Developers and educators propose new private school adjacent to Related Ross mixed-use site in Wellington

Marianne Wren, identified in the meeting as president of Elevate Veil, and representatives for a proposed operator called The New School presented plans for a not‑for‑profit private school to the Village of Wellington Education Committee. The presenters said the campus would sit adjacent to a Related Ross mixed‑use development and aim for a total capacity of about 1,700 students in two phases.

Wren said the founders have built private schools internationally and that the Wellington project would open in phases: an initial phase focused on middle and high school scheduled to open in August 2028 and a second phase, including elementary grades and expanded facilities, targeted for 2031. The group stated a total build commitment of $350,000,000 and listed athletics (Olympic sports emphasis), a performing arts theater and study‑abroad opportunities among planned offerings.

The presenters said the founders will provide an equivalent of 20 full scholarships per year for Wellington residents for the first five years (a stated total equivalent of 100 full scholarships). "There will be scholarships available through Karen and Fraser's founder scholarship program where they will offer the equivalent of 20 full scholarships per year for the first 5 years," Marianne Wren told the committee; she added the scholarships could be allocated as partial awards to benefit more students. The group also mentioned the possibility of combining founder scholarships with a Florida subsidy they described as "$8 and a half thousand dollars" per student (presenters used that phrasing during Q&A).

On logistics, presenters said they are working with traffic consultants to stagger start and pickup times to reduce neighborhood impacts, and that extensive security measures — architectural, technological and operational — will be built into the campus. They said busing options will be provided for students coming from outside Wellington and that the operator intends to open the school with a substantial local founding membership and to offer summer camps and community access to facilities.

Committee members and parents asked detailed questions about scholarships, start times, curriculum and interim and long‑term enrollment projections. On curriculum, a remote advisor (Rob Schwartz) said the school will use standards‑aligned curricula but that specific curriculum materials had not yet been chosen; the presenters said they will return to the committee with curriculum blueprints as selections progress.

The presenters offered to collaborate with local public and charter schools on shared facilities and teacher collaboration; Marianne Wren emphasized the group’s experience running teacher collaboration networks internationally.

Ending: Committee members thanked the presenters and expressed interest in continued updates; presenters said they will provide future curriculum and enrollment materials and work with the committee’s meeting schedule for follow‑up briefings.