The Out-of-Door Academy, independent, preparatory school in Sarasota, Florida, United States
The Out-of-Door Academy is a private school in Sarasota with its primary campus on Siesta Key, serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across three locations. The main campus features historic buildings including a library designed by architect Ralph Twitchell, a theater from the 1930s, structures that once served as military barracks, and extensive outdoor spaces with pathways and learning areas.
The school was founded in 1924 by Fanneal Harrison and Catherine Gavin, two women who believed children learn best through outdoor education and direct contact with nature. Over the decades, notable figures including Thomas Edison, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jane Addams visited the campus, and in 1994 the Siesta Key campus was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The school's name reflects its core philosophy of teaching outdoors in natural settings rather than confined classrooms. Visitors can observe how current students and teachers continue this approach through outdoor classes and student-made stone installations along the campus pathways that connect learning to the land itself.
The main campus sits near Siesta Beach with easy access to natural learning spaces and public transportation. Visitors should note that the school operates across three separate locations, so it is helpful to confirm which campus you want to visit before arriving.
Students and teachers have placed painted stones along campus pathways over many decades, with each stone representing a story or symbol such as a peace sign made in the 1970s. This ongoing tradition transforms the campus into a living art gallery and archive of generations of learners.
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