Welcome to SunFlower School
SunFlower School is a small, non-graded elementary school located in a quiet Gulfport neighborhood. For 30 years, SunFlower has provided a rich learning environment for families who value a joyful, well-rounded education for their children. Our school is especially suited for gifted, self-motivated kids.
SunFlower is a mix of the traditional and the modern. Our teachers have the experience to assess the needs and abilities of each student so we may accomodate different learning styles. Forming a team with the child and the parents, we work together to give the child the best chance to succeed both academically and emotionally.
At SunFlower, we believe learning is more important than testing. That philosophy is evident throughout the school day. All of our activities are designed to teach learning skills, key concepts and critical thinking. While SunFlower believes in rigor and rote, we also believe in lots of hands-on experience and in the value of play. As Susan Engel, child development expert from Williams College, has stated: "...what children need to do in elementary school is not to cram for high school or college, but to develop ways of thinking and behaving that will lead to valuable knowledge and skills later on. They should be able to read a chapter book, write a story and a compelling essay; know how to add, subtract, divide and multiply numbers; detect patterns in complex phenomena; use evidence to support an opinion; be part of a group of people who are not their family; and engage in an exchange of ideas in conversation. If all elementary school students mastered these abilities, they would be prepared to learn almost anything in high school and college." We wholeheartedly agree with Ms. Engel; this is evidenced in SunFlower's teaching styles and core philosophy. During a typical week at SunFlower visitors might observe children sounding out words, taking spelling tests, and memorizing multiplication tables. They also see students following recipes and cooking, , using the computer for math lessons, gardening or embarking on a field trip to study Florida's water birds.. And every spring, SunFlower's students stage one of Shakespeare's plays.
SunFlower's students have a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses. However, they do have one thing in common, and that is the earnest desire to do their best.. We often see students who have special talents that may not have been acknowledged in larger or more traditional schools. In contrast, SunFlower teachers work at fostering each child's potential by providing the opportunity to learn in small groups with lots of individual attention. We also provide challenging academics and a rich program for the arts.
