There was a full agenda at the September meeting of the Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board. Western Academy Charter School Principal Tsiri Miller and Parent Teacher Committee President Madeline Martinez provided the board with details of the school’s approach to education and explained how the academy has been an “A” school for 19 consecutive years.
Also at the meeting, School District Chief of Staff Dr. Jolande Morgan provided a Florida legislative update, while lobbyist Rita Solnet gave a federal update. The board also received a highlights report on village schools from Regional Superintendent Valerie Zuloaga-Haines.
Western Academy boasts a sterling academic reputation, having established itself as the No. 1 school in Royal Palm Beach based on student achievement. Even more impressive is its ranking in the top five percent of K-8 schools in Florida.
The school’s application window for the 2027-28 school year opens Oct. 1 and has a March 19 deadline, in advance of the annual lottery in early April. The academy is currently operating at full capacity in every grade level with about 775 students. In previous years, the school has received hundreds more submitted applications than available openings.
“My biggest advice to parents is simply: apply,” Miller said. “Sometimes families hear that we have a waitlist and are hesitant, but people move and seats do open. Get the application in on time, make sure everything is complete and keep an eye on your e-mail for school notifications.”
Miller recommended that families come visit the school.
“Rankings and test scores are important, but choosing a school is personal,” she said. “Walk through the building, meet the people, ask questions and see how the school feels to you. Parents know their children better than anyone, and they should be looking for a place where they believe their child will be happy, challenged, supported and known.”
When asked the school’s formula for success, Miller said, “First, never get too comfortable. We’ve been an A-rated school for 19 consecutive years, but I don’t ever want us thinking, well, we’ve figured it out. Education changes. Kids change. Families change. The world they’re growing up in changes. We have to keep asking what they need from us now, not what worked five or 10 years ago.”
Miller also listens to the people around her.
“Some of our best ideas have come from teachers, parents and students,” she said. “The people living school every day will tell you what is working and what isn’t, if you’re willing to hear them. And probably most importantly, don’t lose the human part of education. Programs matter. Test scores matter. Technology matters. But kids do better when they know the adults around them genuinely care about them, and parents want to know that their child isn’t just a number.”
To learn more about Western Academy Charter School, visit www.westernacademycharter.com. An open house for prospective families will be held Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m.
Morgan provided a Florida legislative update. About 20 education bills passed this year, including one requiring cursive writing instruction. Statewide, Florida spends $30 billion a year on education, with a per student cost of $5,458. Morgan warned the board that, while the Amendment 3 property tax proposal is supposed to exempt schools, local schools would still suffer budget shortfalls regarding peripheral services like crossing guards and school nurses.
Solnet briefed the board on federal issues, including the planned closing of the Department of Education. She described federal matters as in flux and described how six different federal agencies will now be handling education, with the Department of Labor picking up the lion’s share of education-related program management.
Zuloaga-Haines provided highlights regarding each village school. At the August meeting, she mentioned that Crestwood Middle School had appealed its “B” grade. The good news is that a review took place, and Crestwood’s grade has been revised. It is now officially an “A” school.
The next Education Advisory Board meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, when the focus will be on Royal Palm Beach Elementary School.
