FAQ
Ask us anything.
The questions parents actually ask — answered the way we'd answer them on a tour. (click one to open it)
every question, all at once
Is this a preschool or a kindergarten?
Both — and more. The Winter Park School serves infants through elementary, with the same thinking curriculum growing alongside the child.
Is it play-based or academic?
Neither word is very useful. Children learn through hands-on projects — and reading, writing, and math develop inside that work, because the work requires them.
Will my child be ready for kindergarten?
Yes. A child who can pose a question, test it, build a response, and revise it is ready. Readiness also spans language, early literacy and math, self-regulation, and independence — all of which develop inside the work.
Do you use screens?
Children primarily learn through interaction with people, materials, books, and their environment. Technology is used only when it meaningfully supports a learning purpose — never just because a screen is available.
What is Innovation Advantage™?
The curriculum and educational framework used at The Winter Park School. Its CAPE Method™ gives children a repeatable process for approaching problems: Challenge → Analyze → Produce → Evaluate.
What is Innovation Advantage Schools™?
The program that makes the curriculum developed and tested here available to participating independent schools. The Winter Park School remains the home where development, testing, and refinement happen.
Why is the school so small?
Because the curriculum is written here. Staying at one location is how we keep testing it — same teachers, same rooms, real children, every week.
Do you have openings?
Enrollment is capped by classroom, so openings change through the year. Book a visit and we’ll tell you exactly where the list stands.
What are your hours?
Doors open at 7:00 and lock at 6:00, Monday to Friday. Rooms close at 8:30 and the day starts; later arrivals come through the office.
What does tuition cost?
Tuition is one figure per classroom, and we'll tell you it on the phone in under a minute — no discovery call, no pitch, no form first. The full breakdown by classroom is on our Tuition & Funding page, along with Step Up For Students and VPK.
Do you take Step Up For Students or VPK?
Both routes are walked through step by step on the funding page — award ID, enrollment in EMA, quarterly invoicing and parent approval.
When do I keep my child home?
Fever of 100.4°F or above, two or more episodes of vomiting or diarrhoea, an undiagnosed spreading rash, or eye discharge. Return 24 hours clear without medication. The full table is on Daily Schedule. If your child becomes unwell here we call you — not text, not wait for pickup.
Does my child have to nap?
Rest happens after lunch. Children who sleep, sleep; children who do not are not made to lie still for two hours — they get books, quiet work, or the courtyard with a teacher. Infants sleep on their backs in their own crib with an adult awake in the room.
How do you handle allergies?
A written plan signed by you and your doctor, a photo card in the kitchen and in the room, and medication stored where every adult in that room can reach it in seconds. Allergy children sit with a named adult, never at a separate table.
What should we bring on the first day?
A labeled change of clothes (two if your child is in nappies or toilet-learning), nappies and wipes if needed, a sun hat and water bottle, and a comfort item for rest. Please leave toys, sweets and anything containing nuts at home.
What does the first week actually look like?
Most children settle somewhere between three days and three weeks, and a hard first week predicts nothing. Come at the start of the morning, say a short goodbye, and go — lingering extends the difficult part. Call as often as you like; we will tell you the truth about how the morning went.
Is there a waitlist?
Sometimes, and it varies by room. We will tell you where you actually stand rather than keeping you hopeful. Applications are accepted year-round.
Who can pick up my child?
Only the adults on your authorized list. Anyone else needs a call from you and photo ID at the desk — every time, including grandparents we know well. Custody orders are followed exactly as written; give us a copy early.
What happens if there is a hurricane?
We follow Orange County Public Schools, so one decision covers your whole household. You hear by phone and email the evening before wherever possible, and by 6am at the latest. Make-up days follow the county order and appear on the school calendar.
How will I know what my child is doing all day?
A daily note with what was offered, eaten, slept and built; a Friday note with the challenge your child’s class is working on and what they changed; a portfolio of dated work; and two conferences a year with that portfolio open on the table. Or ask at the door — the teacher will know.