The newest public high school in Orange County is set to open in August and be called Innovation High School, a $198 million construction project that should relieve crowding at packed Lake Nona High School.
“We’re so excited about this high school,” said Maria Salamanca, the Orange County School Board member who represents the district that includes both Innovation and Lake Nona, as the board approved the name at its Thursday night meeting.
Innovation High will be the 23rd traditional high school in Orange County Public Schools. It is under construction in south Orange in the Meridian Parks neighborhood east of Orlando International Airport.
That part of the county is one of the fastest growing, and Lake Nona High now has more than 4,500 students on a campus built for 2,800, making it one of the largest high schools in Florida.
The new school will sit on 61 acres and feature a similar design to many OCPS high schools, with buildings constructed around a courtyard and a “secure single entry,” according to OCPS. It will include classrooms, science labs, an auditorium, space for the arts, career and technical programs and athletic facilities and is meant to accommodate about 3,200 students.
OCPS surveyed students, parents, staff and community members about a name for the school. The top three suggestions were Innovation, Meridian Parks and Storey Park, the last two reflecting the neighborhood and nearby development.
But Salamanca said Innovation was more inspiring and inclusive. “We want a name that represents not just one neighborhood … but something that everyone can stand behind,” she aid. “I would love for it to be Innovation High School, and that is what the community has also expressed.”
The school board voted unanimously to name it Innovation High. The new school’s mascot will be the bulls, and its colors crimson, black and white.
