Windermere Preparatory School

This was our first year at Windermere Prep and our child is flourishing. He had previously attended a well respected IB school in our former town, and the offerings paled in comparison to what is offered at WPS.What has also impressed us is the feeling of community and strong focus on social responsibility. From all of our interactions, the student body from pre-k to high school is comprised of a really nice set of kids who are happy and kind to each other. The teachers are warm and genuinely demonstrate affection and interest toward our child, and we are certainly not pushy parents demanding such a response, as other postings have claimed. Do your research.... there's a place best suited for every child, and WPS has been that for ours.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two kids at the school; one in high school and one in middle school. I find the teachers and admin very responsive and easy to work with. One of my children has a mild learning disability and the school has been very receptive working with her to help her achieve her academic goals. I find most of the teachers very dedicated and easy to talk with. They have greatly improved their math program, and I love all of the high school math teachers. I've been very happy with the English teachers as well. Not so happy with their science program yet and understand this has been a weakness and area of high turn over. I'm not a huge fan of the IB program as I don't feel it is well suited for all students. Their international program has strengths and weakness, but be aware that about half of their junior and senior class is international. This tends to skew the curve one direction for math and sciences, and the other direction for English and history. There is also not as much socialization between the interntl. students and the US students as I would think. Overall it has the personal touches of a small school with many advantages of a bigger school. Good but room for improvement.
—Submitted by a parent

My children are in LS & I am looking to move them nxt yr. I can't argue w/the comments posted, I have seen it w/my own eyes-cks are given& I hear so much unhappiness from parents @all levels of income.they say nothing due to the Prestige image the school gives&the high profile parents don't want that damaged @the cost of their child s ed.I can only speak abt the LS, w/my observations &exp, WPS does not have the exp teachers needed to set a good foundation. I am lucky to have children that are self-driven but I don't want 2 say "let's give it 1more yr & see what the headmaster can do . I do not put a price tag on ed but great ed is what they shld rec, we find ourselves supplementing to ensure our children r getting what they miss at WPS. The campus is beautiful, teachers are friendly, young school, new headmaster who I believe has a good vision, but the question is - do I want my children to waste another yr 2 'wait & see' & hope we get lucky with a good teacher . I support Dr. Marcy s vision, but not at the exp of my children s education. Lower school needs to be evaluated. Wishing every1 the very best because it s the students that will suffer, it s not abt the parents
—Submitted by a parent

Windermere Prep has only been in operation for twelve years but has made extraordinary progress toward becoming one of the most elite college prep institutions in this region.Over the past several years the school has recruited a number of highly qualified ,professional administrators and faculty.The school recently added state -of-the-art classrooms to handle the increasing enrollment in the High School.This increase is due primarily to the schools bold decision to add an I.B program to the cirriculum in the High School-the only private institution in the area to offer this advanced diploma.My son is a junior in the High School and has attended WPS since the 8th grade.He has consistently scored high on the PSAT (which is given here to all 9-11th graders) and recently scored in the 90th plus percentile on the SAT.There is no doubt in my mind that he is being well prepared to enter a Tier 1 college.The rigor and completeness of the I.B. Program is impressive.I give my wholehearted endorsement of WPS for anyone looking for a first class College Prep School.
—Submitted by a parent

WPS is one of the best things that has happened to our family and our community! Our children love getting up everyday and look forward to seeing their teachers and friends. Sending our children to WPS is one of the best decisions we have ever made. We have been there since 2005 and are thrilled more and more every year!
—Submitted by a parent

This is a prime epitome of a school to AVOID. Besides the fact from reading the other comments and judging that they have probably been written by the administration - I won't bother accounting them into the equation. If you're rich and willing to donate ridiculous amounts of money in order for your child to be brought into college - definitely the school for you. If your child gets kicked our or suspended - just throw some money at them and the problem will magically disappear off record.
—Submitted by a parent

My kids could not be happier. At WPS they found a great environment to evolve and as long as they are willing and working hard, I am sure they will acomplish their goals. Both are doing sports (tennis, swimming, volleyball), for second semester they plan to do dance, music and drama...I feel they are chalenged to manage their time with so many activities, homework and assigments, however they have outstanding results. Yes this is a 15,000 tuition school but it makes every penny worthwhile!
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent School! The well-rounded curriculum PK through 12th gives kids chance to shine. Fantastic arts program - The art show is incredible! Middle School has strong science program with 2 big projects, science fair and rollercoaster design. High School even offers FIRST robotics team. The challenging High School IB program is more in-depth than AP classes. My son said he was well prepared for college when he arrived this Fall.
—Submitted by a parent

Windermere Prep School (WPS) is a true hidden gem!!!! Where else can you find a school where the teachers cater to your individual student's learning styles and are you can see in their eyes and demeanor how excited they are daily teaching your child? Did you know that many Mertias students are accepted to Ivy league or if they choose they can get their tuition paid in full if they decide to stay in Florida once they receive the IB diploma? Did you know that one WPS' alumni was working with ESPN at the recent Olympics or that one of it's seniors was on the Voice? Did you know that WPS is part of the Meritas family located in in Switzerland, Mexico, China and USA ? WPS is a hidden jem because many don't know all that I have just told you. I am so happy that we found this gem. In today's international environment where it is a major business and career disadvantage not to know about other nationalities and worldwide affairs, the school can provide my children an international experience not only with it's IB program but is also part of the Meritas schools international locations. I especially love hearing my children say they can't wait for school break to be over. Priceless!!!!
—Submitted by a parent

Im going to keep it simple and get straight to the point. If you want to buy your kid good grades then this is the school for you. If you enjoy politics and making super donations and paying large sums of money at silent auctions, to ensure your kid is noticed...Then this is the school for you! It took my family one year of our son going there. Never again...Never
—Submitted by a parent

Our family walked (ran) away from this money hungry school. Rediculously high fees. Unorganized offices with rude staff. The preK program is a joke. The teachers are brand new - I understand why they cannot keep their staff. This school cannot control their pushy parents who are able to run everything. I'm guessing half of them go here for free. Totally a status school - they are not about substance or quality. Price does not equal quality here!
—Submitted by a parent

We moved here when my son was about to enter 6th grade so we only know about the middle school. Half of the teachers are all right, 25% of them are engaged, many are just friends or family of admin, absolutely ridiculous. There are no male teachers (none) and the assignments are very female oriented, lots and lots of creative writing with a focus on decorating the work ( their term is funkify), for all the classes. The grounds and facilities are what is attractive. The sports program is terrible despite appearances. Go elsewhere, we are.
—Submitted by a parent

What a mess. Never ever have I seen a so called preparatory school run by pushy parents and teachers in fear of losing their jobs. The high school guidance counselor has held on to her job for years, despite the fact that forgetting to send out transcripts etc... is an every day occurrence. I know of several students who have not gotten in to their first choice school because of their incredible disorganization. Parents are permitted to throw their weight around to influence grades. I personally witnessed the mother of the valedictorian of the class of 2010 BRAG about changing her daughters GPA because it was the "teacher's fault". Don't walk - run away from this school - unless you want to "buy a grade" as oppose to educate your child.

Since leaving this school, our daughter has had to endure tutoring just to catch up. After have our child tested and knowing what we as parents already knew she has no learning problems! The problem is the school. Bullies are another problem. If you child is hit by another child that has four other siblings that go there don't bother because your one and only child will be cheated...WPS wants that money and not just your one child when the other family offers so much more money than you. Safety is not of concern. The admin. knows of these problem children that go there and year after year get away with it because of the mighty dollar..I would not get caught up in the looks but the people who are running the place.
—Submitted by a parent

Our family loves this school. The staff and teachers have provided an excellent environment for my daughter to flourish in. I can't believe how much she's learned in just 4 months. Sadly, we'll be moving out of state and will miss Windermere Prep. The experience we've had has been one of close community, a family really.
—Submitted by a parent

My three children attend WPS and I could not be happier. After spending 2 years in a good local public school, I was not satisfied with the attention my children received. They were often looked over because they were able to complete work without assistance and did not cause any trouble. At WPS they benefit from the student teacher ratios, they take drama, strings, pe, spanish and art. They are challenged with their assignments and love to go to school each day. The best part of the school is the sense of community and family that we all feel. My children can not wait to play sports and grow with the school. WPS is a first class school with dynamic teachers providing my family with an excellent whole child education.
—Submitted by a parent

I went to WPS from 2-8th grade and had an alright education. Elementary and Middle school is alright but the high school is horrible. My brother and my sister both went there and left feeling like they have learned nothing and also missed out on the "high school experience". The school tells you everything you want to hear even if they are lying just so that they can get your $15,000. I left just this year and went to a public school and the public school is giving me a far better education than windermere prep ever did. When I switched schools the school was so unorganized that they lost my medication records and my testing for ADD. They sent my brothers school another kids transcripts and then informed us that they had lost my brothers. Before you send your child here, I would look for a different school, trust me there are far better schools.

As a student who has attended public school and taken AP classes, I can say the IB education is far superior to that and the teachers care a lot more at WPS than at any other school I know of. That is a huge difference. Also, there is a lot more opportunity here than at most schools to play sports or be in extracurricular activities, and just be recognized for who you are in general.

I have been a WPS parent for many years and while I have never posted to a site like this before because I think it is mostly complainers who post, I thought I should respond to some of the "negative" posts by saying that education is largely what you make of it as a student and parent and the fabulous thing about WPS is it allows you to do that. If pushy parents try to get grades changed, shame on them. If there are admin directives that teachers don't understand or believe in, they probably should move on. WPS is all about the STUDENTS. I think they try to do too much with too few resources, which sometimes results in lower quality outcomes than desired, but it is still a growing school, and the admin and most of the faculty are all there for the BENEFIT of the students. I don't think there are many places of organizations, that can boast that.
—Submitted by a parent

All show, but not much substance. Some of the teachers are awesome, but they don't stay because of the way the school is run. Teachers understand the curriculum better than the admin. Get a better deal for your money elsewhere.
—Submitted by a parent