There will be a number of changes at schools in the western communities when the new academic year begins Monday, Aug. 11. There will be a new school opening, a new speed camera enforcement program and several new principals.
After an accelerated building process, the new Saddle View Elementary School will open at 19830 Cane Field Trail, just outside the Arden community off Southern Blvd. near 20-Mile Bend.
It’s the first new elementary school serving the western communities in more than a decade and will bring much-needed overcrowding relief to Wellington’s Binks Forest Elementary School.
It also gives the fast-growing Arden neighborhood a nearby community school that doesn’t require a five-mile trek east.
“We are happy to be opening our new Saddle View Elementary School at Arden,” Palm Beach County School Board Vice Chair Marcia Andrews said. “I will be traveling with the superintendent on opening day. We will be starting at Saddle View at 7:15 a.m., and then we are heading to the A-rated Rosenwald Elementary School, and then to Pahokee Elementary School, which is another A-rated school in District 6.”
Originally, Saddle View was supposed to open next year, but the school district accelerated its timeline.
“The Arden community said to me that they wanted that school on the fast track, and they are so excited to have it open,” Andrews said.
More than anything, Andrews is thrilled to see the academic gains made by students at schools across District 6, which includes the western communities and the Glades.
“All the schools in the western communities were rated with A and B grades by the state,” she noted.
This includes three schools in Royal Palm Beach, each improving one letter grade.
“Crestwood Middle School got an A this year for the first time. It is a very big deal for them. I was there and celebrated with them,” Andrews said. “We are very proud to have Royal Palm Beach’s Crestwood Middle School A rated by the State of Florida.”
Royal Palm Beach High School improved its grade from a C to a B. “They assured me they would make that move this year, and they did,” Andrews said.
Meanwhile, the normally A-rated H.L. Johnson Elementary School dipped to a B in 2024 but returned to its usual A grade this year.
Both Wellington-area high schools are now A rated, with Wellington High School keeping its A grade, and Palm Beach Central High School improving from a B to an A.
“I am also very proud of our Glades-area schools, which also improved academically,” Andrews said.
Rolling out for the first time on Monday, Aug. 11 is the Village of Wellington’s new school zone speed camera enforcement program.
Village Manager Jim Barnes noted that village officials met recently with school principals to advise them of the new program’s operations. “We want to emphasize that this program is not for punitive reasons, but rather for the safety of the students, parents and teachers who are all around the schools,” he said.
Barnes added that speeding is a major problem near schools and that the village is taking action to help prevent a potential tragedy.
“Based on the data we have, speeding definitely is happening around the schools,” he said. “The way we deter that is with the speed cameras.”
Wellington is one of several communities to roll out school zone speed cameras since a new state law passed in 2023 allowing them. Wellington’s program uses cameras to enforce school zone speed limits, in partnership with Jenoptik Smart Mobility Solutions, with a goal to reduce dangerous driving behaviors and prevent traffic-related injuries. Traffic crashes are now the leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 14, officials have noted.
The cameras will operate at 11 Wellington schools where the village has authority to place the camera devices. The program will roll out with a warning period from Aug. 11 until Sept. 12, with full enforcement beginning on Monday, Sept. 15.
A violation occurs when a driver travels within a school zone at a speed of 11 miles per hour or more over the school zone speed limit or regular posted speed limit, depending on the time of the infraction. Enforcement hours vary by school zone. Even when school zone lights are not flashing, the roadway’s regular posted speed limit will be photo-enforced while school is in session.
The $100 fine is a civil infraction, and drivers will receive notices of violation in the mail. However, there are no points or insurance impacts. Failure to pay on time may result in the issuance of a uniform traffic citation with increased penalties, including court costs.
“This program isn’t about writing tickets. It’s about changing behavior, slowing down traffic, and saving lives,” Barnes stressed. “We want drivers to think twice, pay attention and prioritize safety, especially when children are nearby. We’re asking everyone in our community to slow down, stay alert, and do their part to help keep Wellington’s roads safe, especially for our students.”
Meanwhile, three area elementary schools will open the year with new principals in charge. Robera Walker is the new principal at Pierce Hammock Elementary School in The Acreage after serving as principal at Belle Glade Elementary School (see related story here). Allyson Manning is the new principal at Wellington’s Equestrian Trails Elementary School after serving as principal at Rolling Green Elementary School in Boynton Beach (see related story here). Finally, Gloria Salazar is the new principal at Wellington’s New Horizons Elementary School after serving as principal at Jupiter Elementary School.
