Apollo Beach, FL · Opening August 2027
A private middle school in South Hillsborough County where students master academics at their own pace, then spend four hours a day building real businesses, solving real problems, and discovering what they're capable of.
We'll reach out within 48 hours.
Grades 6–8 at launch · Founding families help shape the high school
Where do our kids go after fifth grade? That's the question every family we work with is asking. We built Theta because the answer shouldn't be 'nowhere good.'
Hemant Rustogi · Co-Founder, We Are Montessori
The problem
Traditional middle schools were designed for administrative convenience, not learning. Thirty-plus students rotate through seven periods, switching subjects before anyone reaches real depth. The entire system optimizes for compliance and conformity. And the closest private alternatives worth considering? A 30 to 45 minute drive from South Hillsborough.
What your child actually does
We asked: if we were building a middle school from scratch, for our own children, what would it look like? This is the answer.
Personalized Academics
Math, reading, writing, and science at each student's own pace on an adaptive platform. No waiting for the class. No being left behind. Mastery is the standard.
Build Block
Ninety minutes of uninterrupted project work. Designing products, launching ventures, conducting research, solving real problems.
Community Lunch
Students enjoy meals together, build friendships, and connect with mentors over the midday break.
Create Block
Creative studios, entrepreneurship labs, and portfolio development. Students graduate with proof of what they can do, not just a transcript.
Side by side
What students actually build
Every Theta student graduates with a portfolio of work they did, not just a transcript of classes they sat through.
6th Grade
Launch a small business
Students identify a real problem, build a product or service, find customers, and manage real revenue. They learn economics by doing economics.
7th Grade
Conduct original research
A student studies water quality in Tampa Bay, collects samples, analyzes data, and presents findings to local environmental groups. Science with stakes.
8th Grade
Build and ship a product
Students design an app, lead a community initiative, or create something people actually use. They graduate with proof of what they can do.
Sound like the school you've been looking for?
The Founding 50 lock in tuition for three years and help shape the school from day one.
Join the Founders Circle →From families in our community
“This is exactly what we've been looking for. Take my deposit today.”
Parent of a 5th grader · Apollo Beach
“An innovation-focused, secular school in our community? We've been waiting years for this.”
Parent of two · Riverview
“We would absolutely drive for a school like this. Mastery over proximity.”
Parent of a 4th grader · FishHawk
Who we are
Theta grew out of a question we kept hearing from the families we serve: where do our kids go after fifth grade? We decided to build the answer.
We Are Montessori has served thousands of families in this community over two decades, entirely through word of mouth. Theta combines that experience with a first-principles approach to middle school design: cutting-edge learning methods built on timeless educational fundamentals.
The road ahead
We are building multiple middle school campuses across South Hillsborough, all feeding into one high school hub. Our founding families will help shape it, from the curriculum to the culture to the high school they want for their children.
Common questions
Tuition will be finalized after our founding family focus groups this spring. Founding 50 families lock in an introductory rate for three full years. Florida families also have access to scholarships through Step Up for Students, which can significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Theta will be registered with the Florida Department of Education and will pursue Cognia accreditation candidacy before opening.
Our plan is to open two to three middle school campuses across South Hillsborough, all feeding into one dedicated high school hub. Founding families will have a direct voice in shaping the high school program. Your child will not age out of Theta.
Small schools consistently show less bullying, stronger friendships, and more leadership opportunities. Your child is known by every teacher and working alongside peers on meaningful projects every day. Community is not a side effect. It is the design.
Your child builds real things. A sixth grader might launch a small business. A seventh grader might conduct original research on water quality in Tampa Bay. An eighth grader might build an app or lead a community initiative. Every student graduates with a portfolio of real work.
The team behind Theta has operated schools in South Hillsborough County for 25 years through We Are Montessori, serving 350+ families annually and thousands over the decades, entirely by word of mouth. Theta combines that experience with a first-principles approach to what middle school should be.
Our first 50 families lock in an introductory tuition rate for three years and work alongside us to build a school worth building.
We'll reach out within 48 hours.
88 families already interested · 94% want this curriculum