New High School Community Meeting

In late August (2019) we attended the Orange County Fl meeting at Windermere High School regarding the relief high school that will open in 2021. HS Site 113-H-W-4, yet to be named, will provide relief for WHS with seniors having the ability to stay if they choose. District 4 School Board Rep Pam Gould and Orange County Facilities Director Jessma Lambert led the meeting, communicating key points about construction schedule and design.

This meeting’s topic focus was design and construction. Renderings were shared showcasing the details of design from architects at Schenkel Shultz, which fits the Orange County prototype. The sustainable design meets the Green Globe Standard and features a Revival Style that can be seen in the architectural brick and the entry tower over the administration offices at the main entrance. Green spaces, outdoor dining and a covered patio are all part of the new campus as well. Collaborative classrooms have been included in the 3-story teaching building, in keeping with the same model that was used at WHS.

Construction on the project is slated to begin in early November 2019. Wharton-Smith confirmed that all measures to minimize traffic during the construction phase are being taken and that the project will follow 6am-6pm noise ordinance requirements. One of the major features that is unique to this school is the inclusion of a bus parking facility for the 75 busses that service this section of Orange County. The facility will be built adjacent to the school but will have a separate entrance and will not effect residential traffic according to Orange County Traffic Engineers.

A Q&A followed the agenda with a variety of questions from residents. Most of the questions were directed at addressing school capacity and what the community can expect in terms of future schools, namely another middle school. The county officials responded with confirmation that 2 more schools are scheduled to be built to relieve crowding and meet the needs of a rapidly growing community. While growing pains in the process are inevitable, the county urged residents to continue to provide feedback and most importantly, share their concerns with leadership at the state level. Their hope is that, by doing so, funding can be increased and the schedules for these schools can be moved up to meet the demands of the area.

The biggest take away from this meeting was that our elected officials are doing everything they can to accommodate residents’ needs. The battle for funding in our state is responsible for most of the concerns regarding portables, capacity and bussing. Our responsibility as informed citizens is to address our concerns together in a way that creates the best possible outcome for the education of our children. We can do that by continuing to show up to community meetings, communicating continuously with the county and by contacting legislators at the state level where real changes in available funding can be made to bring the future we want to life!

To reach out with further questions, you can email pamela.gould@ocps.net