The Barrett School offers STEM education in Destin – Yurika.R

With nearly 100 students enrolled, The Barrett School will open its doors on Aug. 19 in the heart of Destin. 

Located in the two-story building at 4405 Commons Drive East, The Barrett School is a private school offering “academic excellence and innovation in STEM education,” according to a new release. 

Currently there are 93 students enrolled in kindergarten through 12^th grade. 

“But we continue to enroll students each day,” said Adrienne Seaborn, director of clinic services at the school, in an email. 

“Our initial goal for this school year was 60 students,” she said, noting they are now shooting for 100. 

The maximum student capacity for The Barrett School is 160 students. They hope to reach that for the 2025-26 school year. 

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The Barrett School curriculum is centered around science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

“Our goal at The Barrett School is to ignite a passion for learning and exploration in our students,” said Matthew Weinberg, dean of academics at The Barrett School, in a news release. 

“By integrating STEM disciplines into our daily curriculum, we aim to equip our students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving world,” Weinberg said. 

The Barrett School goes beyond academics. 

“We are excited to be a part of the Destin community and look forward to contributing to its vibrant culture,” Weinberg said. “By instilling a sense of civic duty and social responsiblilty in our students, we hope to inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators.” 

Tuition

Tuition for The Barrett School is $13,000 per student. The school does not offer a tuition discount for multiple children in a family. 

However, the school does offer financial support options for students, including tuition payment plans, assistance and “soon the ability to accept the Step Up for Students scholarship,” according to their website. 

School hours

The Barrett School programs begin at 8:30 a.m. and go until 2:30 p.m. To alleviate traffic congestion on Commons Drive, the school has a staggered dropoff and pickup times, starting as early as 8:10 a.m. and ending at 2:50 p.m., according to their website. 

Story behind the name

The Barrett School is named after what was to be the school’s first location, a small 600-square-foot office space in Rosemary Beach on South Barrett Square, according to Seaborn. 

“My sister, Audrey Hill, and I were initially going to open a preschool and therapy clinic and limit enrollment to less than 20 students. We named it The Barrett School,” she said. 

Seaborn explained that friends Matt and Alex Weinberg (brothers) became interested in working with them. The brothers offered to search for a bigger place and soon found the place in Destin. 

They closed on the building in March. 

“We moved at the end of May and have worked diligently to prepare the space to open to students on August 19,” Seaborn said. 

“We are in the home stretch and so excited to meet our new families,” she said. 

For more information about The Barrett School, go to www.thebarrettschoolfl.org