West Orange High School (Florida)

Infobox School
name=West Orange High School
motto=Exceeding Expectations through Academic Excellence,Together We all Succeed,


imagesize= 76
type=Public
location=1625 South Beulah Road,
Winter Garden, FL
information=[phone]
established=1975
grades=9-12
enrollment=2308
principal=James Larsen
mascot=Warriors
colors=Orange and Blue
district=Orange County Public Schools
website= [http://www.westorangehigh.ocps.net/ Official web site]

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.

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. The Lakeview High School site became 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 September 1975. The first principal of the school was Lester Dabbs. Upon completion of the new facility, classes began onsite in January 1976.

Many of the teachers that first year transferred from Lakeview, Ocoee, and Evans High Schools. Some of the individuals comprising the faculty included: Raymond Tripp, Jan Pratt, James Creech, Fred Savage, Maxine Lee, 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 extremely modernistic for its time. In fact, the WOHS main building was an award winning design for the architectural firm. Apopka High School, is the only school in existence with the same exact building format. West Orange appeared virtually identical to its sister school, both in the original pristine white paint scheme. The school name facade on the side of the gym and the front entrance were trimmed in cypress wood. Gymnasium accent columns, as well as the round front entrance planters, are trimmed in red brick.

All academic classrooms are housed within an innovative 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. The lunchroom "commons", as well as the library "media center", and auditorium were designed to be located centrally within the complex. The band room, gym, and industrial arts wings, as well as the science building, are located along the periphery of the complex.

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. Large portions of the building were also designed with removable partitions to allow for easy re-configuration as classroom size changed. Also contemporary with the 1970s, nearly all floors were carpeted and many of the interior walls were either covered with carpet or high-grade vinyl wall texturing. In recent years, however, the building interior has been modified, removing most of the carpeting on the walls and floors.

The school opened with a population of nearly 1800 students for the 1975-1976 school year. As a result of the rapid growth brought on by the earlier opening of the Magic Kingdom and the more recent opening of Epcot, the school was at or past maximum capacity at about 2200 students by the 1977-1978 school year. As a side note, much of the original landscaping and palm trees near the front entrance portico were donated by a foundation associated with Disney. Despite uniqueness of building design, the size of the community student body was already at the bursting point.

A science wing was added to the original structure, being both the first and last major addition to the school main building.

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, Michael Armbruster, is both an alumnus and 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. [http://www.wotimes.com/articles/2006/12/27/news/top_stories/news02.txt]

In 2006, additional property at the corner of Warrior and Beulah Road were purchased to expand the campus.

Architectural Firms

The original West Orange High School building was designed by architect Eoghan N. Kelley of Sanford. His school designs include the original Lake Brantley High School, Apopka High School, and a number of high schools in Seminole County, and Pasco County, Florida. Lake Howell High School in Seminole County, and Land'O Lakes, Hudson High School, and Zephyrhills High School in Pasco County are among his designs.

Kelley's designs were based in part on a trend of the early 1970s called the Open School Concept. The outer school building was composed of large, simple geometric shapes with no windows, and the interior of each module was so laid out that it had few permanent walls; instead, movable walls abounded and very few of the classrooms had any doors. This was supposedly done to facilitate free movement between the rooms and other resources (such as the libraries) in each module. As the first few years were to make clear, the "no-doors" concept proved problematic, with teachers complaining constantly about noise from other rooms and halls. At Lake Brantley, eventually all the gaps were boarded up and each classroom got a door. At West Orange, the open school concept was retained to a large extent to maintain the original aesthetic vision.

Among the school designs in Orange, Seminole, and Pasco Counties, there were a number of common design themes. These included almost invariably a front entrance portico, and a circular drive for easier locating of school buses during dismissal at the end of the school day. The library was often an open, sunken design located in the center of the complex. Commons areas were spacious, had high ceilings, yet were inviting through the usage of carpeting on the floors and walls. Lockers were in colorful yellows, blues, and reds. The bandroom walls were fully carpeted to dampen sound. Support columns usage and recessed door openings were both architecturally functional and stylistic.

Kelley also stated that he had designed each school to be a fallout shelter if ever needed. (There was controversy as to whether these buildings were stout enough to play such a role, no exterior windows notwithstanding. They contained no steel reinforcement in the outer cinder-block walls, and engineers doubt that they could have withstood a hurricane stronger than Category 2 or even a tornado, let alone a nuclear weapon). Kelley was awarded the contract to design the Educational Plaza schools and several others in Seminole County, as well as other schools in Florida, primarily in Pasco County.

Within just six years, serious flaws in construction and material quality at Lake Brantley High School began to appear, and massive roof leaks appeared in many different places. Two major repair and refurbishing projects were undertaken in 1980 and 1985, but eventually, the school board had had enough, and plans were unveiled in 1996 to demolish the school and rebuild it from the ground up. By 1979, Seminole County had given up on Eoghan Kelley and by 1996 all but two of his Seminole County schools - all designed and built in the same way - were torn down, and only a couple fragments remain of the others: the gymnasium of Lake Howell High School, and a partial addition to the original Teague Middle School. His Pasco County schools are still standing. It is believed that both West Orange and Apopka may have been victims of similar issues.

The architectural firm for the new West Orange High School is Schenkel Shultz.

Save Our School: Building 14 Proposal

The original West Orange High School complex has considerable architectural value. Many students can actively recall their first experiences with circular hallways, carpeted walls and floors, spacious common areas, and ultra-modernistic design. For many decades, West Orange and Apopka High Schools were the crown jewels of high school facilities within the Orlando metropolitan area. Even by year 2008 standards, the auditorium and gymnasium have creative designs that remain unchallenged by common institutional "shopping center" designs common throughout many communities.

With rampant growth being observed in western Orange County, taxpayers and alumni have suggested that the original, unique school main building be incorporated as an integral portion of the new campus. New campus structures are under construction immediately adjacent to the WOHS main building.

The current building footprint is not needed for new building construction, but is slated only as parking and a retention pond. Both of these items can be easily located to other portions of the campus. With ample property, there is no good reason given for why the current school plant must be demolished. In fact, it costs more to demolish the current structure than to allow it to remain.

Program under-designed, the capacity for Building One through Nine is only 2,776 students. Project opening enrollment later this year in August 2008, is already expected to be in excess of 2,600 students. Only four years from now in 2012, enrollment at West Orange High School is projected to be a staggering 3,400 students.

With existing building capacity scheduled to be demolished by the Orange County School Board, it is not known how the school system is anticipating in dealing with an estimated surplus of 600 students at West Orange High School. Portable classroom structures should be rejected as an ongoing solution when permanent structures are already in place!

West Orange Relief High School, originally scheduled to be completed by 2012, is already being contemplated by the OCPS to have its construction delayed. This most-recent relief school to West Orange High School is scheduled to be built a few miles away, just off Winter Garden Vineland Road.

Although citing pre-existing determinations, the "independent" review commissioned by the Orange County School Board approximately two years ago considered the thirty two-year old facility still well within its useful lifetime. In fact, the original WOHS plant has a higher building score and remains in better condition than many elementary, middle, and high schools in Central Florida. Although citing no specifics, it is strongly suspected that water issues were a factor in the school board decision. Many of these issues may have been exacerbated by the intense 2004-2005 hurricane seasons, but ideally these issues should have been avoided with proper re-sealing of the roof as was needed. Even as satellite maps show to date in 2008, incredibly only 35% of the roof has been properly resealed. The school is structurally sound; it is not too late for abatement issues to be properly addressed.

Currently the original building space is envisioned as faculty and student parking. This is highly unfortunate as the gymnasium, lunchroom commons, science building, bandroom, and vocational educational wings are among the best designed aspects of the original school complex. In particular, the gym has architectural flair, as well as functionality, that could easily be retained within the new campus. There is absolutely no good reason for not renovating these particular structures, particularly when students and staff will be relocated next door beginning with the 2008-2009 school year. The school deserves a good scrubbing and sanitizing from head-to-toe. These costs are minimal compared to the costs required by new construction, more of which will be required.

As of January 2008, the Orange County School Board has not made final plans regarding the Ninth Grade Center, located nearly a mile away. It can be argued that it makes more sense to have the Ninth Grade Center demolished instead of the original WOHS buildings. The Ninth Grade Center has no architectural value. It is too distant to have students walk to between classes. Because of its proximity to the YMCA facility, the Ninth Grade Center easily lends itself to extracurricular activities, to be transformed into tennis courts, baseball fields, or stadium parking.

As precedent, the Orange County School Board recently reconsidered the site plan at Apopka High School and allowed both the gymnasium and the science building to remain on campus. Skanska will be issuing bids for the renovation of these two buildings. The Apopka High School campus is undergoing similar revisions as the West Orange campus. The architectural firm of Schenkel-Shultz simply redesigned the site plan to allow for parking elsewhere on the AHS campus. This, in spite of the fact that the Apopka High School site is much more concise. The WOHS site has ample property and is not constrained by site limitations. Total campus property totals 61 acres. There is plenty of room for all existing and new construction. The school property is large enough for all student parking to be located immediately adjacent to both the pre-existing and new construction. Similar modernistic school plants built during 1973 and 1974 exist as Land O'Lakes High School and Hudson High School [http://www.fivay.org/hudson_high_school.html] , both located outside of Tampa, Florida in Pasco County. From photographs, it is obvious that the same architectural design firm responsible for these Florida high schools was also responsible for the original West Orange and Apopka High School prototype designs adopted for Orange County. As can be seen in the photo below, these schools have been maintained and remain fully operational.

Alumni consider it incredible that two thirty-two year old school plants have not received painting, sealing, and normal building maintenance. It is ironic that the Lakeview High School main building is approximately 81 years old and remains in full-service, undergoing numerous renovations and a recent complete overhaul, to preserve the historic structure. New construction was added to site. Both the main building and the new contemporary buildings co-exist in harmony.

The COVE community oversight committee is actively encouraged to review and consider the Building 14 proposal. Building 14 could easily help transition and absorb the shock of 3,400 students projected to be on campus in 2012, as well as save Orange County taxpayers millions of dollars in new construction costs.

Other suggested use of the main WOHS main building complex include continued usage as a hurricane relief center, use as an interim facility to avoid dreaded double sessions at local schools, usage as a regional Orange County convention facility dedicated to in-house teaching and planning conferences, to All-County Band practices and rehearsals, or designated as a regional Performance Arts and Sciences center. As with Apopka High School, the gymnasium and science building could be utilized as adjunct facilities to the nearby West Orange YMCA.

As of May 2008, there is some indication that the Science Building may be retained on campus and renovated. This has not been confirmed.

An overhead panoramic shot from heliocopter is available. The current monthly construction update is available online. [https://www.ocps.net/fa/construction/Documents/West%20Orange%20High%20School%20Monthly%20Status%20Report%20_Replacement_.pdf]

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 2009.

Lakeview Middle School, Ocoee High School http://www.ocoeehighschool.ocps.net, and Apopka High School are already or are expected to be at capacity within 2 to 4 years. Wekiva High School http://www.wekivahigh.ocps.net Apopka High Relief) opened in August 2007 to handle overflow from Apopka High School and Ocoee High School.

Beyond irony, West Orange Comprehensive Replacement itself will be at or beyond program capacity within two years.

As of late 2007, the Orange County School Board was considering postponement of West Orange Relief past the anticipated 2012 opening. Given revenue shortfalls, this is a virtual certainty.

As of January 2008, it is not known how West Orange Comprehensive Replacement is going to be able to handle 3,400 students in 2012. As of August 2008, excess building capacity will already exist on the site to support this student population. And all of this without the use of portable structures.

But this will only happen if provisions are made to keep all new and existing structures onsite.

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. [http://www.westorangehigh.ocps.net/Websites/departments/guidance/0607_Curriculum_Guide.pdf]

Advanced Placement courses available at West Orange High School are: AP Art 2-D Portfolio, AP Art 3-DPortfolio, AP Art History, AP Human Geography, AP United States History, AP U.S. Government and Politics, AP EuropeanHistory, AP World History, AP Macroeconomics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, APEnglish Language, AP English Literature, AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature, AP Latin, and AP Music Theory.

Extracurricular Activities

West Orange High School, borrowing heavily upon a strong program foundation at Lakeview and a smaller program at Ocoee High School, has had a 30 year tradition of a prominent band program within Orange County. The program was founded with the insight and stewardship of Harold Cooper, and expanded upon by the longtime dedication of David Laniewski. The WOHS band continues this proud music and marching tradition under the capable baton of Kenneth Boyd.

The West Orange Warrior Band has appeared at many local and national venues, including the Magic Kingdom, Tangerine (Citrus) Bowl, the Orlando Christmas Parade, the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C. For being a shelter during the hurricane seasons during 2004, West Orange High School band was given the opportunity the Hollywood Christmas Parade in 2004, and the Chicago St. Patricks Day Parade in 2002 and 2007. On November 25, 1992, the West Orange High School Band also had the auspicious honor of opening the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

The WOHS Choral, and Drama departments consistently win outstanding ratings at District and State Festivals. The Advanced Choirs under the direction of Jeff Redding recently won 1st place, 2nd place, and Outstanding Director Awards in 2005 at a competition in Verona, Italy.

In addition to the arts, the school is proud of its outstanding student leadership organizations. The Student Council/ Leadership Class, led by Pete Abatiello, has won many awards and recognitions in the past twenty years. Currently the student council serves the Florida Association of Student Councils District 3 as President and Parliamentarian for the Southern Association of Student Councils. The National Honor Society under the direction of Linda Tesauro is one of the most rigorous societies in the State. The organization requires a 3.8 GPA for induction and 40 hours of community service a year to maintain membership and graduate in a white gown. The WOHS NHS is the Florida Chapter Treasurer. In addition to the Student Council, each class is represented by its own set of class officers. The Junior Class of 2006-07 started the first active class council.

West Orange offers several outstanding co- an extra- curricular activities. The School also has very active Peer and Renaissance classes. Also, Students have the option to joining a myriad of other clubs on campus ranging from the FCA to GSA. Students also have the option to start their own club(s) after meeting school requirements.

An aerospace science program (Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) is offered at West Orange High School, offering more in depth activities only available to cadets within the corps, such as Kitty Hawk Air Society, and an Honor Guard.

Sports

West Orange sports include at least 30 teams in at least 18 different sports. West Orange's famous chant is "West Orange County," it is commonly used in various athletic home-games.

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 floorplan, 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.

The baseball team is one of the competitive sports at West Orange. The West Orange team also has one of the best looking fields in its district.

Due to the annual costs of maintaining 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. [http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/highschool/orl-hsbeat1206sep12,0,2482549.story?coll=orl-comm-windermere-features] , The West Orange Foundation, Inc was established to help the school fund this and other school related projects. [http://www.westorangehigh.ocps.net/Stadium.html] 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.

School Songs

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."

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."

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),Daniel Buckman (2005-2007),Ed Jones (interim 2007), James Larsen (2007-Present).

References

* [http://www.westorangehigh.ocps.net/ Official web site]
* [http://www.wotimes.com/articles/2006/12/27/news/top_stories/news02.txt West Orange Times Year in Review]
* [http://www.westorangehigh.ocps.net/Websites/departments/guidance/0607_Curriculum_Guide.pdf/ Curriculum Guide]
* [http://www.wotimes.com/articles/2006/11/16/news/top_stories/news01.txt/ West Orange Times Article: West Orange Breaks Ground]
* [http://www.wotimes.com/articles/2007/03/01/news/top_stories/news01.txt/ West Orange Pours Foundation]
* [http://www.schoolprojects.ocps.net/pdfs/WestOrangeHSReplacement.pdf Construction Update]
* [http://www.westorangehigh.ocps.net/Stadium.html School's stadium web page]
* [http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/highschool/orl-hsbeat1206sep12,0,2482549.story?coll=orl-comm-windermere-features Orlando Sentinel - West Orange sets debut on new turf]