Back in 1965, while still developing the resort that would become his magnum opus, Sea Pines, Charles Fraser saw a need for high-quality education on Hilton Head Island. His vision was for a school that would teach children around the Lowcountry to a higher standard.
It wasn’t enough that this school be close to home, set just beyond the community’s ocean gate, the school also had to stand apart as a beacon of educational excellence. Thus, Sea Pines Academy was established.
The school became Hilton Head Preparatory School in 1985 through its merger with May River Academy.
Three years later, Charles’ wife, Mary, would put her own stamp on the Lowcountry’s educational landscape, founding Sea Pines Montessori Academy. Built on the celebrated pedagogy that makes Montessori schools unique – self-directed, hands-on learning and collaboration – this academy quickly became yet another jewel in Hilton Head Island’s crown.
Despite their shared heritage and their equal reputation for excellence, these two schools have operated under separate banners for decades. Until now. In a new merger, the two schools will come together to create a unified educational institution serving children from 15 months old until they embark for college.
Under the new alignment, Sea Pines Montessori Academy will operate as a division within Prep, called “Sea Pines Montessori Academy at Hilton Head Preparatory School.”
“This merger allows us to have student interaction without a fence between the schools. They’re all going to be classmates,” said Paul Horgan, Head of School.
The schools will operate as one, seamlessly integrating resources during the critical years between preschool and third grade, essentially creating a dual track for Prep students in their early years.
“That’s a really exciting, innovative dual track,” Horgan said. “We’re going to be able to have collaboration between the Montessori division and our traditional lower school, so we can build in a great ramp for everyone to come together for fourth grade.”
It not only gives younger students a chance for a more seamless transition into the later elementary years, it speaks to Prep’s long-standing devotion to advancing opportunities.
“Any school that’s standing still and not future-focused and evolving is dying. We need to always be thinking about the future of education and how we can prepare these kids for their futures,” Horgan said. “We’ve been doing a lot of work in our strategic plan in thinking about the future of education. I’ve seen the importance of hands-on learning and experiential education at every level. To continue to evolve in that direction is important to best prepare our students for excellence in college and the workplace.”
Paul Horgan, Head of School, Hilton Head Prepratory and Tobee Labbe, Head of School, Sea Pines Montessori
For teachers, the merger will mean more resources for young students, plus better support and compensation. For students, it means having a chance to seamlessly transition from the Montessori program and into a celebrated college prep program that already contains some of the same foundational philosophies as Montessori.
“In the upper school we’ve created the Institute for Business and Innovation, which is a very hands-on, real world program, teaching real world skills and doing internships and business competitions,” Horgan said. “The hands-on experiential education pieces match really well with what the Montessori division will be teaching kids. Being a premier college preparatory academic institution has been strengthened further.”
Bringing together two schools that have had such a profound impact on the community has already proven popular among alumni and board members. Sam Bauer, who graduated from Hilton Head Prep in 1984 and now serves as the chairman of the school’s board of trustees, noted, “This partnership is truly historic, bringing together two institutions that have deep roots in Hilton Head Island’s legacy. We are thrilled to come full circle, uniting the Fraser family’s vision under one banner. This will be a game-changer for both current and future families in the community.”
His sentiments were echoed by his counterparts on the board at Sea Pines Montessori. Two board members, Kelley Stearns and Sydney Hitchcock, released a statement saying, “The collaboration between our schools will provide an unparalleled educational pathway, guiding children from their earliest years through high school graduation. By uniting our strengths, we can uphold our cherished Montessori tradition while providing enhanced opportunities for growth, continuity, and innovation in a nurturing environment. We look forward to joining Hilton Head Prep’s vibrant community, which will create endless opportunities for our children as they progress through this outstanding program.”
And while this merger provides new and innovative opportunities to a student body that has become accustomed to them over the past 60 years, its true beauty might lie in the way it finally marries two institutions who have built a sterling reputation on Hilton Head Island.
“It brings two great schools together in a way that’s going to make us even stronger,” Horgan said. “This provides an incredible opportunity to innovate, evolve, and embrace everybody as one school.”
