The Classical Academy of Sarasota began in 2011. Our family moved from Colorado to Sarasota in 2010, looking for a quiet little life in the sun. Our school in Colorado was a classical school, and at first, we assumed that a charter school would be similar to a classical school. We very quickly realized this was not the case when our children started school at a Sarasota charter school. We loved our new home, but our children’s education was too important to us to keep them where they were. As we prayed through it, we believed we had two options because we did not want to homeschool long-term: move back to Colorado or start a classical school ourselves. We began researching and working in tandem with Hillsdale College and other classical schools across the nation to develop the best curriculum and philosophy.
For three years we refined and perfected these things, working hard to ensure we had the best pieces of various classical models. In January of 2014, we began hosting open houses and holding informational meetings at libraries and churches while we hunted for a location to start the school. In March, we took the leap of faith and began enrolling students and hiring teachers. Even then, we were blown away by how many parents were hungry for a different kind of education. We had hoped for 100 students, and we opened our doors with 187. On August 19, 2014, our first “first” day of school, TCA held its opening ceremony with students from Preschool through 10th grade.
In the 12 years since those early days, TCA has adapted and grown to meet the high demand for classical education in our area, all while remaining true to our founding mission, purpose, and philosophies. In October of 2024 we purchased 44 acres on the edge of town to become our forever home. As our school has grown, so too has our family. We started this school for our four children, and just as the Lord has blessed and grown the school, so too has he grown our family. In 2018, the Longenecker 6 became the Longenecker 9 when we adopted three incredible children from the foster system. They walked through the doors of TCA one day at a basketball game and our family was never the same. As our children have graduated, gone to college, and gotten married, we are grateful for the foundation the school and our community created in their lives. In 2024, our oldest graduated Hillsdale College and applied for a job at TCA with her husband. TCA had earned itself a name even at Hillsdale for being a wholly unique school, and they could not imagine working anywhere else. The legacy of this school is generational, and we are so looking forward to growing deep roots with you.
