Oceanway Elementary School

I feel this is a great school now that it has been around for a few years now and has a stable principal. I feel this school is going in the right direction and is a great school to send your kids
—Submitted by a parent

Leadership keeps changing and continued focus on FCAT and not necessarily learning. They are not given enough physical education and a select few of the teachers are far too impatient with the students. There is definitely room for improvement.
—Submitted by a parent

I use to go there i liked it a lot but the new PRINCIPAL is not nice at all Mr.**** is a whole lot better than she is i am sorry to say this but she is not all good in my opinion. With all due respect Former student

We were a little nervous about our daughter attending Oceanway Elementary since everyone I spoke to about it said it was a bad school. My husband toured the school and liked it though so we decided to try it out. My daughter is now going into 2nd grade there and we are very happy with the teachers she's had so far and with the school overall. The head staff (principal's, vice principals) keep changing every year, but all the other schools are experiencing that too. Please don't go by others opinion's as the school has changed a lot over the past few years.
—Submitted by a parent

This school needs more 1 on 1 time with the 2nd grade classes that have special needs. There is only one teacher that teaches this program and is only in the class rooms one time a week.

Excellent commitment to children and education, bravo! job well done.
—Submitted by Timothy Yost, a parent

This school is now under new management. Mr. Cobb has taken control and is beginning to turn this school around. The teachers work as a team now, and their voices are being heard. Together, with the PTA, they are changing the direction of the school, bringing it to a better place. The school does have its challenges in that it seems to have a very high number of ESE/SLD students. Don't let this put you off. The enthusiasm for change is contagious! Teachers are teaching, kids are learning. It's a whole different atmosphere than before. This is NOT the OLD Oceanway, it's a new and improved one!
—Submitted by a parent

We recently enrolled our son in Oceanway when we moved to Florida in March 2006. I am very disappointed with the quailty of education here and am just as frustrated with the teachers. It may be a new school but the leadership, academics, and activities are almost non-existent. There are no sports programs and recess consists of a couple laps around the cirle where we pick up the kids from school (the 'new' playground is in need of repair). There is no gifted program and no effort has been made to send my son to the neighboring school one day a week, as is the rule, for the gifted classes there. There is no challenge to the curiculum and the grade levels are learning things two grade levels below where the currenly are. We are currenly looking for a new house that is not in the Oceanway school zone.
—Submitted by Theresa Brant, a parent

If it wasn't for the fact the teachers here are great, I would have pulled my children out. The leadership here is non-existent, and any attempt to make things better are squashed by the principle,who lucky for the school is leaving. we will be going to Sheffield Elemetary because of district changes. Thank God!
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are very easy to work with and have tried very hard to keep my child challenged.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughters have gone to this schoold for four years. My oldest now attends Oceanway Middle, it is a wondeful school. My youngest daughter began Oceanway, struggling to learn to read and retain information. She has made wonderful progress and is a honor roll student, and made a perfect score on the reading portoion of her FCAT last year. I am very happy with the school. Both of my daughters are honor roll students, and my oldest is in advanced classes. If you are looking for a school with the 'Good old days' view, with teachers who still care about the kids, not what they are wearing or how much their parents make, this is the school. And thank you, to all the teachers and staff that make up that great school, we love you!
—Submitted by Krys Stewart, a parent

we moved to this school from one of the top rated public elementary schools in the county so it was quite a shock to see what 'the other side' is like. while my son continued to maintain straight A's this year, he was harrassed constantly because he was smart. it seems academics are not a top priority in this area of town, or didn't used to be before all the new neighborhoods brought people from other areas. this is changing slowly but not quite fast enough. the school did have all the same elective programs as our old school but the administration is not as accessible to parents. I did not feel that the principal was visible enough, or a strong enough leader, this year.
—Submitted by a parent

I enrolled my two children in Oceanway this year as we moved to the area. Previously my children attended another duval county school. I realize that it will take adjustment for my children as well as for myself however I feel that this is going to be an extremly long, insecure change. I recieved letters for the first 2 days from the principal encouraging parents to call with concerns however when she was contacted her question was 'how did you get my extension?' I feel that she should express her honest opinion on what she feels is best for the child but I also feel that she should be open for parent opinions as well. With our particular subject her reply was 'thats life and your child has to deal with it'. I am very discouraged and feel this was not nessasary.
—Submitted by a parent