S. S. Seward Institute
Secondary school in Florida, NY
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
S. S. Seward Institute is the secondary school in the Florida Union Free School District in Orange County, New York, United States. It is located along Main Street (NY 17A/94) in the village of Florida and referred to locally as just "Seward".
| S.S. Seward Institute | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | |
 | |
52 North Main St. , 10921 41°20′01″N 74°21′22″W | |
| Information | |
| School type | Public, secondary school |
School district | Florida Union Free School District |
NCES School ID | 362532003497[1] |
Principal | Michael Maesano |
| Staff | 42.41[1] |
| Grades | 6-12 |
| Enrollment | 391(2024-2025)[1] |
| Colors | Blue and orange |
| Team name | Spartans |
Communities served | Florida Town of Goshen (part) Town of Warwick (part) Town of Chester (part) |
| Website | |
The student body consists of grades 6-12, drawn from Florida and surrounding portions of the towns of Chester, Goshen and Warwick.
The school gets its name from Samuel S. Seward, who settled in the region in the early 19th century and established both a medical practice and a mercantile business. Seward was also active in politics, serving as a member of the New York State Assembly in 1804 and, for many years, as a judge in the Orange County Court.[2] In 1846, Seward started the school with an endowment of $20,000.[3] One of his sons, William Henry Seward, attended one of the institute's predecessors for a time, and later began a career in public service that culminated in the purchase of Alaska while Secretary of State. A memorial to him is located on Main Street in front of the school.
Extracurricular Activities
Athletics
As of 2025-26, Seward offers the following interscholastic athletic teams competing as the Spartans:[4]
| Sport | Season | Gender separation | Level | Co-operative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soccer | Fall | Boys, Girls | Varsity, JV, Modified[a] | |
| Cross Country | Fall | Varsity, Modified | ||
| Volleyball | Fall | Girls | Varsity, JV, Modified | |
| Swimming | Fall | Girls | Varsity | with Goshen |
| Football | Fall | Varsity, Modified | with Chester Academy | |
| Basketball | Winter | Boys, Girls | Varsity, JV, Modified | |
| Cheerleading | Winter | Varsity | ||
| Swimming and Diving | Winter | Boys | Varsity | with Goshen |
| Indoor Track and Field | Winter | Varsity | with Chester Academy | |
| Baseball | Spring | Varsity, JV, Modified | ||
| Softball | Spring | Varsity, JV, Modified | ||
| Lacrosse | Spring | Girls | Varsity | with Chester Academy |
| Outdoor Track and Field | Spring | Varsity |
The Spartans have won state titles in: