Newest Horizon West elementary school now has a name

Observer School Zone

The elementary school slated to open this fall in Horizon West now has a name.

The Orange County School Board at its Tuesday, April 2, meeting approved Atwater Bay Elementary as the name of the school located in the Village H North area of Horizon West. The school takes its name from its street address — 11100 Atwater Bay Drive, Winter Garden.

In February, the district announced Matthew Hendricks, current Water Spring Elementary principal, will become Atwater Bay’s first principal.

The school is being built to relieve overcrowding at Water Spring Elementary.

SchenkelShultz is the project architect. At capacity, the school will hold 853 students; the first-year projection is 725 students.

The elementary school will include a two-story structure with a large interior courtyard, outdoor art labs and two playgrounds. The front of the school will house the office, media center, art and music rooms, multipurpose cafeteria and kitchen, with classrooms and labs to the rear. The second floor will contain classrooms and skills lab as well. A Discovery STEM lab is included.

Parent drop-off will be in the front off Atwater Bay Drive. The school will have parking for 140 vehicles, as well as a stacking capability of 168 vehicles and 38 buses.

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Michael Eng

As a child, Editor and Publisher Michael Eng collected front pages of the Kansas City Star during Operation Desert Storm, so it was a foregone conclusion that he would pursue a career in journalism. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Missouri — Columbia School of Journalism. When he’s not working, you can find him spending time with his wife and three children, or playing drums around town. He’s also a sucker for dad jokes.