OCPS names three new West Orange-area schools

The three new schools opening in West Orange County for the 2021-22 school year have been named.

Orange County School Board members approved the names for the two high schools and a middle school during their meeting Tuesday, Dec. 8.

Site 113-H-W-4, located at 10393 Seidel Road in Horizon West, is now Horizon High School. The school relieves Windermere High. The top three names nominated by the community were Hamlin High, Horizon High and Horizon West High. School Board members chose the name Horizon High "as a reference to the horizon of opportunities that the school will provide students and reflects the Horizon West community where the school, previously known as Site 113-H-W-4, is located," according to Orange County Public Schools. 

Site 80-H-SW-4, located at 11305 Daryl Carter Parkway in Orlando, is now Lake Buena Vista High School. The school relieves Dr. Phillips and Freedom high schools. The top three names chosen by the community were Lake Buena Vista High, Sand Lake High and Vineland High. Board members chose Lake Buena Vista High because the name "represents a widely known nearby lake and municipality within the attendance zone of the school."

Finally, Water Spring Middle School will open in 2021 in a wing at Horizon High School to help relieve Bridgewater and SunRidge middle schools. It will get its own campus adjacent to Water Spring Elementary in August 2023. The top three names were Hickory Nut Middle, Storeyleigh Middle and Water Spring Middle. Water Spring was chosen, OCPS officials said, because the school site is next to Water Spring Elementary and will be a middle school for Water Spring students.