Local couple to launch private school in St. Pete

A local couple is embarking on a new venture to provide an innovative educational option for St. Petersburg families. 

Nick and Karlia Tarsi are launching Apogee St. Pete, a private school that aims to revamp the learning experience for children ages 5 to 10. Apogee St. Pete, slated to open in August, is part of the Apogee Schools network, a collection of private institutions committed to learner-led experiences and project-based learning. The school will operate out of the First Avenue Baptist Church building at 600 49th Street N.. 

“Our goal is to have 20 students in year one, because we want to start small and and grow as the years go on,” Nick Tarsi said.

For Tarsi, the decision to start a school was driven by a desire to provide a better education for future generations. He has a cyber security degree and previously worked with startup technology companies, but felt his education didn’t prepare him for the workforce.

“I saw a lot of my peers who got the degree, got the job, and just continued on that path, whether they liked it or not,” he said. “One of the core theses for Apogee is that students should be able to figure out what they want to do with their life between [age] 10 and 20, rather than 20 and 30 or even later. The goal is to provide them with both a skill set and a mindset that if they want to start a business or try something out, they can do it before 18, rather than after they are 50k in debt and tied into a certain industry.”

Nick and Karlia Tarsi. Photo provided.

“I want them to go somewhere where they’re building a skill set that’s going to be applicable for this tech-driven, AI-driven world,” he added.

Tarsi is a Florida National Guard officer with a background in technology. He and his wife felt called to start the school after considering their own future family’s educational options. The couple do not have children yet, but wanted to create a school that better prepares students for a rapidly changing world. Their goal, they said, is to provide an engaging, customized curriculum that prepares students for adult life, not the next standardized test.

“I think most people can relate to the fact that if you are excited about something, you are going to be more passionate about digging in and learning it. The problem is, from a young age, we’re putting students in school and giving them a set curriculum for eight hours a day. Most kids don’t want to be in seats eight hours a day,” Tarsi explained. 

“We’re not going to solve that overnight, but our goal is for the students that we do have is to lean into what they’re interested in. Whether it’s the ocean or dinosaurs or superheroes, we will tailor their learning and projects to things they’re interested in, while teaching them those core skills of arithmetic, reading, writing and getting them excited to cultivate a passion for learning.”

Tuition at Apogee St. Pete is set at $11,500 per student, though families may pay less depending on eligibility for state scholarships. Florida’s school choice program provides up to $8,000 per child through the Florida Empowerment Scholarship program, which Tarsi said will cover a significant portion of tuition for many families. The school is in the process of finalizing its ability to accept these scholarships.

With the launch date set for August, the Tarsis are focused on recruiting students and hiring educational professionals to lead the school’s learning environment.

In preparation for their new entrepreneurial venture, the Tarsis visited an Apogee school in Utah. 

“We’re working through the process of accepting scholarships, and we’ve begun a lot of conversations with families who are interested. We’ve done a lot of the groundwork, but it’s not something to be taken on by the faint of heart,” Tarsi laughed. “It’s certainly rewarding, though. Apogee gave us a vision for what we can create, and we’re excited to bring that to our own community.”

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