Then, Now, Tomorrow
Then
Windermere Preparatory School opened its doors for the first time on September 5, 2000 with an enrollment of 184 students housed in 20 portable classroom and taught by 25 outstanding faculty members. It was a very successful year providing the students with small class sizes, fine arts, Spanish and Latin instruction and computer technology.
The second year of operation WPS doubled its size to 366 students with our faculty increasing to 35 members. The news was spreading in the southwest area that WPS was offering an outstanding college preparatory school program.
The first phase of the permanent buildings was complete for the start of the 2003 school year which provided 20 additional classrooms, two music rooms, art, drama and a multi-purpose room. The track and fields were added to the campus and the athletic department offered many sports programs such as track, soccer and lacrosse. At the end of the 2004 school year the tennis and basketball courts were complete.
2007, 2008 and 2009 marked continuous growth in facilities, from our Gymnasium, workout room, coffee shop and pool, to our eleven buildings of instructional classrooms.
Now
With the start of the 2009-2010 school year our enrollment was 876 students with an increase of our outstanding educators to 75 members. The campus is fully formed into “neighborhoods” consisting of three buildings each. Lower School resides in two neighborhoods, with the Middle School and High School each having their own neighborhood. Besides our Athletics facilities located in their own neighborhood with their own weight room, school store, coffee shop, locker rooms, athletic offices and gymnasium, the campus also has a dining hall, two knowledge centers (library), two computer labs, multiple art studios, a piano lab, band room, choral room, track, pool, basketball, softball, baseball and tennis courts.
Just as the school year began in August 2009, the first two of three High School buildings was completed with plans for the third and last instructional building. The High School neighborhood contains the classrooms to meet our new status as an IB World School. It houses science labs, fine arts and technology advanced classrooms for our growing high school population.
Tomorrow
“Growth!!!” This word will be commonly used at WPS over the next few years. As the community of Windermere continues to grow, Windermere Preparatory School will be matching that with an increase in enrollment and involvement in the West Orange County area. Curriculum, programs, and facility additions will enhance the overall WPS experience.
Growth and Change are two words that used and said with great repetition. However, it is of extreme importance that these two occur with purpose and planning so that they are representative of the path to success. Programs from Meritas help ensure the continued change necessary to provide the absolute best in educational experience for each child, measured in terms of that child’s successful education, not in terms of test scores of masses of people. Although Windermere Preparatory School will be experiencing growth, we are dedicated to making your child’s educational experience the best it can be.
