Palmetto ES 2000
 Eagle's Nest ES 2003
Hiawassee ES 2003
Orlo Vista ES 2004
West Oaks ES 2004
Millenia ES 2006
Catalina ES 2007
Sadler ES 2007
Jones HS 2005
Kathleen "Kat" Gordon
School Board Member, District 5

Welcome Back to a New School Year! Hopefully, you enjoyed your opening week!

As a reminder, an important change to this year's calendar means students will not have the entire week off for Thanksgiving. Students will be in class Monday and Tuesday, November 21-22, followed by Thanksgiving Break, November 23-25. 

These alterations will allow the first semester to end before Winter Break. Students will no longer have to return to class in January and take final assessments for the semester. Spring break will be March 20-24, 2017 and the last day of school for students will be May 31, 2017.
Please see the following accomplishments and value of Orange County Public Schools for "quality of life" advantages that our school district offers in the recruitment of new businesses and employees to Orange County. 
Sincerely,
Kathleen "Kat" Gordon

Orange County School Board Member, District 5
407-317-3236

Like us on FacebookView our videos on YouTubeFollow us on Twitter
Memorial MS 2009
Robinswood MS 2009
 Orange Center ES 2011
Westridge MS 2012
Eccleston ES 2013
Pineloch ES 2014
 Shingle Creek ES 2014
Washington Shores 2014
 Oak Ridge HS 2012
OCPS Welcomes Three New Schools
Millennia Gardens Elementary School
Mrs. Gordon with Millennia Gardens Elementary School Administration
Mrs. Gordon with Tangelo Park Administrators, Staff, and Students during the Sneak Peek
Mr. Harris Rosen and Mrs. Gordon touring the Tangelo Elementary School Sneak Peak with OCPS staff

Our district is continuing to grow at a rapid pace. We are expecting about 5,000 new students this year. Orange County Public Schools will welcome three brand new schools, as well as a number of newly renovated facilities.
 
New schools include Bay Lake Elementary in the west, Wedgefield K-8 in the east, and Millennia Gardens in the central portion of the district. Students at Dream Lake, Lockhart, Riverside, Tangelo Park, and Ventura elementary schools will also enjoy newly renovated campuses.
 
The new Millennia Gardens Elementary conducted a Sneak Peek on August 2, from 4:00 PM- 7:00 PM Tangelo Park Elementary held its Sneak Peek on August 11, from 4:00 PM- 7:00 PM.
Digital Learning Expanding
This marks the third year of our innovative digital learning initiative that provides a digital device to everystudent at participating schools. This year nearly 73,000 devices will be deployed to students. For the first time, this year every high school student will have his/her own notebook computer.
 
Our students are "digital natives" who have come to rely on digital resources for their learning, entertainment, and communication. They live in a world where information creation and consumption is constantly occurring. OCPS envisions a learning environment where technology is a part of us, not apart from us. A total of 29 schools have eliminated traditional textbooks for this new digital learning experience. To learn more about the program, visit digital.ocps.net.
OCPS Maintains "B" Grade in Year of Complex Accountability Changes
The Florida Department of Education released grades for all elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the state, and the grade attained by each district. Orange County Public Schools earned a grade of "B."
 
Superintendent Barbara Jenkins said, "It is not valid to compare the 2014-2015 partial school grades with the 2015-2016 baseline grades. Comparisons between the two years ignore the addition of the complex 2015-2016 learning gains measure. To draw conclusions about improvement or decline, when we are unsure how schools would have performed in 2014-2015 if they had received learning gains, would not be appropriate."
 
Dr. Jenkins reminds parents, students, educators, and the community to recognize the 2015-2016 school grades as a baseline year. Districtwide 43 percent of schools are rated "A" or "B", 41 percent are rated "C", 13 percent are rated "D", and 3 percent received a grade of "F." These percentages do not include charter schools. The district stands firmly behind the hard work of students, teachers, and administrators.
 
OCPS will continue to advocate for a more accurate and improved accountability system where schools are not simply labeled with a single letter grade. For a complete list of school grades in Orange County and statewide, please go to: http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/
OCPS Awarded Excellence for Financial Reporting
Orange County Public Schools has been awarded for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International. The district was recognized for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending 2015. This is the district's 15th year participating in the program.
 
Sponsored by VALIC, the Certificate of Excellence (COE) award confirms the school business office's commitment to financial accountability and transparency. Recognition through the COE program can help strengthen a district's presentation for bond issuance statements and promotes a high level of financial reporting.



OUR VISION 
To be the top producer of successful students in the nation.

OUR MISSION
To lead our studnets to success with the support and involvement of families and the community.

District 5 Goals

Live Streaming of School Board Meetings:
We are at your service!
Orange County schools represented by 
Mrs. Gordon

Elementary: Catalina, Eagle's Nest, Eccleston, Grand Avenue, Hiawassee, Ivey Lane, Millennia, Mollie Ray, Oak Hill, Orange Center, Orlo Vista, Palmetto, Pine Hills, Pineloch, Rock Lake, Sadler, Shingle Creek, Tangelo Park, Washington Shores and West Oaks

Middle: Carver, Memorial, Robinswood and Westridge

High: Jones and Oak Ridge

Orange Techical College: Mid-Florida and Orlando Campus

Special Schools: Addictions Receiving Facility, Gateway, Magnolia, Orange Youth Academy, and Youthful Offenders Program

District 5 Upcoming Renovation Projects: Thank You Taxpayers!
Site 81-SW-5
Tangelo Park ES
Site 131-PS8-SW-5
Carver MS
Rock Lake ES
Mollie Ray ES
Ivey Lane ES
Oak Hill ES
Pine Hills ES
Grand Avenue PLC
Orange Techncal College
-Orlando Campus
-Mid-Florida Campus
Magnolia
Gateway School

The information contained in this e-mail message is intended solely for
the recipient(s) and may contain privileged information. Tampering with
or altering the contents of this message is prohibited. This information
is the same as any written document and may be subject to all rules
governing public information according to Florida Statutes. Any message
that falls under Chapter 119 shall not be altered in a manner that
misrepresents the activities of Orange County Public Schools.

[References: Florida State Constitution I.24, Florida State Statutes
Chapter 119, and OCPS Management Directive A-9.] If you have received
this message in error, or are not the named recipient notify the sender
and delete this message from your computer.


Kathleen "Kat" Gordon |  School Board Member, District 5
Orange County Public Schools
445 W Amelia St.
Orlando, FL 32801
(407) 716-6861