Type Charter school Opened 2000 Grades Pre-K – 12 Mascot Buffalo | Founded 1999 Status open Phone +1 352-259-2300 Number of students 2,116 | |
Principal Dr. Bill Zwick (2012–15) Dr. Jason Spencer (2015-2017)
Dr. Bill Zwick (2017-) Address 521 Old School Rd, The Villages, FL 32162, USA District Sumter County School District | ||
The Villages Charter Schools (VCS) is a state-operated charter school in The Villages CDP in unincorporated Sumter County, Florida, United States. Children are eligible to attend the charter school they live in The Villages or if either of their parents work for The Villages.
Contents
The school is located on several campuses. The Villages Early Childhood Center and the Primary Center, which houses Kindergarten through 1st Grade of The Villages Charter Elementary School, is located at 420 Village Campus Circle. The Intermediate Center, which houses 2nd Grade through 4th Grade of The Villages Charter Elementary School, is located at 521 Old School Road. The Villages Charter Middle School is located at 450 Village Campus Circle. The Villages Charter High School and the Central Administration are located at 251 Buffalo Trail.
History
Sumter District Schools granted permission to create the charter school in September 1999. Groundbreaking began in October of that year. The elementary school opened in 2000. The dedication of the middle school was on August 30, 2001. In November of that year the early childhood program began. The Primary Center opened in August 2002. The original elementary building took grades 3 through 5, while the new building took Kindergarten through Grade 2. The groundbreaking ceremony for the high school took place in October 2002. The high school opened in August 2003.
Mass School Shooting Plot Foiled
On January 26, 2017, two male students at The Villages Middle School, a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old, were arrested at their homes and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Law enforcement and school officials had followed up on rumours and discovered that some students had been warned not to come to school on Friday. In interviewing the 13-year-old suspect, officials learned of the 14-year-old's involvement. The 14-year-old student acknowledged his involvement in conversations with the 13-year-old student while referencing the Columbine High School shooting. The student informed officials that the two students had planned an attack which included what they would use as a signal to begin shooting. Law enforcement officials found firearms at both the students' homes.
School uniforms
Students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 are required to wear school uniforms.
Enrollment
Enrollment Guidelines: There are three groups of families whose children are eligible for enrollment in The Villages Charter School:
Although there are three designated "family units" within The Villages, students living in those areas do not automatically qualify for enrollment; they must meet one of the three criteria listed above.
The School verifies eligibility monthly.