Palm Beach Maritime Academy Finds Its Forever Home
Grow Schools
June 9, 2026
For 25 years, the kids at Palm Beach Maritime Academy have been tagging sharks, building boats, and doing coastal conservation work in the waters of South Florida. Now, the school that’s been doing it longer than any other general education charter school in Palm Beach County has a permanent home to keep doing it.
Grow Schools is partnering with the academy on enrollment marketing through its Kids to Fill Your School program — helping connect more Palm Beach County families with what PBMA has to offer.
“For 25 years, Palm Beach Maritime Academy has been a home for kids in this community — a place where they can explore, grow, and discover what they’re capable of. Securing our facilities means we can keep building on everything we’ve worked so hard to create. We’re grateful to Grow Schools for believing in our mission and helping us take this next step.”
— Steve Casenza, CEO & CFO, Palm Beach Maritime Academy
A School That’s Delivering on Its Mission
PBMA isn’t a typical K–12 school. It’s a STEAM school built around marine sciences. The school’s elementary campus at 1518 Lantana Road serves K–5 students. The secondary campus at 600 S East Coast Avenue takes grades 6–12. Together, they serve nearly 1,000 kids in the Boynton/Lantana area, a community where over 61% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch and more than 79% come from minority backgrounds.
PBMA has been recognized as a Best of Palm Beach County school for multiple consecutive years. The elementary school moved from a C to a B rating in 2024–25. Enrollment for the upcoming school year is tracking 11% ahead of where it was at this point last year. Families are finding it — and they’re staying.
“Palm Beach Maritime Academy has been delivering on its mission for years — securing kids in this community and giving them access to a one-of-a-kind learning experience. We’re proud to support them in getting the message out, advancing their facility, and making sure even more families in Palm Beach County know what this school has to offer.”
— Kirt Nilsson, Head of Originations, Grow Schools
An aerial view shows one of Palm Beach Maritime Academy’s two Lantana campuses, which were recently acquired through a transaction supported by Grow Schools. The acquisition provides long-term facility stability for the charter school and its nearly 1,000 students. (photo courtesy of Palm Beach Maritime Academy)
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Kids to Fill Your School Program?
Kids to Fill Your School is Grow Schools’ enrollment marketing solution for charter schools. It provides schools with the tools, strategy, and support they need to reach prospective families, grow enrollment, and build long-term community awareness. For Palm Beach Maritime Academy, the partnership means more Palm Beach County families will learn about the school’s distinctive marine sciences STEAM program.
What Is a Sale-Leaseback and Why Does It Benefit Charter Schools?
A sale-leaseback is a transaction in which a school sells its property to an investor and simultaneously enters into a long-term lease to continue operating in the space. For charter schools, this structure provides immediate access to capital — freeing up funds that would otherwise be tied up in property ownership — while guaranteeing long-term facility security. It is one of the primary tools Grow Schools uses to help schools get where they’re going.
What Other Services Does Grow Schools Provide?
Grow Schools offers three core solutions for schools: Money to Run Your School (working capital financing), Money to Buy Your School (facilities financing), and Kids to Fill Your School (enrollment marketing).
