Orange County schools honor Deb Watson for 30 years and more than $25 million in local grants

Orange County Public Schools paid tribute to Deb Watson on the occasion of her retirement, thanking her for three decades of philanthropy and partnership that officials said transformed local student health and support services.

An unnamed board representative described Watson as a "quiet force of good" who worked directly with principals and district leaders to build programs that address students’ nonacademic barriers to learning. "Under Ms. Watson's leadership, the foundation has poured more than $25,000,000 into schools in Winter Park, Maitland and Eatonville," the board statement said.

The board credited Watson and the Winter Park Health Foundation with supporting initiatives such as the CHILL program and expanding on-campus counseling; the transcript states more than 15,000 students have received counseling because of these efforts. Officials also said the foundation supported school nursing, fresh-food initiatives and the healthy schools team model that later spread statewide.

Board remarks emphasized Watson’s hands-on approach and the long-term, district-level effects of sustained philanthropic partnership. The recognition was ceremonial; no district policy or budget action was recorded during the event.