages and genders within the classrooms. Step 7. Financial Aid: Financial aid is available as partial scholarships based on need; SmartAid provides an objective financial needs assessment. Step 8. Notification: Enrollment is official once the enrollment agreement is signed and returned with the tuition deposit and associated fees; the school requires emergency contact information, health forms, immunization records, birth certificate, and a release agreement.

Scholarships

Need-based scholarships are available; SmartAid provides an objective needs assessment. The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC), Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO), and Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) are accepted. Discovery can accommodate students who qualify for FES's Unique Abilities Scholarships in accordance with applicable laws.

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Compare International Schools in Jacksonville beach, United states

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