West Orange High School, Winter Garden
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| West Orange High School | |
| Together, We All Succeed | |
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| School type | Public |
|---|---|
| Established | 1975 |
| District | Orange County Public Schools |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Principal | Dr. Daniel Buckman |
| Students | 2308 |
| Colors | Orange and Blue |
| Mascot | Warriors |
| Location | 1625 South Beulah Road, Winter Garden, FL |
| Information | (407) 905-2400 |
| Website | West Orange High School Website |
West Orange High School is a secondary school located in Winter Garden in southwest Orange County, Florida, United States.
West Orange serves Winter Garden and the sole residential section of Bay Lake.
The school, which is a part of the Orange County Public Schools, serves grades 9 through 12. The campus is divided into a ninth grade center and a main campus, although for the 2005-2006 school year the ninth grade center was used by Tildenville Elementary School while its school was being renovated.
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[edit] History
Completed in 1975 at a cost of 6.5 million dollars, West Orange High was formed as a consolidation of two over-crowded high schools within western Orange County: Lakeview High School and Ocoee High School. Ocoee High School has since been rebuilt and reinstated due to overcrowding in West Orange and Apopka High School. Lakeview High School immediately become Lakeview Junior High School. In recent times, Lakeview has undergone a campus expansion and renovation as Lakeview Middle School.
The first classes were held at Lakeview High School in 1975. The first principal of the school was Lester Dabbs.
Many of the teachers that first year transferred from Lakeview and Ocoee. Some of the individuals comprising the faculty inlcuded: Raymond Tripp, Jan Pratt, James Creech, Fred Savage, Harold Cooper, Ellen Harmeling, Ms. Galbraith, Ms. Eckinroth, Mr. Webb, Mr. Fortson, Ms. McMillan, Trina Lummus, Coach Kneipp, Mrs. Brinson and Rod Reeves.
The West Orange High School building design was modernistic for its time. Apopka High School is the only school in existence with the same exact building format. All academic classrooms are housed within a circular floorplan design, with each of the three circular wings arranged and interconnected in the shape of a triangle. New to Central Florida high schools at the time, all classrooms and common areas were located within one contiguous building complex so that the weather did not affect the school day. Designed in the aftermath of the 1973 energy crisis, the architectural design also called for a minimum of windows to maximize energy efficiency, as the building was 100% air-conditioned. Also contemporary with the 1970s, nearly all floors and many of the interior walls were carpeted. In recent years, however, the building interior has been modified, removing most of the carpeting on the walls and floors.
One of the school's earlier principals, Raymond Screws, was assassinated in his own office after being gunned down by a co-worker who had been accused of misconduct on December 12, 1977. The football field, Raymond Screws Field, is named in his honor.
Ocoee High School opened in 2005, nearly half of West Orange's student body was sent to the new school, along with some West Orange teachers. Ocoee's first principal was also a former principal of West Orange.
In April 2006, WOHS held a gala to celebrate 30 years with performances by the drama and choir departments and the marching band and ensemble. Several graduates shared fond memories of their high school days, and the school honored six teachers and/or staff members who have been at the school since it first opened its doors: Pat Moran, Karen Whidden, Maxine Lee, Fred Savage, Gay Annis and Rick Stotler.[1]
[edit] Academics
West Orange supports a wide range of academic and sports pursuits, including athletic, vocational, career and college preparatory classes. The career guide is available online.[2]
[edit] School Songs
Alma Mater
- All hail to West Orange High School
- We sing a song of praise.
- We learn to work in brotherhood
- To last for all our days.
- We will cheer our team to vict'ry
- As we fight to win each game.
- And the spirit of the warrior
- To all we will proclaim.
- Hail to West Orange High School
- Our Gratitude we show
- For the special friends we've come to know.
- In years ahead we'll remember
- All the joys and sorrows too-,
- Our faith we pledge we're loyal to
- The mighty Orange and Blue.
Fight Song
"Go Warriors!" written by Robert W. Smith.
- Go warriors, go warriors
- Fight for victory
- Go warriors, go warriors, we're making history
- Go warriors, go warriors
- Raise your voices to the sky.
- Let's fight for honor and glory too
- for West Orange High.
[edit] Sports
West Orange sports include at least 30 teams in at least 18 different sports.
West Orange has had multiple rivalries since opening. West Orange was built at the same time that Apopka High School was rebuilt, both using the same floor plan, causing a natural rivalry. When Dr. Phillips High School West Orange formed a new rivalry culminating in the yearly Orange Crate football game. Again, when Olympia High School opened West Orange got a new, though not as intense, rivalry with the annual Backyard Bowl football game. Olympia's opening also diminished the Dr. Phillips rivalry. With much of Ocoee's student body being former Warriors, West Orange's most fierce rivalry is with the Ocoee Knights. A yearly football game is played between the two schools with the winner getting the shield for the next year.
Due to the bad conditions of the school's football field and the cost of repairing it, the school chose to install a new synthetic turf field. The cost of the new field was approximately $500,000[3], The West Orange Foundation, Inc was established to help the school fund this and other school related projects.[4] Construction for the field was completed in 2006. West Orange victoriously played their first game on the new field against Freedom High, it was also the school's homecoming game. West Orange is currently the only school in the OCPS school system to have a synthetic turf field.
[edit] West Orange Comprehensive Replacement
Although the school main facility remains in fair condition, a contracted review conducted by the school system cited a number of systems-related and design issues associated with the thirty year old building. Instead of renovation, the adopted recommendation calls for the destruction and replacement of the main academic building with new construction.
Plans are underway to expand the current campus, scheduled to open in time for the class of 2009. Groundbreaking for a replacement building for West Orange High School took place in November 2006.[5]
The current monthly construction update is available online.[6]
The architect for the two story prototype school is Schenkel Schultz. The contractor is Clark Construction. Although graphics of the winning concept design are not yet available online, an overview of the campus design is available. [7]
The pouring of the foundation for the central energy building supplying the campus was covered in the local newspaper. [8]
[edit] West Orange Relief High School
Over the decades, a number of new schools have been built in nearby areas to serve as relief schools. Dr. Phillips High School was built to handle student capacity in the Universal, Sand Lake, and Bay Hill communities. Olympia High School was built within the past five years to handle growth in Windermere, MetroWest, Pine Hills, and some of the Dr. Phillips area. More recently, Ocoee High School was reinstated to handle tremendous growth in the Ocoee and West Oaks Mall area. The next school in this succession is scheduled for the Horizon West area. West Orange Relief is in early planning stages to handle projected overflow from West Orange Replacement occurring as soon as 2010.
With rampant growth being observed in western Orange County, some taxpayers and alumni have suggested that the current school plant be preserved at least long enough to serve as a special use facility. Lakeview Middle School, Ocoee High School, Apopka High School, and even West Orange Replacement, are already or are expected to be at capacity within 2 to 4 years. Apopka High Relief is already under construction to handle overflow from Apopka High School. As noted above, West Orange Relief is in early planning stages to handle projected overflow from West Orange Replacement occurring as soon as 2010. Suggested use of the WOHS building include use as an interim facility to avoid dreaded double sessions at local schools, continued usage as a hurricane relief center, or usage as a regional Orange County school dedicated to the sciences and/or the Performance Arts Center at West Orange.
[edit] Principals
The following individuals over the first thirty years of West Orange High School have served as principal.
Lester Dabbs (1975-1976), Raymond Screws (1976-1977), Ray Aldridge (1977-1978), Anthony Krapf (1978-1984), Joe Worsham (1984-1991), Sara Jane Turner (1991-1996), Gary Preisser (1996-2000), Mike Armbruster (2000-2005), and Daniel Buckman (2005-current).
