Get Schooled at The Ranch

 

If you’re planning to move to Babcock with your family, you might wonder whether the neighborhood has decent schools.

If you’ve visited “the Bubble,” you know it is a little remote and will be that way until development in the surrounding area catches up with the red-hot demand for the first solar-powered town in the United States that is apparently (knock on wood) hurricane proof.

Do you need to travel endless miles of former cattle country to educate your child (or grandchild) for their bright future?

No.

Babcock has several convenient schools within the community. People looking for non-traditional models can explore other options nearby.

 

Schools within Babcock Ranch

Are you looking for the convenience of not having to commute a long distance from Babcock Ranch to drop off or pick up your child from school?

Babcock Neighborhood Schools (BNS)

Located in the heart of the community, Babcock Neighborhood School focuses on integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, and Mathematics within an innovative holistic learning environment (GreenSTEAM). 

BNS is a K-12 charter school with about 1,000 students.

The schools are making significant investments in new athletic facilities like baseball fields and a football stadium that opened this year for the Trailblazers who went 3-7 in their inaugural 2024 season.

From elementary school to middle school and high school, the teachers focus on project-based learning (PBL). Project-based learning aims to evoke critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students while adhering to Florida’s state standards and curriculum. 

All work and no play will make Johnny and Jeanine dull boys and girls. Babcock Neighborhood School doesn’t abide by dull! 

The school offers a well-rounded learning experience by hosting well-equipped science labs, a media room and a recreation center. 

Babcock Neighborhood School also has several assembly areas and a multi-purpose field house. The field house also acts as a storm shelter for the community and surrounding area during intense hurricanes. 

 BNS opened in 2017 and Babcock High School (pictured below) opened in 2022.

The community is particularly excited about new facilities for Babcock Middle School that are currently in construction (see below) and expected to be ready for the 2025/26 school year.

The new facilities will make room for middle schoolers and feature 36 classrooms with space for the arts and physical education.

For example, one building will also hold music rooms for the band, chorus and orchestra.

If you are interested in the BNS elementary, middle or high school, you need to enter a lottery on the school’s website.

Priority is given to Babcock and Charlotte County residents and requires proof of residency.

 

Bloom Academy (Founders Square Campus)

As a working parent, you want to enroll your child in a convenient childcare facility that acts as a second home for your preschooler. You want nothing short of a home away from home for your little one. 

Bloom Academy, which just moved into a new building behind the new Babcock fire and police stations, aims to create a holistic environment for young children to learn, thrive and grow. The facility is an Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment (APPLE). 

The new building doubled the school’s size to about 300 students maximum and features 18 total classrooms for one to four-year-olds.

The school is open Monday through Friday from 7am to 5:45pm.

Bloom is a screen-free facility and operates on a Beautiful Thinkers curriculum managed by a full-time curriculum specialist.

The curriculum stresses hands-on learning through art, play and interaction with nature.

The school hires qualified staff vetted through the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) childcare. All staff is also taken through a thorough background check so that parents can rest assured of the safety of their children.

Parents can take comfort in the school’s reliance on manageable teacher-student ratios that are lower than DCF requirements.

For example, there is one teacher per five one-year olds; one instructor per seven-year olds; one per nine three-year olds and one teacher per 11 four-year olds. 

Some parents worry about taking their children to daycare because they fear they won’t have access to quality products. Bloom Academy is on it and sources organic diapers, lotions, creams and food so that your child remains comfortable all day long. 

The school maintains a high level of cleanliness by hiring a cleaning crew that uses organic products. Besides child care services, the kids learn age-appropriate content about their environment, food and art that helps develop social skills.

If you’re interested in Bloom Academy, schedule a tour by visiting the school’s website.

 

Schools Near Babcock Ranch

There are many schools outside Babcock Ranch if you don’t mind the commute.

Classical Christian Academy (CCA)

Located in North Fort Myers, the Classical Christian Academy offers a hybrid of homeschooling and traditional in-person teaching. The school offers learning opportunities from kindergarten to 12th grade. 

CCA takes on a classical approach to learning where students are given room to think through information and deduce ideas that begin to weave into a web of ingenuity inside the mind of the child. CCA also incorporates Christian beliefs in teaching children about life, education and family. 

The school offers a flexible learning program that allows 7-12th graders to choose their preferred classes and services. This is an important aspect of learning because it teaches your child independence from a young age. 

The Classical Christian Academy also offers athletics as part of extracurricular activities because it’s integral to a child’s development. There are basketball and soccer programs designed for K-5th graders.

Middle schoolers play volleyball, basketball and soccer while high schoolers have the option to play for Lee County Home School teams or join any other teams in the community. 

 

Woodland Nature Montessori School

Do you want your child to spend time exploring the Calusa Nature Center? The Woodland Nature Montessori School is calling. 

Located in the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium property a slight 25 miles from Babcock, the school offers a Montessori program for children aged 3-6. Children aged 4-6 explore the nature reserve in the afternoons, of course, with the guidance of their teachers. 

Montessori is a learning method where students can interact with the environment and make self-guided decisions. Facilitators are there to supervise age-appropriate activities to guide the learning process. Children work individually and in groups to explore their maximum potential. 

Babcock Ranch Homeschoolers

If you’re looking for a non-traditional method of learning for your child, Babcock Ranch has something for every type of learner. 

Homeschooling is a mode of learning growing more popular among parents and children alike who reject the cookie-cutter approach of traditional schools where anything from bullying in the hallway to, in the extreme, mass casualty shootings can explode.

Homeschooling is an option at The Ranch. If you decide to homeschool your child, it’s important to join support groups for similar parents.

Support groups can be formal or informal. Informal meetings involve parents coming together to form groups where they can consult each other regarding academics. Occasionally, the parents will also plan meetings, play dates or extracurricular activities for their children. 

Formal support groups for homeschoolers involve parents volunteering or hiring staff to coach their children on certain subjects. In most cases, such setups will involve hiring a common place where teachers and students meet. With technological advancements, it’s possible for students to learn online. 

Join a Babcock Ranch homeschooling support group where you will exchange ideas to give your child a holistic learning experience. 

 

Plant a Seed, Grow a Forest

There are many Babcock Ranch schools for parents looking to relocate to the community. Whether you’re looking for schools in the heart of the community such as BNS/BHS and Bloom for those who don’t grow wings trapped in automobiles.

For parents who don’t mind a commute, there are quality options like the nearby Classical Christian Academy.

The Ranch is still small but growing furiously.

The surrounding community will spike in development in the coming years with yet more educational options.

For expert advice on educational opportunities in and near Babcock Ranch, contact Team John Garuti, a real estate team that specializes in new construction and has sold over 200 homes in the community:

• Let’s talk Babcock.
• Let’s tour Babcock.
• Ask questions in our free Moving to Babcock Ranch Facebook Group.
• Call Team John Garuti at (239) 251-2371.