Ocoee High School set the bar high in becoming a Florida Department of Education

'A' rated school for the first time in Ocoee History! 

This summer, as we began our new journey as an 'A' rated Florida high school and with a new principal, it was important that the staffulty spent quality time together planning and prepping for the 2024-2025 school year.

Our leadership team met this summer for some time building their bond before our Knights returned.

Ms. Khan and Ms. Wagner at Antojitos family-owned taco restaurant in downtown.

The amazing Ms. Khan (pictured above left) once again put together a great pre-planning get together for all the staffulty here at Ocoee. Ms. Khan reached out to several of our local Ocoee restaurants and coffee shops to provide teachers with some of the excellent food we have around our community. 

Some of our staff at Taste of Coffee.

Teachers checking in with Ms. Kahn and Mr. Huett.

Our teachers arrived early for their pre-planning period where breakfast was served by the talented Mr. Hendricks. 

Football Kickoff Classic this Friday vs. Oak Ridge's Pioneers:

Varsity Football Schedule

All Season Sports Passes:

Cross Country Schedule:

Meals are FREE for ALL Students:

Dress Code: What NOT to Wear

Back to School Message from Dr. Maria Vazquez, Superintendent of Schools:

Typically each Monday during the regular school year, Dr. Vazquez prepares a short message for the community—"Mondays with Maria." This week, she welcomed back all OCPS families. If you click on the image above, there are highlights from the Back to School Press Conference.

This past week, parents and students visited our campus to see where their classes, meet their teachers and see what clubs Ocoee has to offer. Our clubs had tables set up all throughout the courtyard. 

Key Club

Spanish National Honor Society

Lakay Club

Our freshmen had their own meeting last week where they learned about the expectations practiced here at Ocoee. They were also able to hear about Ocoee's leading academic programs such as the 3DE real-world business program as well as what our excellent College and Career Center offers. 

This is Mr. Kahn’s first year at Ocoee High School, but his 12th year with OCPS. He is very excited to work with Thespian Troupe 6893 and plans on bringing an active theatrical season to the Knight Nation. Mr. Kahn pioneered a Costuming and Cosmetology curriculum for OCPS and will be offering those classes as well as a new Musical Theatre program at Ocoee High School. 

Before teaching, he was a professional actor and worked as a musical theatre performer at Disney for 20 years. Mr. Kahn studied theatre at the Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City where he performed on and off Broadway. In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, he moved to Ocoee with his wife, Xan, who is the lead instructional coach at Ocoee High School. His daughter, Luet, is a student at DePaul University currently studying Wig and Makeup design for the Theatre.  

Welcome Mr. Kahn!!

Interior of the Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City where Mr. Kahn studied. Other Circle in the Square alums include Kevin Bacon, Lady Gaga, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Trisha Jeffrey. 

Over the summer, Ocoee's nationally ranked Gold chapter FFA students worked very hard. We held multiple workdays to help maintain our facilities and to make any needed repairs. 

Payton Grant & Marissa Romeu working on assembling raised planter beds.

Zyah Pierre cleaning out the tractor which was over due for a cleaning.

In addition to workdays and the FFA state convention, our Forestry students spent the week at O’Leno State Park northwest of Gainesville learning and preparing for their first Career Development Event (CDE) of the year.

Claire Dyal, Zuriya Lopez, Payton Grant, Teagan Keller, and Devanny Valencia-Martinez attended Forestry Camp. Our Knights studied dendrology, tools, diseases, timber cruising, maps, compass and pacing, and also about careers in the Forestry industry. FFA members also got to meet many other students that share the same passion for forestry that they do. All members took a Forestry test that was given at the end of the week over everything they learned at camp. 

Zuriya Lopez, Payton Grant, and Teagan Keller, were recognized for being top campers and having top test scores. GO KNIGHTS! We would also like to congratulate Payton Grant for being the top individual on the test, plus winning the top new camper award with a score of 98.5%. Payton will now receive a $1,000.00 renewable scholarship to the University of Florida in Gainesville for pursuing any degree within the forestry industry! 

Claire Dyal, Zuriya Lopez, Payton Grant, Teagan Keller, and Devanny Valencia-Martinez.

Upcoming FFA Workshop:

In this special segment, we spotlight our 10th grade's second Case Challenge of the school year. Below are exemplary supporting infographics created by our 3DE Knights.

Coach Axon's 3DE/AICE students were collecting and analyzing data to answer the following Case Challenge question presented by the international firm KPMG: "Which innovation or policy should KPMG adopt to reach its net zero greenhouse gas emissions goal by 2030?" KPMG is a global professional services firm that provides audit, tax, and advisory services to organizations in 143 countries and territories.

Just above & below: These infographics were produced by our 10th grade 3DE students and utilized within their formal presentations to the KPMG global consulting firm.

Our 3DE students were tasked with designing and presenting an infographic to explain their KPMG data-driven recommendations. 3DE students, Hannah Cain and Victoria Samedi, knocked it out of the park with their printed infographic! They referenced the data from the infographic multiple times during their presentation to our guest KPMG business professionals.

Savannah Henry, Arisha Juman, Nicholas Araujo, and Andrelle Romain dazzled KPMG with their recommendation to integrate solar power throughout all of their offices.

Ocoee community footnote:

The skills our sophomore 3DE Knights acquired last year will serve them well should they go on to college and then into the business sector. The type of Case Challenge they were engaged in is not unlike you might find as part of the curriculum in a quality MBA program. Moreover, skill sets in research & design, organization, time management, and effective communication are prized by any successful business organization.

1) Central Florida's 'A' rated high schools for 2024:

Orange County:

OCOEE

Boone

Lake Nona

Olympia

Timber Creek

West Orange

Windermere

Seminole County:

Lake Mary

Oviedo

Lake Howell

Winter Springs

Hagerty

Crooms Academy

Osceola County:

Professional & Technical

NeoCity Academy

Source: Florida Department of Education - Read full report

2) This one is for our 3DE Knights who worked so hard on their KPMG "Net Zero" presentations and who also were featured above.

Global energy consumption in "exajoules" last year by source:

Source: Visual Capitalist  Read full article

3) Volunteer at Ocoee this year! We love our parent and community volunteers!! 

To participate, please register as a OCPS ADDitions school volunteer. It is quick & easy to do and your help would be greatly appreciated by both teachers and students. Thank you.

OCPS ADDitions School Volunteer link:

https://www.ocps.net/departments/community_resources_/a_d_ditions_school_volunteers

4) Knight Wisdom to Live By: Week of August 12

Biles On Passion

If I thought of gymnastics as a job, it would put too much stress on me. At the end of the day, if I can say I had fun, it was a good day.

~ Simone Biles, Olympic gymnastics champion

Washington On Satisfaction

Nothing ever comes to one that is worth having except as a result of hard work.

~ Booker T. Washington, educator 

Spitz On Winning

The difference between mediocrity and stardom is only 4 to 5 percent.

~ Mark Spitz, Olympic swimming champion

Luca On Vision

The truth is, we spend so much of our lives accepting the world as it is that we miss opportunities to envision the world as it could be.

~ Michael Luca, Harvard Business School professor

Iannone On Possibilities

Today is an opportunity to see something new or see something in a new way.

~ Donald T. Iannone, writer

Thatcher On Perseverance

You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.

~ Margaret Thatcher, British prime minister

Knights Never Give Up.

Dr. Ray, Principal

Ocoee High School 

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Principal: Dr. Frederick Ray - 38455@ocps.net

Assistant Principal: Ms. Renee Green - 104574@ocps.net

Assistant Principal: Ms. Amanda Jenkins-Austin - 95269@ocps.net

Assistant Principal: Ms. Erin Verhelst-Wagner - 113090@ocps.net

Assistant Principal: Mr. Douglas Farley - 93259@ocps.net