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Warrington Preparatory Academy is adding ninth-grade classes for the 2025-2026 school year.
Dr. Eddie Ruiz, state superintendent for Charter Schools USA, made the announcement on Wednesday at the school. In January, the school will start accepting applications for about 125 to 150 ninth-graders. Information sessions also will be held for the public. Letters have already been sent out to parents of the school's current eighth graders.
"In the charter contract, we did have stipulations in years two and three about expanding. We just didn't know, at that time, if we would expand down to K-5 or expand up 9-12," Ruiz said.
"What we've noticed in the last year is that the (Escambia County School) district made a concerted effort to expand. They are moving to K-8s. The district, this year, added sixth grades to two of the elementaries that feed into Warrington, which lowered our sixth-grade class by almost 50 (students)."
Warrington Prep currently has more than 570 students - 199 eighth-graders, 227 seventh-graders and 148 sixth-graders. The seventh- and eighth-grade student population has remained about the same from the 2023-2024 school year.
Next fall, the first cohort of ninth graders can choose from three curriculum tracks in Charter School USA's newly developed Workforce, Prototyping and Academic (WPA) Program, Ruiz said.
The curriculum breaks down into:
W - Workforce Readiness where students pursue digital design or entrepreneurship tracks.
P - Prototyping where students can earn digital certifications in Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Gaming Simulation/Design.
A - Academia where students study Cambridge University's AICE courses that help them qualify for Bright Futures Scholarships.
Charter Schools USA will add four to six teachers and additional staff for the ninth-graders. Warrington Prep currently has 50 faculty staff members, with that number rising to 60 next fall.
"I would call this a small boutique high school. It's not going to be what a normal high school is going to offer. But it is going to very focused, very future ready, very workforce ready and academically focused," Ruiz explained.
Ruiz said that after research, Charter Schools USA wanted to offer a different option to eighth graders - other than what is available at their zoned schools - Escambia High, Pensacola High, Pine Forest and West Florida Tech.
"Our approach is going to be a little bit different in the high school. We are going to cohort students in the AICE program. We do have a seven-period day, but students are not going to be switching seven times because we are going to do the AICE Cambridge curriculum."
Charter Schools USA has already added ninth grade-classes at two other Florida schools. A Miami-Dade school and Warrington Prep will be the organization's third and fourth middle schools with ninth grades.
In May 2030, Warrington Prep also will graduate it first senior class. Charter Schools USA plans to add 10 grade in 2026-2027, 11 grade in 2027-2028, and 12 grade in 2028-2029 to the school.
Ruiz told the Pensacola News Journal, that when structured effectively, the Warrington Prep campus can accommodate up to 1,100 students.
Currently all the Warrington Prep students are zoned for the academy. However, the incoming ninth-grade class will be school choice only - with students selected by a lottery system.
Ruiz said despite earning a D school grade during the 2023-2024 year, Warrington Prep is ready for ninth-grade classes.
"When we took over the school, it was obviously the D. I think we did what we were supposed to do in Year 1. We were supposed to get it to a C, and if the state (Department of Education) had not changed the scale, we would have been the C. We were 2 points shy of a C this year," he said.
"Taking away the state changing the scale, they raised the bar which is fine. We will now challenge ourselves to get to that bar and we'll get that C this year."
Warrington Preparatory Academy opened in 2023 under Charter Schools USA, after operating as Warrington Middle School und the Escambia County Schools District. The school changed hands at the state's direction following years of poor academic performance.
Charter Schools USA has four years to get the school's grade up to a C. However, if the grade goes up at any time within those four years, Charter Schools USA will earn a 15-year renewal.
Remaining at Warrington Prep appeals to some eighth-graders, however, some students already have other plans.
"I've interested in the entrepreneurship program," said Zaryiah Davidson, who is considering Warrington Prep next fall. "My cousin is an entrepreneur and sometimes on social media, I see the successful things that people do, and I want to be able to do that too."
The 14-year-old said she doesn't have a business in mind.
"As of right now, I don't have an idea because I want to become a podiatrist," she admitted.
When asked about Warrington Prep, Zaryiah was honest.
"I like the school. I kind of don't like the behavioral system, they are strict. I know they are strict just to make the school better and I don't complain too much. But besides the strictness, I like this school," she said.
"We look coordinated. We look good. They teach me good. Mrs. (Robin) Reese, my ELA teacher, and Mrs. (Tina) D'Aversa, my Honors Algebra I teacher, are the top teachers I've ever had in my whole life."
James Smith also may stay at Warrington Prep to pursue the Prototyping track.
"They've done a good job teaching us here and I'm really interested in robotics. I think the program can help me," said the 13-year-old who wants to become architectural engineer. "My strength is my math. I'm in Honors Algebra I class and Honors Biology. I really like building things."
Tirzah Holman, 14, and Thomas Youngblood Jr., 13, say they will attend other high schools.
"Unfortunately, I don't think it's the right fit for me. I have my own ambitions and goals at a different school that I have already thought about," Tirzah said. "It's not the exact curriculum that I am interested in for myself, but I do see how it can be an exciting and rigorous experience for many other students."
Tirzah plans to attend Pensacola High to take advantage of the AP science classes.
"I want to become a geologist when I grow up and there are a lot of courses there to help me get to that place. ....Warrington has been a very wonderful experience. I see in the way the teachers interact with the students that there's a lot of care and consideration."
She also praised the school's science classes.
"The classes aren't demanding but just enough where you have to use your whole brain," she added.
Thomas said his parents want him to go to Escambia High - his zoned school.
"Warrington Prep has a rocky ride, but it's been fun. I've learned a lot in math reading and every other classes," said Thomas, who wants to one day create his own animation studio.
"I've always loved art and got into anime about four or five years ago."
Ruiz said Warrington Prep faculty and administrators heard from many eighth-graders last spring who expressed regret about moving on to other schools.
"We built culture, we built family, and they did not want to leave - some of them. And that stuck in our heads when we looked at the why in terms of expanding into ninth grade," he said. "I think we are going to be a unique, eventually 6-12 campus, which will be very focused on future ready students and preparing them for the real world."