HFCS Principal Sister Dorothy Sayers Recommits … and more School News!

compiled by Lauren Salinero


Lake Whitney Elementary

Lake Whitney Elementary in Winter Garden held a Grand­parents Bingo Night in honor of National Grandparents Day. Attending students and their grandparents partook in a night of Bingo with pizza and snacks. It was also a great way for the children to showcase their school to their grandparents, as it was held in the cafeteria.

Thornebrooke Elementary

In honor of last month’s International Day of Peace, Thornebrooke Elementary students and families made their own pinwheels to create a “Peace Path” that was on display at the school. The display was recognized by the Florida Department of Education and the city of Ocoee as a tribute to “whirled peace.” In addition, many of the children wrote messages and quotes that were displayed in classrooms and the lobby of the school to express their thoughts and feelings about peace in the world.

Westbrooke Elementary

Westbrooke Elementary families, teachers and Parent Teacher Organization members support the school during WES’s first Spirt Night of the year.

Westbrooke Elementary held its first Spirit Night of the new school year at Let’s Skate. Wildcat families, staff and Parent Teacher Organization members enjoyed a fun night skating. The school’s mascot, Whiskers, made an appearance, to the delight of all. While all the teachers showed their school spirit, a special shoutout goes to the entire kindergarten team for
attending the festivities.

Bridgewater Middle

Bridgewater Middle turns into a magical place with its “Harry Potter” theme for the year.

Bridgewater Middle has a fun, new “Harry Potter” theme for the 2017-18 school year. Each grade has been sorted into houses: sixth grade, Gryffindor; seventh grade, Slytherin; and eighth grade, Hufflepuff; and the teachers are Ravenclaw. House points are earned through positive behavior or meeting goals, and they can be taken away for negative behavior. Each quarter, one of the houses wins the House Cup, and the students’ names are engraved on the trophy. They also get a “Harry Potter party” in the “Great Hall,” aka the cafeteria. In honor of Hermione Granger’s club, SPEW (Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare), the school started its own SPEW: Students Participating in Excellent Work. The group is also volunteering at an owl rehabilitation center. The next SPEW event will be Dobby’s Clothing Drive on Oct. 8.

Dr. Phillips High

The Dr. Phillips High School Performing Arts Center will host a benefit concert Oct. 14 to support Dr. Phillips resident Emily Nelson and her family. The Dr. Phillips High School student was shot outside her home in June, and her mother, Andrea, had to leave her job at The Russell Home for Atypical Children in order to give Emily the ongoing care she requires. Let’s Hang On, America’s No. 1 Frankie Valli tribute show, will be headlining the event. All proceeds will be donated to the family to help with medical bills and expenses related to Emily’s recovery. Tickets start at $10 and are available online at www.dpchorus.com or at the door.

Et Al

After 50 years of service, Holy Family Catholic School Principal Sister Dorothy Sayers renews her vows with the Catholic Order of the Religious Sisters Filippini.

Holy Family Catholic School congratulates Principal Sister Dorothy Sayers on her 50 years of service in the Catholic Order of the Religious Sisters Filippini. She has influenced generations of students and families. Sister Dorothy knew her calling at the age of 15 and vowed to serve God by teaching children values that come with a top-rated Catholic education. After coming to the U.S., she opened HFCS with her longtime friend, Monsignor William Ennis, in 1996. HFCS recently held a 50th Golden Jubilee, where Sister Dorothy renewed her vows. The event also included dinner and a reception to celebrate both her and her years of service.


Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corp. announced the semifinalists for the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring. Qualifying from Southwest-area schools are Graham Jordan, Alexander Koller and Cassidy Nordmann of Dr. Phillips High; Fernando Alvarez, Garrett Fullerton, Megan Galeski and Soo Min Kim of Olympia High; Sarah Tatum of West Orange High; and Franklin Estein, Dale Hill and William Sealy of Windermere Preparatory School.


Orange County Public Schools officials are accepting nominations for the OCPS Hall of Fame’s third class. Nominees for all categories must exemplify the highest standards of ethical conduct and moral character. All candidates will be judged on their significant and/or long-term contributions, and nominees may be living or deceased. No more than five people will be inducted in any induction year, and they must meet the criteria in at least one of the following categories: Distinguished Educator, Distinguished Alumni and/or Community Champion. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 16, 2017, and inductions will be held May 5, 2018. For more information or to submit a nomination, visit www.ocps.net/departments/marketing_and_events/hall_of_fame/.


Because of Hurricane Irma, Orange County Public Schools students lost six days of the school year. Superintendent Barbara Jenkins waived two of those days, and Florida Department of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart waived another two, which means OCPS does not need to make up four of the days. Makeup days for the remaining two will be Friday, Oct. 27, and Monday, Nov. 20.

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