In Wellen Park, State College of Florida Collegiate School-Venice sets high education standards

VENICE, Fla. (June 25, 2024) – Graduation is one of Dr. Karen Peck’s proudest moments of the year. As the head of school of State College of Florida Collegiate School-Venice located in Wellen Park, she attends two ceremonies– one conferring high school diplomas to her graduating seniors, the other presenting college associate in arts degrees to 97% of those same graduates.

To Dr. Peck, graduation symbolizes four years of hard work, sheer determination and perseverance each graduate has achieved to walk the stage, completing the demanding high school dual enrollment program where students earn a high school diploma while also earning an associate in arts degree from State College of Florida. Not only does the degree count toward college credits, but it also qualifies students for tuition-free scholarships at New College of Florida and Florida Gulf Coast University.

“We prepare students for college by providing a very rigorous curriculum, and an academic coaching class,” said Dr. Peck who has helmed the school since its inception. “It’s a hard program. We prepare students daily, to start college at 16.

The Collegiate School has been blazing its own trail since welcoming the first students in 2019. Student scores in math, civics, reading and science outdistance those of their peers in the Sarasota County district and in Florida. This year 89% of the Collegiate School’s students passed the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking exam in geometry, compared to 64% in the district and 51% statewide. The school has scored A’s on Florida’s annual report card since 2022.

“I’m so proud of our students,” said Dr. Peck. “I’m also proud of our teachers too. They work very hard to teach rigorous curriculum and maintain positive connections with students through academic coaching.” We’ve only been working together two years as a team and we’re already seeing the results of our hard work.”

A free public charter school, SCFCS Venice draws students from Venice, North Port and Englewood. Many also live close to campus and walk or bike to school from Wellen Park.

“The Collegiate School really stands out for parents and motivated students moving to the area,” said Rick Severance, president of Wellen Park. “The school provides an amazing educational opportunity for high school students who want to fast-track their college goals.”

The school’s growing popularity is reflected by a steady rise in applications (available online at scfcs.scf.edu/venice). “This year we have the most applications we’ve ever had,” said Dr. Peck. With a capacity of 100 students in each grade and a present-day student enrollment of 317, seats are assigned by an open lottery from January through March. There’s currently a record 40-student waiting list for August’s incoming freshman class. The school has openings in 10th and 11th grades for the 2024-2025 school year; juniors must have an unweighted 3.0 grade point average and pass the Post-secondary Education Readiness Test.

“Ideal Collegiate School candidates are very motivated, college focused, have typically taken high school courses in eighth grade and are following an accelerated academic path,” said Dr. Peck.  Unlike traditional schools with advanced courses, Collegiate’s students take biology, chemistry, government and economics earlier, in ninth and 10th grades. “We do a lot of career exploration as well,” said Dr. Peck.

Students work to meet academic criteria for full-time dual enrollment in 11th and 12th grades. Completing high school graduation requirements early gives seniors flexibility to explore electives and complete computer and other certifications, making them eligible for good jobs right out of high school. Popular electives include computer classes, theater and music appreciation, astronomy and marine biology. The school also offers canoeing and backpacking electives.

To date, 120 students have graduated from SCFCS Venice since 2021; 114 with associate degrees. And 98% attend a four-year college, mostly in-state schools. Statewide, only 65% of Florida’s high school graduates opt for postsecondary education. Dr. Peck said members of this year’s class plan to pursue bachelor’s degrees in business, engineering, advertising, marketing, theater – “the whole gamut.”

“It’s exciting to see our students continue with their education,” said Dr. Peck. “It takes two to three years to get a bachelor’s degree after our students graduate with their AA, so our first graduation class is just now graduating with a four-year degree.”

As for graduation, Dr. Peck’s favorite activity of the year, it’s a time to acknowledge the successes of every student, some who required occasional pep talks, encouragement and handholding.

“Our program is a lot of work, and these are teenagers who are embracing their education.,” said Dr. Peck. “To me, students who have grit and resiliency for this program are successful when they get their AA degree. I love graduation because I know what it has taken for these students to get through this program. It’s four years of hard work but it pays off in the end.”

Additional schools throughout Wellen Park cater to the educational needs of area students. College Preparatory Academy, a tuition-free K-8 charter school, welcomed its first students in 2023. Prodigy Early Learning, a preschool for 200 children, expects to open this fall. Sarasota County Schools is building a new high school and K-8 school in Wellen Park. Children in Wellen Park are also eligible to attend Sarasota Schools’ A-rated Taylor Ranch Elementary, Venice Middle and Venice High schools.

 

About Wellen Park

Ranked among the U.S.’s top 10 selling master-planned communities in 2023 by prominent real estate consulting firms RCLCO and John Burns, 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 dynamic new lifestyle concept for active adults 55+, paired and attached villas, coach homes and condominiums for a low-maintenance lifestyle.

Rental options in Wellen Park range from one- to three-bedroom luxury apartments and single-family homes to an apartment community for adults 55 and older, and world-class independent, assisted living and memory care.

Wellen Park is close to top-ranked Gulf of Mexico beaches and the area’s many attractions, including the fully opened Downtown Wellen offering outdoor recreation, restaurants and retail.

To learn more about 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]