- February 11, 2025
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The new Atwater Bay Elementary School is named after its location at 11000 Atwater Bay Drive, Winter Garden.
Orange County Public Schools representatives and Atwater Bay Elementary School staff members stopped for a quick picture in the front office area.
JyeCeon, left, Jour’Dyn and Justyce Williams explored their new school library with their mother Jasmine Williams.
Twins Bruno and Bernardo Dias Pinto were accompanied by their parents Rodrigo and Cintya Dias Pinto to view the new school.
Cary Hunter, third grade teacher, was all smiles in her new classroom.
Teacher Shelley Greenwald welcomed families into her classroom.
Siblings Benjamin and Rebecca Ogura practiced with instruments in the music room.
Megan Hamilton, left, Kate Restifo and Eva Drew represented the school’s Parent Teacher Organization at the sneak peek event.
The center courtyard of the new school features a large playground area, open green space and basketball courts.
The new green and yellow school library is stocked with myriad books for children to enjoy.
The new school features a large cafeteria area.
One of the art classrooms in the new school is complemented with lots of space for projects.
This photo showcases one of the kindergarten classrooms in the new school.
One of the science classrooms in the new school is fully stocked with new lab equipment.
School Counselor Kristin Gingras’ office space was open for families to explore.
The new school features a multitude of classrooms with green compliments.
Orange County Public Schools hosted a sneak peek event for the community to view the new Atwater Bay Elementary School Wednesday, July 31, in Horizon West.
The $45 million project, completed in July, is the first elementary school built from the new district prototype.
The new campus sits on 15 acres of land, and the school is a two-story structure measuring 106,191 square feet.
SchenkelShultz was the project architect, while Welbro served as the contractor and Tamara Cox as the project manager.
The new school is located in the Village H North area of Horizon West at 11000 Atwater Bay Drive, Winter Garden.
The elementary school includes a large interior courtyard, outdoor art labs and two playgrounds. The front of the school houses the office, media center, art and music rooms, multipurpose cafeteria, and kitchen, with classrooms and labs to the rear. The second floor contains classrooms and a skills lab. A Discovery STEM lab also is set up.
Differing from previously constructed elementary schools, the new district prototype improves upon OCPS’ previous designs, with greater efficiencies and sustainability, and provides a larger number of multipurpose educational opportunities for students.
Under the new prototype, all new elementary schools will have increased outdoor instruction in their courtyards, with covered art patios, school gardens, flexible learning spaces, strategic shade and canopies, better landscaping, and flexible gathering spaces. Safety enhancements include intermediate classrooms, internal shared vestibules, classroom only restroom access and safe zones in each classroom.
Parent drop-off will be in the front off Atwater Bay Drive. The school has parking for 140 vehicles, as well as a stacking capability of 168 vehicles and 38 buses.
Atwater Bay will help relieve Water Spring and Panther Lake elementary schools, with a capacity of 841 students. The first-year projection is about 725 students.
Matthew Hendricks, former Water Spring principal, is Atwater Bay’s founding principal.
Orange County School Board Member Pam Gould said she is thrilled to see the new prototype and to open the fifteenth school in her tenure.
"What a great way to exit my public service," she said. "It is very exciting to be able to bring new schools that serve the neighborhoods in West Orange County. I wish to thank the residents who have supported the half-penny sales tax that have made possible the funding of new schools, replacement schools and complete renovations for the students of our community. Not only have they provided places of enriched education, but they have been a tremendous asset to enhancing the property values for our community."