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Wekiva High School Community Brief
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
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Dear Parents and Stakeholders,
As we approach the new academic year, the entire Leadership Team at Wekiva High School is incredibly excited for the upcoming 2025-26 school year! We have been diligently working throughout the summer to put robust systems and procedures in place, focusing on enhanced academic support, enriching extracurricular opportunities, and ensuring a safe and nurturing environment, all designed to make this the best school year yet for all our students.
We want to be clear: achieving the ambitious goals we've set for Wekiva High School will require a truly collective effort from every one of us – students, dedicated staff, engaged parents, and the wider community. Each role is vital, and your partnership is indispensable. Our theme for this year, "We Are The Standard," embodies our unwavering commitment to excellence. High expectations are not just a catchy phrase; they are the norm, not the exception, in everything we do at Wekiva. This means that every action, every lesson, every interaction, and every decision will be held to a standard of quality and dedication that is unparalleled and can only be imitated, never duplicated. From the classroom to the athletic fields, and from club meetings to community service, we will embody this standard.
To achieve this, we will all need to work together as one cohesive unit, united by a shared vision. Our primary focus is ensuring all our students achieve at the highest academic levels, and we are committed to pushing them every single day to be better than the day before, fostering a genuine love for learning and continuous improvement. We eagerly anticipate partnering with our greatest support system – all of you, our dedicated parents – to be an integral part of the success that Wekiva High is marching towards. We encourage open communication and active participation in school life, as your involvement is a cornerstone of our students' success.
This year will indeed be different. You will see an elevated level of focus, purpose, and commitment, not only from our students on a daily basis but from us, the Wekiva High School staff, as well. We are united by a renewed sense of mission. At Wekiva High, we are fundamentally in the Graduation Business, and that is the ultimate, non-negotiable goal we have for each and every student who enters our doors at 2501 Hiawassee Road, Apopka, FL 32703. Every program, every initiative, and every effort is geared towards ensuring our students are prepared not just for graduation, but for successful futures beyond our campus.
Thank you for your continued support of the vital work that is taking place at Wekiva High School. We look forward to a truly exceptional and transformative year, built on collaboration, high standards, and unwavering dedication to our students.
Sincerely,
Principal Anthony K. Russell, Jr.
| | "Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve." | | Jasen Francillon, an Emerging Shotmaker Making Noise in Florida Hoops | | |
July 30: Freshman Stampede and Device Checkout
July 31: Sophomores and Juniors Device Checkout
August 1: Senior Device Checkout and Senior Welcome Back Event
August 1: Start of Back to School Sales Tax Holiday
Please click here to see detailed list (only page 1 shown below)
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August 7: Meet the Teacher (3pm – 6pm)
August 11: First Day of School
September 1: Labor Day Holiday (No School)
| | Students will be able to checkout a laptop on their assigned day prior to the start of school. Students should bring identification to the event. | | Senior Slip 'n Slide this Friday! | | Senior photos must be taken before August 30th. | | The photography studio opened June 19th for yearbook photos. Be sure to book your appointment soon at HJPROUD.com. Photo must be taken before August 30, 2025. | | Meet the Teacher -- Thursday, August 7th | | 2025–2026 Cell Phone Policy | | Wekiva High School will follow Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) policy regarding cell phone use during the school day. For additional information, please visit OCPS’s website: https://www.ocps.net/168358_2 | | Wekiva's 2025-2026 Dress Code | | |
Wekiva High School Dress Code: Setting Standards for Success (2025-26)
At Wekiva High School, we're all about greatness, high expectations, and high standards. These values extend to our dress code, which helps prepare students for success here at school and in their future. Dressing professionally is a key part of being a Wekiva High School student.
Starting Monday, August 11, 2025, the first day of the 2025-26 school year, all students are expected to strictly follow our dress code policy. The only exceptions will be for health or religious reasons. We're committed to ensuring our students always present themselves professionally, and your cooperation in upholding these standards is essential.
What NOT to Wear: Prohibited Items for 2025-26
The following items are not allowed on school grounds:
- Durags
- Ski Masks
- Bonnets
- Hoodies (worn over the head, inside or outside the classroom, during the school day)
- Skully caps
- Bandanas
- See-through leggings
- Saggy pants
- Short tights/shorts (anything above mid-thigh)
- Crop tops
- Bedroom slippers
- Pajama pants
What You CAN Wear: Permitted Items for 2025-26
The following items are permitted, with specific guidelines:
- Sun visors (must be removed inside the building and classrooms)
- Baseball caps (must be removed inside the building and classrooms)
- Scarves
- Student IDs (must have at all times)
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work together to create a professional and successful learning environment for everyone at Wekiva High School.
| | Meet Wekiva’s Leadership Team | | |
Anthony K. Russell, Principal
Fun Facts:
Played college basketball at The University of West Florida:
All-Time Leading Scorer
All-Time Leading Rebounder
All-Time Leader in Field Goals made
All-Time Leader in Field Goal Percentage
1998 NCAA Men's Division II Individual Field Goal Percentage Leader....
University of West Florida Athletics Hall of Fame
Fernandina Beach High School Hall of Fame...
4 College Degrees
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Nora Pachnik,
Assistant Principal
Fun Facts:
I have five sisters and one brother. We have 15 grandkids between us and 3 great grand kids.
I have lived in two countries and five states and have driven across the United States 11 times.
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Vanessa Marshall,
Assistant Principal
Fun Facts:
I love Sports - MOM of two Division 1 athletes.
Huge Dallas Cowboys fan even though we are NOT consistently pulling our weight in the league, but I am a Die Hard. My dogs' name is even DALLAS! Go Cowboys!!!
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Ashley Schneider,
Assistant Principal
Fun Fact:
I performed with Mariah Carey in the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
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Deana Tolbert,
Assistant Principal
Fun Fact:
If fate hadn’t led me to education, I’d be standing under the spotlight on stage, living my dream as an actress.
| | Gearing Up for the 2025–2026 School Year | | |
Wekiva High School's leadership team recently embarked on an insightful journey to Jacksonville's Jean Ribault High School, a beacon of academic transformation. The purpose of this pivotal trip was to glean valuable insights from Ribault's remarkable ascent from a C to an A school grade.
The Wekiva team was deeply impressed by the "Great Systems! Great Structures! Great Processes!" that Dr. Bostic and the Ribault leadership team have meticulously implemented. Thank you, Dr. Bostic and Leadership Team.
| | Mustang Athletics -- Bring the Energy to the Games!! | | |
The Mighty Mustangs Media Day
On July 19, our Wekiva Mustangs participated in the Central Florida Media Days from Camping World Stadium in Orlando along with Orange County and Osceola County high school football teams.
| | 2025 Varsity Football Schedule | | 2025 Junior Varsity Football Schedule | | 2025–2026 Boys Basketball Schedule | | |
The Wekiva Chorus needs your help.
We are revising some of our organizational and classroom management practices this year, and we are in need of some supplies to help us do that. If you are able to donate any of the following items, no matter how big or so small and in whatever quantity you are able, we would be very grateful!
Link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/RY5JXD7H1G7J?ref_=wl_share
| | Wekiva High School’s Band Looks to Raise $180,000 for Event in New Orleans, LA | | |
Wekiva High School’s Marching Mustangs has been invited to march in the 2026 Sugar Bowl Parade in New Orleans, LA. We are so exited for the program and are looking for sponsors and donors to help us make this trip a reality for the entire band.
Students from Wekiva High School are hosting Summer Band Camp Preview on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 7:00pm in an effort to raise money to perform in a prestigious WorldStrides festival in New Orleans, LA. The Summer Band Camp Preview will be at Wekiva High School Gymnasium, 2501 Hiawassee Rd. Apopka, FL 32703. The band has already raised $10,000.00. If you would like to help the Marching Mustangs make this trip, please click the link below.
| | The Wekiva High School marching Band is expected to depart on December 29, 2025. For more information about the trip or to donate, please visit www.wekivaband.com. | | Driver's Education Course | | |
New Florida law adds new requirement for teen drivers starting Aug. 1
1st-time drivers need longer traffic safety course.
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Source: News 6 Orlando Read full article
Teens applying for their learner’s permits in Florida will have a new requirement to get that ID card starting Aug. 1.
A law passed earlier this year requires first-time applicants under the age of 18 to complete a new six-hour Driver Education Traffic Safety course.
The class can be taken in person or online. An option for students is to take the course through Orange County Virtual School (below).
| | 2025–2026 National Assessment Test Dates | | |
SAT/ACT Test Dates
Mrs. Lettitia Williams can assist students throughout the school year with registration and provide information to cover the cost for the weekend SAT and ACT administrations.
| | OCPS earns consecutive 'A' grades from the Florida Department of Education | | For the second year in a row, Orange County Public Schools has been ranked as an 'A' rated school district according to the data released by the Florida Department of Education. As a school district, OCPS remains highly focused on academic excellence and the 'A' grade reflects this priority. | | |
New Parent Platform “ParentSquare”
Wekiva Families,
OCPS has started using ParentSquare for all school and district communication – email, text, app alerts, and more! This unified communications platform will keep all stakeholders informed and permits meaningful engagement that supports student success. Your account is already created using your Skyward information; just activate it and customize your setting. If you have not received any correspondence from Wekiva High School, be sure your contact information is up-to-date in the school’s database.
| | ParentSquare Getting Started Guide: | | |
OCPS transitions to SchoolCashOnline from SchoolPay
Orange County Public Schools is changing to SchoolCash Online. SchoolCash Online will be used to pay for all school fees. This includes things like field trips and yearbooks. You can find the SchoolCash Online page here: https://ocps.schoolcashonline.com/. SchoolCash Online is replacing SchoolPay starting this year.
We ask families to sign up for their free SchoolCash Online account beginning this week. (The site will be live on Wednesday, July 30th.)
If families have difficulties signing up, they can contact the SchoolCash Online help desk at schoolcashonline.com/Home/Support.
| | One of our very supportive Mustang parents, Mrs. Angie Johnson, helping to beautify the campus. | | 1) Florida A&M University (FAMU) ranked #1 given its low tuition, high student retention, minimal loan default rate, and strong alumni earnings among online HBCUs: | | 2) Fastest growing jobs in Orange County through 2031: | | 3) Weekly earnings in the USA vary based upon education level: | | Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (July 22, 2025) Read full report (see table 5) | | |
Footnote for our Mustangs: The nearby chart shows median weekly earnings by educational attainment from the start of the 21st century through June 30, 2025. While weekly earnings will move up and down gradually over time, the overall pattern is unchanged. The top red line in the chart is for those with a 4-year bachelor's degree or higher while the bottom black line is for those that did not finish high school. "Median" means that of the full-time wage and salary workers half earn more than the median, and half earn less. The grey bars in the chart are economic recessions. Over the long-run, those with more education take home higher paychecks.
Latest weekly earnings as of June 30, 2025:
Bachelor's degree and higher = $1,732
Some college or associate degree = $1,086
High school diploma, no college = $960
Less than a high school diploma = $750
| | 4) Companies that will help pay for your college degree: | | |
Target is one of many companies listed in a recent report that offer tuition assistance programs to employees.
Source: www.pennyhoarder.com Read full article
1. Amazon
2. Target
3. Tyson Foods
4. Chipotle
5. Disney
6. Starbucks
7. Walmart and Sam’s Club
8. Papa Johns
9. Discover
10. T-Mobile
11. Verizon
12. Lowe’s
13. KFC
14. CVS
15. Wells Fargo
16. Bank of America
17. Capital One
18. Fidelity Investments
19. Gap, Inc.
20. McDonald's *
21. Publix *
* Not mentioned in the report, but they are local to Apopka and do offer college support (see links).
| | Wekiva High School Senior Leadership Team | | This communication may contain information that is legally privileged, confidential or exempt from disclosure, and intended only for the use of the addressee(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please note that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Anyone who receives this message in error should notify the sender immediately by telephone or by return e-mail, and delete the message from their computer and any printout thereof. Please note that Orange County Public Schools utilizes spam and junk e-mail filtration applications in its e-mail systems. That filtering process may prevent or delay delivery of certain e-mail communications. If you do not receive a timely response to an e-mail communication, please contact the intended recipient by phone. | | |
Copyright Notice
Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and Wekiva High School - Orange County Public Schools is forbidden without written consent. Thank you for your support of the Orange County Public Schools and especially Wekiva High School. Please contact Anthony Russell at anthony.russell@ocps.net with any questions related to the program.
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Wekiva High School | Mr. Russell, Principal | 407.297.4900 | WHS Website | | | | |
