Education - Education & Child Care
The Florida Keys and Key West are served by public and private schools, preschools, and a community college. Thanks to a visiting institute and college degree programs at the Boca Chica Naval Air Station in the Lower Keys, students can earn bachelor’s, master’s, and even doctoral degrees without ever leaving our islands. In addition, several institutions of higher education in Miami are within commuting distance. Also included in this chapter is a comprehensive look at the child-care scene in the Florida Keys and Key West. We explore traditional child-care services along with other handy (sometimes vacation-saving) options such as drop-in care, babysitting, sick-child and respite care, family child-care homes, and public after-school programs.
1. Big Pine Academy
City: Florida Keys, FL
Category: Education
Telephone: (305) 872-1266
Address: MM 30.2 Oceanside, Big Pine Key
Description: This small charter school on Big Pine Key is for preschool through seventh grade. Their curriculum is designed to ensure a safe and nurturing school environment teaching basic skills that enrich and challenge children’s lives and prepare them for their next grade levels.
2. Marathon Lutheran School
City: Florida Keys, FL
Category: Education
Telephone: (305) 289-0700
Address: MM 53.3 Bayside, 325 122nd St., Marathon
Description: A service of Martin Luther Chapel and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, a national Lutheran organization, Marathon Lutheran School provides education from kindergarten through sixth grade. Using the School of Tomorrow PACE program, Marathon Lutheran offers its students the opportunity to learn at their own speeds with several class levels combined. Established in 1987, the school requires students to attend weekly chapel service and take religion classes.
3. Saint Leo College–Key West Center
City: Florida Keys, FL
Category: Education
Telephone: (305) 293-2847
Description: Saint Leo College offers the only regionally accredited bachelor’s degree program in the Florida Keys. Located in Key West since 1975, Saint Leo is a private college that offers associate of arts and bachelor of arts degrees in business administration, criminology, human services, and/or human resource administration. Situated at the naval air station, Saint Leo College is open to all civilian and military personnel and their families in the Florida Keys. Classes are designed for the working adult.
4. Monroe County Public Library
City: Florida Keys, FL
Category: Education
Telephone: Key Largo, MM 101.4 Oceanside,
Description: Each library offers a free paperback exchange and ongoing book sale, with most titles less than $5. The libraries host numerous kid-friendly events and readings throughout the year. Call ahead or check the website for specifics.