Students return to island school for new school year
Students returned to The Sanibel School on Aug. 11, kicking off the start of a new school year.
“I think we had an amazing first day,” new Principal Dr. Tom Millins said.
“It was great to see all of our students and families,” he added.
Parents had the opportunity to walk their children to class on their first day.
“The kids are really excited to be back,” Millins said, explaining that there was a lot of hard work and planning by the faculty and staff in preparation. “It was a flawless day and it went very smoothly.”
Also present to welcome back students were members from the Sanibel Police Department, along with Sanibel City Councilmember Holly Smith and representatives from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
“It was the first time in my 28 years of opening schools that I’ve had a law enforcement presence in a positive manner on the first day,” he said. “It was just a welcoming environment.”
There are 222 students enrolled for the 2026-27 school year.
Millins noted that there were 187 as of the recent meet-and-greet, so more families enrolled.
“We’re excited about that,” he said.
As for the faculty, there are a few new faces this year: STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math — teacher Peggy Stamper and English Language Arts (ELA) teacher Whitney Carder.
It is also Millins first year joining the school.
He holds more than 27 years of experience with the School District of Lee County. An experienced educator and administrator, Millins has served in leadership roles at Edgewood Academy in Fort Myers, the North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts and Pine Island Elementary School on Bokeelia.
He has introduced a school-wide theme for the year, “Charting Our Course: Anchored in Family. Guided by Knowledge. Sailing Together.” The nautical theme is designed to map out that journey, ensuring that every student feels secure, valued, and challenged to reach their highest potential.
The school culture will be guided by four compass points:
– North — Academics (Our Lighthouse): We are committed to high standards and academic excellence. Like the Sanibel Lighthouse, knowledge will be the constant beacon that guides our students forward and illuminates their potential.
– South — Safety (Our Anchor): Before a student can learn, they must feel secure. We pride ourselves on being a “safe harbor” where every child is physically protected, emotionally supported and deeply cared for.
– East — Community (Our Crew): A ship cannot sail smoothly without its crew. We will emphasize collaboration, mutual respect and leadership, teaching our students that we are always stronger when we work together.
– West — Family (Our Home Port): You are your child’s first and most important teacher. Our school is anchored by the partnership we share with you. We welcome your involvement, your passion and your presence in our “home port” all year long.
“I want to make sure that we are bringing The Sanibel School up to one of the top schools in the state,” Millins said. “We have a plan to accomplish that task, and we are very excited to reach that goal.”
“It’s all going to revolve around those four themes,” he added.
In terms of curriculum, it will be a continuation of last year’s academics and programming.
Partnerships with island entities, like the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium, Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and Sanibel Sea School, will also continue to play a key role for the students.
“We are very excited about keeping our community partnerships,” Millins said. “It’s important for our students to be exposed to all the community opportunities that we have here on Sanibel.”
“I’m looking of forward to continuing all of those programs to enrich our school environment,” he added.
Millins extended his thanks and appreciation to the community.
“For providing such a warm welcome to the island school and having trust in me,” he said. “With that trust, it’s important that they know I’m 100% dedicated to The Sanibel School to reach the highest potential we can to ensure our students have the best opportunities for success.”
For more information, call 239-472-1617 or visit https://sbl.leeschools.net/.
The Sanibel School is at 3840 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel.