The Academy is for boys and girls, ages 6-12. If your child is turning six during the spring term, we will allow them to enroll. Example: your child turns six between Feb 3 and May 5. Unfortunately, no other exceptions will be made. Similarly, children who are still 12 at any time between Feb 3 and May 5 are permitted to attend as students. In the future, we are excited to offer a student helper position for select Academy alumni (ages 13 and 14) to work with Recess in a leadership role.

Yes! We are excited to provide a fun team atmosphere and there is something about a uniform that sets the tone for a sense of belonging and responsibility. Uniforms are $40 per child at registration. Recess hat, shirt and socks will be provided. Please send your child in black bottoms and close toed tennis shoes. Although hats are provided, they are not required to wear as part of the uniform.

Please pack a nourishing lunch and snacks, and don’t forget a water bottle! We will have a water cooler on site for refills, but students are responsible for bringing their own bottle, lunch and snacks.

Each academy team will consist of no more than 35 students, with three lead staff and one student intern or volunteer staff per class, depending on class size. Student-to-adult ratio will range depending on class size on average from 8:1 to 12:1. This is not a daycare - our staff are wholeheartedly committed to our students growth, safety and connection.

Good question! Considering drop off, pickup, scheduled breaks, lunch, teaching times and other low-impact activities and challenges, we plan for two of the four hours to be highly active, while the remaining time will be lower-impact, discussion and rest. Many of our activities are exercising the brain, focus and balance and do not require physical exertion. If we do our job right, your kids should definitely sleep well, but we have mindfully designed our schedule to accommodate the need for both rest and exertion.

No! The Academy is not focused on any traditional sports; however, there will be games with various elements of throwing, kicking, catching, etc. In no way does your child need to be an athlete to excel at Recess. The Academy prizes effort and improvement and creates an environment of safety and encouragement. Although physical performance is not the focus, it is a focus and you can expect your child to grow in strength, balance, coordination and endurance. More than that, we view physical challenges as a practical opportunity to build resilience, self-mastery and confidence.

Our favorite question! Competition gets a bad rap in our win at all cost, every man for himself world, and we understand. When our identities become tied to performance, and our own glory and self-interest are prioritized over the greater good, we’re in dangerous territory - a territory we steer very intentionally clear of. But competition is not the villain. At Recess, we are redefining what it means to be a winner and healthy competition is a powerful ingredient in that recipe. Competition, in its rightful place, pushes us to be better, to work harder, to grow and to overcome. It fosters resilience, grit and determination. It provides us the invaluable opportunity of learning both how to win and to lose - with honor and humility and heads held high regardless of the outcome, knowing that we gave our best. At the end of the day, life is a very long game and kindness, work ethic and strength of character always win.

All Recess staff are first aid and CPR certified, just in case! Additionally, all staff and volunteers are required to pass a background check before working with students in any capacity and adhere to our Recess Staff and Volunteer Code of Conduct. First and foremost, our staff are men and women of integrity who love kids and want to make an impact. There is no greater privilege or responsibility than to be entrusted with your children and we take that very seriously. If you have any safety questions or concerns, or would like to see a copy of our Staff and Volunteer Code of Conduct, please do not hesitate to ask.

The Academy is an outdoor program and while we cannot guarantee ideal conditions, we are lucky to live in a part of the world that is ideal more often than not. In the event of unsafe weather (thunderstorms, extreme heat index or extreme cold) we will do our absolute best to secure an indoor location; however, this cannot be guaranteed. If an indoor location cannot be secured, classes will be rescheduled for Saturday or Sunday. If for any reason class cannot be rescheduled or your student is unable to attend a rescheduled class more than two times, you will be reimbursed in full for classes missed after two missed classes.

Yes. Think of The Academy as you would signing up for any sports season or private academy. Your tuition insures your student’s place in the program; however, it is your responsibility to prioritize attendance. Spaces are limited and each student is taking a roster spot whether they are absent or not.

A nonrefundable, non-transferable fee of $200 is due at time of enrollment to secure your student's place in The Academy. The registration fee will be applied to the tuition balance and is NOT in addition to the total tuition cost.

If a student withdraws after enrolling at any time, the $200 registration fee is forfeited.

Uniforms must also be purchased at time of enrollment. Cost per uniform is $45.

Payment plan details: After the registration fee is paid, the remaining balance will be divided by four equal payments and charged on the 1st of every month, starting February 1 and ending May 1, until the remaining balance is paid in full.

Note: there is an additional % fee for payment plans.

The Recess Academy qualifies for 100% funding from the state of Florida under the Personalized Education Program. Visit stepupforstudents.org to apply for your family.

Our desire is to make Recess accessible to as many families as possible. As a homeschooling family of six, there have been many years that a program like Recess would not have been attainable for us - which is why offering such deep discounts for siblings was so important to us and why we are excited to offer a scholarship fund for Academy families. A limited number of partial scholarships will be available each term. If a little help would make the difference for your family, please reach out at recess30a@gmail.com and we will do our very best to make it possible.

Additionally, if your family or business would like to sponsor a student or give to the scholarship fund, please reach out!