Windermere School
Windermere School is a private, coeducational day and boarding PK–12 college preparatory school in Florida, the US. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Florida Council of Independent Schools, and International Baccalaureate World School. The school is also a part of the Nord Anglia Education network, a provider of international schools in 30 countries.
Windermere School is the only Central Florida private school to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, the Gold Standard of High School curriculum. It also has been named the Best Private School in the Orlando community for the last five consecutive years.
Windermere School nurtures students’ intellectual, emotional, and social growth to prepare them for the ever-changing life challenges. Through personalized learning and advanced curriculum, teachers provide instruction that educates the students, both inside and outside the classroom. That is why Windermere School is the study destination for 1,800 students of over 55 nationalities.
Location of the Windermere School
It may be interesting to learn more about the location of the Windermere School before discussing its study programs for international students. Known as Sunshine State, Florida borders Alabama, Georgia, the Bahamas, and Cuba. The state also has access to the Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of Florida, and the Atlantic Ocean. Its total area is 170,310 km2, and its total population is over 21,244,823 residents. It is worth mentioning that English and Spanish are the most spoken languages in the state of Florida.
The capital of the state is Tallahassee, but the largest city of Florida is Jacksonville. The most populated urban area in Florida is Miami, with a population of 6.2 million citizens. Other populated megalopolises with over one million people are Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa Bay.
Each year, Florida draws about 2 million tourists. They prefer the state for its tropical climate, beach resorts, and amusement parks. During the school trips, international students can visit various attractions, including Walt Disney World, Everglades National Park, and the Kennedy Space Center.
School’s Facilities
Windermere School is situated in an area of 0.2 km2 in the small town of Windermere in the Orlando Metropolitan Area. Since the school is next to Lake Cypress of the Butler Chain of Lakes, the campus has refreshing pools of lake water and green spaces.
Windermere School also offers international students who apply to Grades 7-12 comfortable residential facilities. The dorms are transformed townhomes, which have three bedrooms and two bathrooms, providing students with the comfort and feel of a real home. Additionally, full-time dorm parents and part-time residential assistants look after the well-being, safety, and happiness of international students.
The campus also features many attractions for student development. Though academic achievement is the highest priority of Windermere School, it is complemented and enriched by extracurricular activities, such as fine and performing arts, athletics, clubs, and community service.
The state-of-the-art Cypress Center for the Arts hosts over a hundred events throughout the year, allowing students at the Windermere School to inspire, imagine, and create across drama, voice, dance, and the visual arts. The center also includes a 17-meter-wide stage and a 535-seat Dr. Thomas L. Marcy theater. It is a place where a world-class performing arts curriculum in collaboration with The Juilliard School is flourishing daily.
The athletic facilities include the Tennis Academy, Swim Academy, and Sports Performance Center on campus. The Windermere School also has an indoor gymnasium, a sports performance center with a weight room, a multifunctional field with a surrounding track, an aquatic center with a large swimming pool, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, baseball fields, and softball fields. The school has over 60 teams in 21 sports, such as football, golf, swimming, volleyball, basketball, baseball, tennis, lacrosse, weightlifting, and archery. By the way, Windermere School competes in Florida High School Athletic Association’s Legislative Division 16.
The school also offers international students to take part in clubs to broaden their horizons, expand their cultural knowledge, and foster connections with other students. Some of the most popular clubs are Astronomy Club, Debate Club, French Club, Programming Club, and Forensic Club. Moreover, the Windermere School has a robotics team that competes in the FIRST Robotics Competition.
Overview of the Programs
In the Windermere School, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) plays an invaluable part in the students’ learning experiences. In collaboration with MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), the school offers international students an introduction to the interdisciplinary STEAM program. Students use 3D printers, coding equipment, innovation labs, iPads, interactive SMART boards, and advanced computers.
Now, it is time to overview the study programs of the Windermere School. From Preschool to Grade 5, teachers provide the youngest students with rich opportunities for intellectual, emotional, and social growth. Early Years and Lower School Curriculum covers daily routines around reading, writing, spelling, phonics, math, science, life skills, social studies, and character development to foster the students’ creativity, independence, and teamwork.
In Grades 6-8, students at the Windermere School are exposed to a varied Middle School curriculum that requires creativity and hands-on experiences. Students learn core subjects, including math, science, language arts, global languages, social studies, and physical education. Additionally, each student should choose an area for fine arts exploration.
In Grades 9-12, the rigorous curriculum includes a variety of Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The academic focus at Windermere School is on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. The high school schedule consists of a combination of core classes (English, science, mathematics, the fine and performing arts, social sciences, and world languages) and electives. With a wide variety of elective options, international students often find a study program that keeps them engaged and motivated.
The Entrepreneurial Studies Program at Windermere School is a valuable addition to the high school curriculum that offers business-minded students a competitive edge for college and their future careers. This program develops real, sustainable skills that are highly demanded by the contemporary economy. By the way, the Entrepreneurial Studies Program is developed by Startup Studio, a world leader in providing disruptive solutions to high schools.
To help high school international students make wiser decisions about their future college and university selections, college counselors assist them in developing their four-year high school course plan. Thus, graduates of the Windermere School are accepted to the top colleges and universities, including Ivy League schools. Some of them are Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University, Cornell University, and Dartmouth College.
Admission Requirements
To apply to the Windermere School, parents and international students ought to complete a selective and competitive admissions process.
- They need to submit an online inquiry form on the school’s website.
- Parents should schedule a personalized or virtual discovery meeting with the admission department to get an in-depth look at the Windermere School.
- Parents and international students must submit an online application form and pay the non-refundable application fee of $150.
- Prospective students ought to provide transcripts for the current year and previous two years of schooling, standardized test results, such as IELTS or TOEFL, two recommendations from teachers of English and Math from their current school, and a copy of their passport.
- If requesting an I-20, parents need to provide a bank statement or proof of financial support.
- Students must pass an interview with the admission officer.
- Parents and international students get the admission decision within 48 hours after the interview.
Tuition Fees for International Students
Before applying to the Windermere School, it is worth discovering its tuition fees. Tuition fees for day students range from $18,395 per year for Pre-K3 to $27,195 per year for Grades 9-12. Instructional activity fees vary from $425 to $1,750 per year.
Five-day international student boarding at the Windermere School costs $63,750 per year, while seven-day boarding costs $80,670 per year. Parents also need to pay a new student fee of $1,500 and an international student fee of $1,500. The international student fee is charged to families whose children need an I-20 to obtain a J1 or F1 student visa.
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