Have you ever heard of a sesquicentennial? It means 150th anniversary, a milestone that Orange County Public Schools will be celebrating all year.
Our school district was founded on Dec. 11, 1869 with the formation of the Board of Public Instruction. W. C. Roper, A. C. Caldwell, and Z. H. Mason became the first three board members and William A. Lovell was named our first superintendent. You may recognize that name from Lovell Elementary in Apopka that bears his name.
Back then teachers were paid one dollar per month per student and were expected to be able to read and teach intelligently from the Bible and school reader, be able to spell and teach spelling and be able to write legibly. How things have changed in the last 150 years.
This anniversary website will be our hub for a variety of anniversary related materials throughout the year. On the front page, you’ll find new stories and videos posted every week.
On the HISTORY page, you can read about how we’ve changed over the years.
Our PHOTOS page will feature some of the historic photos we’ve pulled from the archives and give you a chance to share some of your own photos.
If you’re an alumni of OCPS, we hope you’ll SHARE YOUR STORY with us. From a favorite teacher, to an unforgettable experience, share how OCPS has impacted your life or that of your children. We may even share your story on our website. Social media is another place you can help us celebrate. If you are an OCPS graduate, consider posting a message like this: “I’m a proud graduate of (School Name) helping OCPS Celebrate 150 years! #OCPS150” or “Congratulations to Orange County Public Schools for 150 years of leading students to success. #OCPS150.”
On the ALUMNI page, learn how you can reconnect.
We hope that you will find this year’s celebration enlightening as we explore our past, present and look toward the future and the next 150 years of leading students to success in Orange County.