Rising Stars: Meet Marlene Dandler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marlene Dandler.

Hi Marlene, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started this journey as a parent, developing a schooling program for my children that didn’t exist in the marketplace at the time. I wanted a quality private education that didn’t come with the pressure or mountains of homework for the kids. I wanted the school and curriculum to be fun and engaging while still having quality academic output. I also wanted families to have the flexibility to travel, to have the kids be able to come to campus 2-3 times per week, and for there to be a freedom-minded community built around it.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has been a lot rockier than I ever anticipated! Not having a business background, I had a steep learning curve on almost everything from setting up the business to creating my own website. I learned each step of the way when developing a strong curriculum that met various goals and needs and even when hiring teachers and staff! Obtaining city permits to operate was a lot more difficult than anticipated, for example. I also learned about setting healthy boundaries with families and staff so that everyone had the same set of rules and expectations. It has been an amazing journey!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I started Seashore Academy, which offers a smorgasbord of educational options from which parents may choose and customize their child’s educational journey. We are a patriotic, screen-free, device-free, in-person environment where 100% of our students are legally homeschooled, and choose to attend in-person classes 1-5 days/week. We offer classic traditional academic classes such as writing, math, science, and history, as well as entrepreneurship, financial management, public speaking, and art courses. Seashore Academy was founded in 2012 and currently has 4 locations in Southern California, with the most recent edition opening in West LA!

I am an entrepreneur, advocate, mother, and the founder and CEO of Seashore Academy. My work is centered around creating a freedom-minded community for those who look for meaningful education options for their children.

I attended Dartmouth College, Freie Universität in Berlin, and Beijing Normal University in Beijing. While at Dartmouth, I worked as a German language instructor for the creator of the Rassias Method, a language immersion technique used by the Peace Corps. This revolutionary method of rapid, effective language acquisition became the foundation of Seashore Academy’s language immersion philosophy, which currently provides Mandarin and Spanish immersion education for students in the Orange County locations. I have been advocating for bilingual education options since 2011.

I am a member of the Entrepreneurship Organization of OC and Vistage, and I volunteer with organizations such as ICAN and KLove. I previously served as the co-president of the Dartmouth Club of OC.

I am an avid marathon runner with a special love for daily beach runs with my girlfriends. I enjoy cooking and knitting and am first and foremost a wife and mother who prioritizes time with my husband and children above all else.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Have faith, keep persevering, try another route if the first one(s) didn’t work, and keep my team with me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.seashoreacademy.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seashore_academy_/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/www.seashoreacademy.org/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seashore-academy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@seashore_academy

Image Credits
Seashore Academy