Discovery Academy of Science

We are excited to welcome Dr. Lori Bradner to the Discovery Academy of Science team as our STEM Coordinator! 🐯🔬

Dr. Bradner brings incredible experience, creativity, and passion for STEM education. She has already begun working on exciting plans for the upcoming school year that will elevate STEM programs and events across both DAS campuses, including Science Olympiad, SeaPerch, and many more hands-on learning experiences for all of our students.

While beginning her work with DAS, Dr. Bradner continues to stay actively involved in the STEM community. Earlier this week, she presented at USF’s AI in Education Summit, where she explored the future of AI in education, including personalized learning that adapts to every student and the responsible and ethical use of AI to help all learners grow while continuing to build critical thinking skills.

We are thrilled to have Dr. Bradner joining the DAS family and look forward to the exciting STEM opportunities ahead!

We can’t believe another school year has come to an end! 🐯💙

Yesterday, we had the joy of celebrating our Kindergarten, 5th grade, and 8th grade students during their promotion ceremonies. We are so proud of each of them and all they have accomplished this year.

To our 8th graders, we can’t believe you are off to high school! We know you will continue to do amazing things, and we cannot wait to hear about all that you accomplish in the future. You will always be part of the DAS family.

Thank you to our students, families, teachers, and staff for making this such a wonderful school year. We hope everyone has a safe, relaxing, and fun summer! ☀️

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Mr. Shemzi Balla, one of the founding Board Members of Discovery Academy of Science.

Mr. Balla served on the founding board from 2011 to 2017 and played an important role during the early years of our school. His business experience, community connections, and dedication helped support the school’s growth during a very important time in our history.

A longtime member of the Clearwater community, Mr. Balla lived in the area for approximately 48 years. He was a respected businessman with many years of experience in the restaurant and real estate industries, including ownership of restaurants in Safety Harbor, Clearwater, and Largo. He was also known for Balla’s Steak House in Largo and his work as a commercial real estate investor in the Clearwater and St. Petersburg area.

During his time on the board, Mr. Balla brought practical wisdom, problem-solving skills, and a strong commitment to helping secure a suitable facility for the school. His service and support helped lay the foundation for what Discovery Academy of Science has become today.

We are grateful for Mr. Balla’s contributions, leadership, and dedication to our school community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time.

May he rest in peace.

Our 3rd grade students had a special visit from Owl's Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife!🦉

Students had the opportunity to learn about the important work the sanctuary does to help animals in need, while also seeing some live animals up close. It was a wonderful hands-on learning experience that helped bring their classroom lessons to life.

We are also so proud of our students for collecting over $400 to donate to Owl’s Nest Sanctuary. What a meaningful way to show kindness, compassion, and support for our community!

Thank you to the USCG Auxiliary for participating in our Discovery Academy of Science North Family Day event!

We are so grateful for community partners who help create meaningful learning opportunities for our families. Their team shared important boating and water safety information with visitors, which is especially helpful as we head into the summer months.

We appreciate their support of DAS and our growing school community!

Our teachers have been treated all week long for Teacher Appreciation Week! ❤️

A huge thank you to our DASVO Teacher Appreciation Committee for all of their hard work making this week so special. We kicked off Monday with breakfast, enjoyed a nacho bar on Tuesday, yummy dessert on Wednesday, smoothies on Thursday, and a catered lunch today, plus lots of extra goodies, treats, and love from our families throughout the week.

We are so grateful for our amazing teachers and the care, dedication, and heart they bring to DAS every day!

Mrs. Bradbury, our Computer Science teacher, is currently collecting funds for a new 3D printer for her classroom. Even better, donations are currently being matched thanks to General Motors!

Mrs. Bradbury has led our DAS Robotics team all the way to the international level, working with students every day to build their problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, and STEM skills. Their hard work continues to pay off, with an international award earned last summer and top placements at the state competition this year. The team is still eagerly practicing as they prepare to compete at Worlds in Boston this summer!

Please consider donating at the link below to help Mrs. Bradbury bring this exciting new resource to her students. Thank you for supporting STEM at DAS!

https://www.donorschoose.org/sl/CDGcN2udDr

🎉 Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Julie Bradbury to the DAS Clearwater Campus Admin Team as our Middle School Curriculum & Instruction Administrator!

Mrs. Bradbury has been part of the DAS family since 2017 and brings extensive experience in computer science education, curriculum leadership, instructional planning, and student engagement through technology and innovation.

Her background includes teaching computer science, supporting digital learning, coaching students in robotics and coding competitions, and helping students build real-world technology skills.

We are excited to have Mrs. Bradbury supporting curriculum, instruction, teachers, and students at Discovery Academy of Science – Clearwater Campus!

🎉 Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Michelle Bell, M.Ed. to the DAS Clearwater Campus Admin Team as our Elementary Curriculum & Instruction Administrator for Grades 3–5!

Mrs. Bell brings 25 years of experience in education, with a strong background in classroom teaching, instructional leadership, curriculum development, and data-driven instruction. She is passionate about supporting teachers, strengthening academic programs, and helping every student reach their full potential through intentional, responsive instruction.

We are excited to have Mrs. Bell leading curriculum and instruction for our Grades 3–5 students at Discovery Academy of Science – Clearwater Campus!

Our 4th grade artists have been learning all about color theory in art class! 🎨

Students created color wheels while exploring how primary colors mix together to create secondary and intermediate colors. This hands-on painting activity helped them see color mixing in action while building creativity, focus, and confidence with their artwork.