With a record high enrollment of 184 students, additional extracurricular activities and an updated gymnasium, Ware Academy has a lot to look forward to when doors open for the school year on Sept. 7.

According to Meghan Cunningham, executive assistant and admissions/marketing associate for the school, enrollment at Ware was at approximately 120 when she started there five years ago.

“We’ve had a lot of new families join us,” said Cunningham.

There are no openings left for lower school (pre-K through fourth grades), but there are a few spots left in upper school (fifth through eighth grades) which are rapidly filling.

In anticipation for the 2022-2023 school year, Ware is in the process of making several upgrades to its campus. As of now, new floors have been installed in upper school, Spanish and kindergarten classrooms. Ware has also bought 250 new books for its library.

The biggest updates can be found in the gym, which is currently a work in progress. By the end of summer, the gym will have new paint, new mats, a new sound system, new air conditioning units and new skylights. The gym is a central place for the school, as it hosts athletic events, special events, and performances. The stage, which is also located in the gym, has new carpeting and curtains.

In addition to the campus upgrades, Ware is making changes to its after-school activities. Third through fifth graders can choose to join a weekly art club; first through fifth grade students can participate in the “Waveology” program which consists of small group games and activities that support social and emotional skills that promote self-esteem, creating healthy boundaries and setting goals; and students in first through eighth grades can join homework club twice per week.

Also new this year is athletics for lower school students. The “Mighty Waves” can participate in soccer skills and drills (Mondays and Wednesdays for kindergarten through second grades and Tuesdays and Thursdays for third and fourth grades).

In upper school athletics, the Waves will join the Peninsula Independent Athletic League (PIAL), in addition to participating in the Independent School Athletic Conference (ISAC).

“We’re looking for more schools to challenge our kids,” said Cunningham.

In an effort to beat the heat, this year’s Ware Academy Golf Tournament has been moved from summer to fall in its 20th year. Proceeds from the tournament provide funding for the enrichment and educational initiatives at Ware that tuition alone does not cover.