The school was founded in 1912 as Montgomery Industrial School. The school president was Henry P. Carpenter. It underwent a major expansion in 1921, when two new buildings were built for a cost of almost $40,000, including a concrete block dormitory for 200 boys and a new dining hall. The expansion was funded by donations, including $11,000 from R. Jay Arnold of Groveland, Florida. This expansion brought the organization to a total of eight buildings on 200 acres and $150,000 worth of equipment. An observation tower above the new dormitory provided a view of Lake Apopka, Winter Garden, and Groveland. The dining facilities served 400 children.[5] In the 1920s, sports teams were established. The teams were nicknamed The Crackers. In 1930, a girls' dormitory was constructed with funds raised by the D.A.R.[6]
Demographics
There were 1,188 K-12 students enrolled in 2015–2016 as the information is not compiled for Pre-K students. The breakdown was:[1]
Native American/Alaskan – 1.4%
Asian/Pacific islanders – 4.0%
Black – 7.7%
Hispanic – 9.3%
White – 44.8%
Multiracial – 32.8%
Athletic programs
Montverde's athletic programs compete on a national level, rather than as a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association. Sports offered include baseball, basketball, cross country, equestrian, golf, lacrosse, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. In 2017, USA Today named Montverde Academy the best basketball program of the decade.[7]
Theatre and Music Conservatory
Montverde Academy has both music, and theatre conservatories. Auditions are held on an annual basis. Conservatory students split the academic day between core courses, and their chosen artistic discipline.
1972 advertisement for Montverde Academy
Controversies
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Kasey Kesselring, Montverde's Headmaster until his retirement in 2022, violated the Horse Protection Act, which resulted in a temporary disqualification from participating in equine events and a fine of $2,500.[8]
In May 2017, Essence and Fox 35 Orlando reported on a 16-year-old Black female student who was dress-coded for her dreadlocks which the administrator claimed were against school policy.[9][10] Following the media coverage, the current headmaster Kasey Kesselring affirmed that the student handbook would be altered to remove the "dread lock" policy and that the rule was no longer in place.[10]
In May 2019, several Florida news stations published a story accusing Montverde Academy Dean of Students, Jerry Matos, of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a female upper school student. It remains unclear if she was a minor.[11][12] Matos stepped down from his position immediately. The terms of his departure and current legal status are unknown. The academy promoted an existing employee to fulfill Matos's responsibilities.
Notable alumni
References
^ a b c d e"Search for Private Schools – School Detail for Montverde Academy". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
^"AdvancED – Institution Summary". advanc-ed.org. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
^"Tuition & Financial Aid". montverde.org. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
^"Kasey Kesselring has built Montverde Academy into an academic and athletic powerhouse - Florida Trend". www.floridatrend.com. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
^"Dedicates Buildings at Montverde I.S." Tampa Tribune. February 25, 1921. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
^"DAR renames Mrs Leonardy State Agent". Tampa Tribune. March 7, 1930.
^"Which is the best boys basketball program of the decade so far?". USA TODAY High School Sports. April 6, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
^"Langston Love College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
^"Bruno Lapa - Men's Soccer". Wake Forest University Athletics.
^Blau, Jon (December 2, 2021). "Clemson men's soccer trio from Senegal cherishing NCAA tournament run". Post and Courier.
^"Sandro Mamukelashvili Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Pierre Fiorre Mane - 2021 - Men's Soccer". Virginia Commonwealth University.
^"Philip Mayaka". Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site. August 7, 2019.
^"Luc Mbah a Moute Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Liam McNeeley - Boys Basketball". Montverde Academy Athletics.
^"Benji Michel - Men's Soccer". University of Portland Athletics.
^"Dillon Mitchell - Boys Basketball". Montverde Academy Athletics.
^Daniels, Tim. "4-Star PF E.J. Montgomery Decommits from Auburn After FBI Investigation". Bleacher Report.
^"Moses Moody Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Doral Moore Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Montverde Alumnus Faris Pemi Moumbagna joins KB Kristiansund in Norway's top flight professional soccer league". SIMA - The Soccer Institute at Montverde Academy. May 20, 2020.
^"Franck Ndongo - 2010-11 - Men's Basketball". Augusta University.
^"Andrew Nembhard Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Ryan Nembhard College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
^"Landry Nnoko Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Kouat Noi College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
^"Haukur Palsson International Stats". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Ruslan Pateev International Stats". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Anthony Perez College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
^"Filip Petrušev Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Micah Potter Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Justin Powell - Men's Basketball". Auburn University Athletics.
^"Derik Queen - Boys Basketball". Montverde Academy Athletics.
^"Matija Radovic - Men's Basketball". Hofstra University Athletics.
^"Malik Reneau College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
^"Wilfredo Rivera Called to the U17 Puerto Rico National Team". SIMA - The Soccer Institute at Montverde Academy. April 18, 2019.
^Author, WI Guest (January 3, 2019). "Flying High: Rexy Rolle Changing the Game in the Airline Industry". The Washington Informer. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
^"D'Angelo Russell Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Day'Ron Sharpe Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Andre Shinyashiki - Men's Soccer". University of Denver Athletics.
^"Simisola Shittu Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"FEATURE: Matheus Silva plays alongside Cafu, Onyewu in Chapecoense Charity Match in Florida | San Jose Earthquakes". sjearthquakes.
^"Ben Simmons Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Sean Stewart College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
^Springer, Scott. "Walnut Hills grad MaCio Teague on Baylor national championship: 'It was a dream come true'". The Enquirer.
^"Mohamed Traore | Los Angeles Football Club". LAFC.
^"Arminas Urbutis - Men's Basketball". Hofstra University Athletics.
^"Chase Vosvick - Men's Soccer". Loyola University Maryland Athletics.
^"Marco Warren - 2015 - Men's Soccer". Flagler College Athletics.
^"Howard Washington". Syracuse University Athletics. November 5, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
^"Dariq Whitehead Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Devin Williams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"L.D. Williams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
^"Youmeni Jules | Orlando City". orlandocitysc.
^"Pavel Zakharov College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
^"Kevin Zhang - Boys Basketball". Montverde Academy Athletics.
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