Montverde Academy

History

The school was founded in 1912 as Montgomery Industrial School. The school president was Henry P. Carpenter. It underwent a major expansion in 1921 that added a concrete block dormitory for 200 boys and a new dining hall. An observation tower above the new dormitory provided a view of Lake Apopka, Winter Garden, and Groveland. The dining facilities served 400 children. In the 1920s, sports teams were established. In 1930, a girls' dormitory was constructed with funds raised by the D.A.R.

Demographics

There were 1,188 K-12 students enrolled in 2015–2016 as the information is not compiled for Pre-K students. The breakdown was:

• Native American/Alaskan – 1.4%
• Asian/Pacific islanders – 4.0%
• Black – 7.7%
• Hispanic – 9.3%
• White – 44.8%
• Multiracial – 32.8%

Athletic programs

Some of Montverde's athletic programs compete on a national level, rather than as a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association. Sports offered include baseball, basketball, cross country, equestrian, golf, lacrosse, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. In 2017, USA Today named Montverde Academy the best basketball program of the decade.

Theatre and Music Conservatory

Montverde Academy has both music and theatre conservatories. Auditions are held on an annual basis. Conservatory students split the academic day between core courses and their chosen artistic discipline.

Controversies

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Kasey Kesselring, Montverde's Headmaster until his retirement in 2022, violated the Horse Protection Act, which resulted in a temporary disqualification from participating in equine events and a fine of $2,500.

In May 2017, Essence and Fox 35 Orlando reported on a 16-year-old Black female student who was dress-coded for her dreadlocks which the administrator claimed were against school policy. Following the media coverage, the current headmaster Kasey Kesselring affirmed that the student handbook would be altered to remove the "dread lock" policy and that the rule was no longer in place.

In May 2019, several Florida news stations published a story accusing Montverde Academy Dean of Students, Jerry Matos, of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a female upper school student. It remains unclear if she was a minor. Matos stepped down from his position immediately. The terms of his departure and current legal status are unknown. The academy promoted an existing employee to fulfill Matos's responsibilities.

On the 18th March 2025, the director of the Track and Field and Cross-Country program Gerald Phiri was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit following a joint investigation with USADA for the Possession of multiple prohibited substances, GW1516 and Meldonium, and for the failure to comply with the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules. The investigation was triggered after 3 of his athletes had tested positive, between July 2023 and August 2024, for the prohibited substance GW1516, also known as Cardarine. Between them, the Surinamese athlete Issamade Asinga that in 2023 was the first high-schooler to ever go sub-10 seconds in the 100m and with 9"89 during the final of the South American Athletics Championships had set the new Under 20 World Record in the 100 meters.

Notable alumni

References

References

1. "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for Montverde Academy".
2. "AdvancED – Institution Summary".
3. "Tuition & Financial Aid".
4. "Kasey Kesselring has built Montverde Academy into an academic and athletic powerhouse - Florida Trend".
5. (February 25, 1921). "Dedicates Buildings at Montverde I.S.". Tampa Tribune.
6. (March 7, 1930). "DAR renames Mrs Leonardy State Agent". Tampa Tribune.
7. (April 6, 2017). "Which is the best boys basketball program of the decade so far?". USA TODAY High School Sports.
8. [https://web.archive.org/web/20180618130003/https://oalj.oha.usda.gov/sites/default/files/140124_13-0250_CD_HPA_Kasey%20Kesselring.pdf James Wayne Dean dba Wayne Dean Stables and Kasey Kesselring]
9. "16-Year-Old Black Student With Natural Hair Asked By School To 'Get Her Hair Done'". Essence.com.
10. "School asks teen to change her natural hair style". WOFL.
11. (May 15, 2019). "Montverde Academy dean of students accused of sex with student".
12. "Jerry Matos | Adam Horowitz Sexual Abuse Blog".
13. (March 18, 2025). "Gerald Phiri, former English Schools champ, suspended by anti-doping bodies".
14. (11 July 2022). "Teen sprinter sues Gatorade over doping ban that cost him an Olympic spot". The Washington Post.
15. "Precious Achiuwa, 2019 Power Forward, Memphis".
16. "Solomon Alabi, 2007 Center, Florida State".
17. (14 February 2008). "Rejjie Snow".
18. (11 August 2023). "Record-Setting 18-Year-Old Sprinter Issam Asinga Provisionally Suspended for Banned Substance".
19. "Scottie Barnes, 2020 Power Forward, Florida State".
20. "R J Barrett, 2018 Small Forward, Duke".
21. "James Bell College Stats".
22. "Justin Bibbs, 2014 Small Forward, Virginia Tech".
23. "Leaky Black Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
24. "Sabrina Botran - Girls Soccer".
25. (15 March 2019). "Montverde's Jody Brown leads Sentinel all-area team as girls soccer player of year".
26. "Marcus Capers, 2008 Small Forward, Washington St".
27. "Jordan Caroline College Stats".
28. "Marcus Carr, 2017 Point Guard, Pittsburgh".
29. "Omar Ciss - SIMA".
30. "Jermaine Couisnard, 2018 Shooting Guard, South Carolina".
31. "Cade Cunningham, 2020 Point Guard, Oklahoma State".
32. "Silvio De Sousa College Stats".
33. "Michael Devoe, 2018 Point Guard, Georgia Tech".
34. "Noah Dickerson, 2015 Power Forward, Washington".
35. "Albert Dikwa {{!}} Orlando City".
36. "Abdoulaye Diop {{!}} Atlanta United FC".
37. (27 March 2019). "Ates Diouf – From Senegal to SIMA and OCB".
38. "Grayson Dupont".
39. "Jalen Duren, 2021 Center, Memphis".
40. "Joel Embiid Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
41. "Boys Varsity Soccer".
42. "Kwame Evans Jr., Montverde Academy, Power Forward".
43. (11 August 2022). "SIMA Alumni in the Pros: Week 31".
44. (2 November 2017). "Bruno Fernando has "a fire" that will help him contribute to Maryland basketball".
45. "Cooper Flagg - Boys Basketball".
46. "Michael Frazier, 2012 Shooting Guard, Florida".
47. "Akeyla Furbert - Women's Soccer".
48. "Patricio Garino, 2012 Small Forward, G Washington".
49. "Emmanuel Hagan - 2023 - Men's Soccer".
50. Bianchi, Mike. (April 4, 2014). "UF point guard Kasey Hill's surrogate family key to his success". Orlando Sentinel.
51. "Two-time All-Arizona basketball player DaRon Holmes returns home, will play for AZ Compass Prep".
52. (June 24, 2022). "Jalen Hood-Schifino brings competitiveness, versatility to Indiana".
53. Givony, Jonathan. (July 17, 2020). "Caleb Houstan, No. 3 recruit in 2022, reclassifies to 2021".
54. "Idong Ibok - Men's Basketball".
55. "Ohio State men's basketball {{!}} Junior-college guard tweets intention to transfer".
56. "Justin Jackson - Men's Basketball".
57. "Dakari Johnson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
58. "USA Gymnastics {{!}} Sydney Johnson-Scharpf".
59. (29 August 2023). "Meet Jay Tee Kamara: The Emerging Midfield Star from Sierra Leone".
60. "Balša Koprivica Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
61. "Christ Koumadje Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
62. "Bruno Lapa - Men's Soccer".
63. "Francisco Lindor Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More".
64. "Langston Love College Stats".
65. (2 December 2021). "Clemson men's soccer trio from Senegal cherishing NCAA tournament run".
66. "Sandro Mamukelashvili Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
67. "Pierre Fiorre Mane - 2021 - Men's Soccer".
68. (7 August 2019). "Philip Mayaka".
69. "Liam McNeeley - Boys Basketball".
70. "Benji Michel - Men's Soccer".
71. "Dillon Mitchell - Boys Basketball".
72. "4-Star PF E.J. Montgomery Decommits from Auburn After FBI Investigation".
73. "Moses Moody Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
74. "Doral Moore Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
75. (20 May 2020). "Montverde Alumnus Faris Pemi Moumbagna joins KB Kristiansund in Norway's top flight professional soccer league".
76. "Luc Mbah a Moute Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
77. "Franck Ndongo - 2010-11 - Men's Basketball".
78. "Andrew Nembhard Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
79. "Ryan Nembhard College Stats".
80. "Landry Nnoko Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
81. "Kouat Noi College Stats".
82. "Haukur Palsson International Stats".
83. "Ruslan Pateev International Stats".
84. "Anthony Perez College Stats".
85. "Filip Petrušev Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
86. "Micah Potter Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
87. "Justin Powell - Men's Basketball".
88. "Derik Queen - Boys Basketball".
89. "Matija Radovic - Men's Basketball".
90. "Malik Reneau College Stats".
91. (18 April 2019). "Wilfredo Rivera Called to the U17 Puerto Rico National Team".
92. (3 January 2019). "Flying High: Rexy Rolle Changing the Game in the Airline Industry".
93. "D'Angelo Russell Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
94. "Day'Ron Sharpe Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
95. "Andre Shinyashiki - Men's Soccer".
96. "Simisola Shittu Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
97. "FEATURE: Matheus Silva plays alongside Cafu, Onyewu in Chapecoense Charity Match in Florida {{!}} San Jose Earthquakes".
98. "Ben Simmons Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
99. "Sean Stewart College Stats".
100. (January 8, 2024). "SIMA Alum Ousmane Sylla '20 Wins MAC Hermann Trophy".
101. "Walnut Hills grad MaCio Teague on Baylor national championship: 'It was a dream come true'".
102. "Mohamed Traore {{!}} Los Angeles Football Club".
103. "Arminas Urbutis - Men's Basketball".
104. "Chase Vosvick - Men's Soccer".
105. "Marco Warren - 2015 - Men's Soccer".
106. (November 5, 2023). "Howard Washington".
107. "Dariq Whitehead Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
108. "Devin Williams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
109. "L.D. Williams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more".
110. "Youmeni Jules {{!}} Orlando City".
111. "Pavel Zakharov College Stats".
112. "Kevin Zhang - Boys Basketball".