Ortega Elementary School

I am outraged by the bullying that continues to go on at this school. No assistance from teachers or staff and it continues to be a problem. Also - the teachers desire to engage the children have gone completely down hill over the last three years that I have had a child at this school and it's very disappointing. The communication SUCKS and the lack of care and concern from teachers is clearly there - lots of favortism for particular students...just not fair.
—Submitted by a parent

My son will not be attending this school again next school year. Very disappointed with this school, his teacher waited until the of this school year to tell me that he won't be going to the next grade. I talked to her on the phone & was sending notes to her. I feel this school failed my son!!!!
—Submitted by a parent

This school has exceeded all of my expectations with the 3 year old Museum Studies program. The children are engaged in researching science and social studies subjects, while incorporating reading, math, and writing across the curriculum. Ortega is ahead of the Common Core Curriculum and takes an innovative approach to teaching the whole child and also encouraging student docents to in turn teach exhibit visitors on 3 exhibit nights a year. My fourth grade daughter loves her classmates and her teachers. I love the diversity of not only races, but also of socio-economic classes, ability levels, and artistic strengths ( like the world we live in). There is a job for all students to participate in and shine with the use of their strengths. My daughter is NOT an artist, but she can research anything. I am super happy that we discovered this gem of a little school. Embrace our diversity with us as your student actually learns in a fun and creative way!
—Submitted by a parent

I am not longer a student at Ortega i am a now a student at jeb but the thing is i see that people are bad mouthing my old school i went to that school from k to 5th and i don't regret it at all. Thanks to that school im in all adv. classes and im already almost done with algebra 1 and if it wasn't for Ortega i would probably be in intensive classes and i wouldn't be one of the smartest kids in 7th grade now you guys can say what you want i know the teacher can teach right because i was sitting in the same classes your kids are just a few years ago. If your kids don't get what the teachers are teaching then its because your kids aren't listening in class to the teachers and i get some teacher have a lot of kids but sometimes that happens and there nothing you can do about that. The school isn't that big... most schools are bigger then Ortega that's why theres not as many kids in the classrooms the school was an A school when i went there and i think it still is and if its not then its a B school but that shouldn't stop you from sending your kids there its a great school and i wish i could go back to it and i miss all the teachers and people that work there

I HAD 3 CHILDREN IN THIS SCHOOL I HAVE TAKEN 1 OUT I HAVE 1 IN 4TH GRADE CURRENTLY ON THE VERGE OF FAILING I'M USING OUTSIDE TUTORING. MY YOUNGEST IN 1ST GRADE AND I SEND HER TO TUTORING IN WHICH I PAY FOR AS WELL AND SHE'S A STRAIGHT A STUDENT TO KEEP HER AHEAD DUE TO THE LACK OF TEACHING AT THIS SCHOOL. I WORK 12HR DAYS SO ITS HARD TO MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO REALLY TALK TO THE TEACHERS LIKE I WANT TO BUT I KNOW ITS MORE THAT CAN BE DONE. MY MIDDLE SON I HAD TO TAKE OUT OF THIS SCHOOL BECOUSE HE WAS SCARED TO ASK QUESTIONS IN CLASS DUE TO HIS TEACHERS DONT ASK POLICY....
—Submitted by a parent

I HAVE 3 CHILDREN THAT ATTEND THIS SCHOOL. AND I FIND MYSELF RETEACHING ALL SUBJECTS WHEN CHILDREN COME FROM SCHOOL. I HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES AND I FIND THAT EACH TEACHER HAVE WAY TO MANY STUDENTS IN EACH CLASS. SOME OR EVEN SCARING THE CHILDREN AND KEEPING THEM FROM ASKING QUESTIONS. THIS IS WHY A LOT OF THE FCAT SCORES ARE BELOW STATE AVERAGE.
—Submitted by a parent

My child has attended Ortega for two years and at first, we had real concerns; new principal, change in magnet status, etc. As a parent I felt their growing pains, but we were determined to support our neighborhood school. And yes, parental involvement is limited as most families are not from immediate neighborhoods. So, I volunteered & became part of a team that is absolutely dedicated to bringing the best education possible to these children. Staff saw an opportunity, capitalized on it & now they are a museum magnet- one of 7 in the nation! I wasn t crazy about this initially as I couldn t imagine a less exciting choice for my 7 year old son who has zero artistic ambitions. But he recently asked if we could go to MOSH & I was floored. Of course, it was to see the Snot Exhibit, but he loved it. The staff at Ortega has repaid my faith three fold, you can feel them pulling together as a team, teachers are focused & caring, the Principal is accessible & a natural leader. Ortega s recent Grade A is proof that yes, they are small, but they are truly an academic force to be reckoned with. I would strongly recommend this small, determined, close-knit & fantastic school to anyone.
—Submitted by a parent

This is a great little family school, where the education is superb and the children LOVE to come to school. The new Museum Magnet program has far exceeded all of our expectations with total involvement of the children. My daughter can't wait for the next exhibit night!
—Submitted by a parent

My son attends Ortega as a magnet student and I couldn't be happier. We chose this school after looking at almost every private school and nearby public schools (literally). I know he is getting the best possible education here and he is able to explore his interests. The new Museum Magnet program is broad based and allows him to explore a variety of curriculum areas. The monthly learning expeditions to museums, dedicated teachers, small family-like atmosphere, and innovative curriculum make this a great fit for our son!
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent from a 'bad zoning area' that has donated alot of time and effort to Ortega. My child is soaring academically and has never had a behavior issue. Our family also LOVES the faculty and staff at Ortega. We all want our children to have the best education possible. We all believe in Ortega or we would not be here writing about it. If you want to make a difference DONATE your TIME and help these troubled children by setting a positive example. Show them what you believe thier families are not!
—Submitted by a parent

I am completely amazed by the teachers and staff in this school. It is as though my son is there's. I truely LOVE this staff. Thanks for all you do Ortega!
—Submitted by a parent

Ortega as a school is very good. Great teachers and a great principal . The problem is that there are children with behavior issues that stem and even encouraged from their home life which makes it very unsafe for your children.
—Submitted by a parent

Lovely location, bad zoning. Unfortunately, kids are not encouraged by parents. Therefore, teachers are spending their time correcting behaviors instead of teaching (not their fault). Poor parent involvement led to me putting my child in private school and paying lots of money.
—Submitted by Karla, a parent

Academic curriculum is perfect, its the availability of teachers time to teach it is the problem. Unfortunately, too much time is spent on correcting other childrens behavior instead of on learning.
—Submitted by a parent

I was unhappy with how some of the staff treated some of the parents, especially when they thought that the parents were uneducated. My daughter second grade teacher, Ms. Price was very helpful when dealing with a problem related to school that she needed help with.
—Submitted by a parent

Two of my three children attended Ortega and of the four schools they've attended Ortega is far and away the best. The teachers are outstanding, I couldn't ask for a better principal and the parent involvement is through the roof. I was crushed when we were forced to relocate. My seven year old cried for weeks.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter attended Ortega from grades K-5. She and I both loved it. I hated to see her have to leave this year. I wish it went through the 12th grade. There are many wonderful teachers there and the office staff is very helpful and friendly. I also appreciated the principals interest and participation in all the students cirriculum.
—Submitted by a parent