College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park will provide new charter school option, to open for the 2023-24 school year

VENICE, Fla. (April 18, 2023) – College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park, a new tuition-free K-8 charter school, is under construction and now accepting applications for the 2023-24 school year. Located at 11611 Mezzo Drive, just west of River Road off U.S. 41, College Preparatory Academy will open with an initial capacity of 600 students in grades kindergarten through sixth, with seventh and eighth grades being added each subsequent year.

“We are very excited to offer a college prep-focused charter school option for the families in and around Wellen Park,” said Dr. Christina Britton, principal of College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park. “The location within Wellen Park is ideal for us and we’re looking forward to being part of this amazing community.”

Managed by Charter Schools USA, College Preparatory Academy’s vision is to build college and career readiness through experiential learning and academics. Students will learn important skills through academics and technology-enabled experiences, with a parallel focus on college readiness and academic growth and emotional well-being.

“Access to high quality education is an essential consideration for families,” said Rick Severance, president of Wellen Park. “We are pleased to welcome College Preparatory Academy to Wellen Park, which will offer families yet another educational option close to home.”

Utilizing an innovative village model, the school will have open and accessible spaces to encourage students to collaborate with classmates. Each grade will be a “village” and students will share four to five teachers, rather than being assigned an individual teacher. This student data-directed and teacher-supported model allows for greater flexibility to meet each student with instruction at the level needed and provide opportunities for students who excel to be even further challenged.

The enrollment process for Florida charter schools starts with a random student selection lottery. Information on the enrollment process is available at wellenparkprep.org/apps.

For families interested in learning more about College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park, there are two upcoming information sessions taking place at the State College of Florida in the Selby Room: 6 p.m., Thursday, April 27, and 9 a.m. and noon, Wednesday, May 10. Additional information is also available at wellenparkprep.org or by calling 941-357-4783. 

Consistently ranked among the U.S.’s top-selling communities annually by prominent real estate consulting firm RCLCO, Wellen Park offers a mix of single-family and multifamily residential, commercial and recreational options. The community currently has approximately 9,500 residents, and at full buildout will have more than 50,000 residents and 22,500 homes within its three distinct districts: West Villages, Downtown Wellen and Playmore.

Wellen Park’s expanding residential choices include new-construction single-family homes in picturesque neighborhoods, a bundled golf and country club community, paired and attached villas, coach homes and condominiums. Rental options offer one- to three-bedroom luxury apartments and single-family homes, an apartment community for active adults 55 and older, and world-class independent, assisted living and memory care.

Wellen Park is close to top-ranked beaches and the area’s many attractions.

To learn more about Downtown Wellen and living at Wellen Park, call 941-960-7805, go to wellenpark.com or visit the Welcome Center at 12275 Mercado Drive in Venice, Fla. The Welcome Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Contact:

Jennifer Hamilton, Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and PR, 239-275-5758, [email protected]