Windermere High School: year 1 assessment

Orange County Public Schools has released its report cards for the 2017-18 school year, and Windermere High ranked slightly higher than the district and the state in its inaugural year.

The district constructed report cards that highlight each school's efforts to provide their students with a complete education in the 2017-18 school year.

OCPS stakeholders had requested a wider range of indicators to be used in measuring the performance of a school and individual students. These report cards reflect the priorities of the stakeholders and OCPS’s commitment to provide a well-rounded education for all students.

“I have said time and again that a single test score should not define a student’s success,” said Bil Sublette, OCPS School Board chair. “Throughout my almost eight years on the school board, I have seen tremendous growth in our schools. Our school report cards provide a deeper, more complete picture of student performance and accurately reflects the learning and growth occurring every day in our schools.”

 “All of our schools work hard to help students succeed,” said Superintendent Barbara Jenkins. “While required, it is important to note that state tests are not the only measure of a school’s accomplishments. In 2016, our community provided input on what a school report card should include instead of a state-assigned single letter grade. OCPS school report cards provide a more comprehensive view of our schools for parents and our community.”

In the Florida Statewide Assessments, WHS came in ahead of the district and the state for the school year for levels 3, 4 or 5:

• English Language Arts — school, 63%; district, 50%; state, 53%

• Algebra I — school, 42%; district, 29%; state, 42%

• Geometry — school, 64%; district, 61%; state, 52%

• Biology — school, 74%; district, 62%; state, 65%

• U.S. History — school, 71%; district, 65%; state, 68%.

Because Windermere High opened without a senior class, there will not be any College and Career Readiness data until the 2019-20 report card.

Windermere High offers 18 sports, including bowling, lacrosse and water polo; 34 extracurricular programs and organizations, including American Red Cross, Anime Club, Coding Club and Gay Straight Alliance.

Visual and performing arts participation was 44.5%, compared to 43.1% for all of Orange County.

School Climate measures the overall student, parent and staff survey scores from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Windermere High School received a 3.34 student score, compared to a 3.33 overall score for the district; a 3.63 parent score compared to a 3.87 district parent score; and a 4.18 staff score compared to a 3.94 district staff score.

Windermere High attendance reached 92.9%, compared to the district’s 91.3%.

The suspension rate was 7.5% at the school and 11.4% in the district.

The report card included school demographics, as well. The student body at Windermere High School is 34.8% Hispanic, compared to the district, at 41.4%; 47.9% white, compared to 26.7% in the district; 7.9% black, compared to the district’s 24.8%; 6.6% Asian, compared to 4.8% in the district; and 2.3% multiple race, compared to the district’s 2.1%.

The school’s student body is 12.1% English Language Learner and 5.2% Exceptional Student Education. In the district, those numbers are 15.9% and 11.6%, respectively.

In addition, the state of Florida has released its letter grades for all schools.

“Note the difference between OCPS School Report Cards and the grade that a school receives from the state,” Sara Au, OCPS media relations, said “Orange County Public Schools annually releases a comprehensive report on every school in the district, based on listening to OCPS stakeholders’ request that a wider range of indicators should be used in measuring the performance of a school and individual students. These School Report Cards provide a deeper, more accurate, description of the entire school beyond a single grade that is based on test scores.

“The information displayed in the School Report Cards includes student demographics, climate survey results, attendance, participation in visual and performing arts courses, extracurricular activities, magnet programs and more, in addition to data of student performance on statewide assessments as provided by the Florida Department of Education,” Au said.

In the West Learning Community, Maxey Elementary had the highest gains, showing the highest increase in English/Language Arts and overall. Maxey also showed one of the highest increases in math and a great increase in science, as well.  

 “(Windermere High) didn’t really get a full grade this year because they didn’t have a senior class and because about 5% transferred from private school, so there was no previous score for those kids,” Gould said.

“Overall, new school, new year, new everything — they did phenomenal,” she said.

Windermere received a B, as did West Orange, Olympia and Dr. Phillips high schools. Ocoee High received a C.

In the fall, Windermere High will have an enrollment of 3,300 students; Gould stressed no portables will be set up.

The school was built with multiple large collaboration spaces, which are located in front of classrooms to be used for studying, reading, technology and meetings. Gould said these spaces are being turned into classrooms.

“That will help us get through next year, and then we’ll see where we are,” Gould said.