St. Johns Country Day School

St Johns has many good qualities but is certainly not the perfect school. The teachers are very caring and generous with their time. They will make an extra effort in helping your child. Class size is great and the campus is beautiful with new facilities. The negatives lie mostly with the administration. They do not adhere to their own policies and are arbitrary with their disciplinary actions. Some students are given a wide berth while others are judge more harshly for similar or less severe offenses. The students are very cliquish and new students have a difficult time making friends in the middle and upper schools. Implementation of a uniform policy for the upper school was a real negative and their new food store was less than adequate.
—Submitted by a parent

I am not getting the 5/11/11 comments about fear, intolerance, and lack of diversity. Spending the entire MLK week studying MLK, with nearly every class working something MLK into it does not sound like a bastion of intolerance. Always concerned that we are getting appropriate academics for the money spent, we compare our child's coursework with our friends when we can and they are always amazed at how demanding the coursework is SJCDS. This includes a few public schools and one of France's best rated public schools. So SJCDS not only competes academically with its surrounding counties but with European schools as well. Is that "international" enough for you? I do think they need to add Chinese to their curriculum. Unfortunately, many today equate "tolerance" with allowing themselves to be subjected to every conceivable behavior. There is no sense in that in a learning environment. There will be time later to realize that there are people out there who behave badly and should be AVOIDED - not embraced. Those constantly exposed to it will no longer recognize it for what it is.
—Submitted by a parent

I am so grateful to have found St Johns! We live in Duval County and drive 20 miles 4 times a day to bring our children to this school. My "out of the box" children have thrived in the small, personal environment. They are encouraged in academics, the Arts and to participate in any sports they want to try. Through St Johns, my daughter has discovered a love of Latin and The Classics. She has gotten to compete in Latin tournaments all over the State and on the national level.
—Submitted by a parent

We are a first year family and we have been more than pleased with SJCDS. From the moment we stepped foot on this campus we felt part of a family and that we were home. My child is happy and has a passion for his schoolwork. We would definitely recommend St. Johns Country Day School to other families.
—Submitted by a parent

I am off to college in the fall and have enjoyed every bit of my six years at St. Johns. BEST teachers are here! Highy recommend and I hope to stay in touch will everyone! -A

I think a mixed review of St Johns is best. My children are definately getting a quality education. The class sizes, content and teacher quality is high. Communication within the upper school is great, within the lower and middle schools is terrible. The arts program, both music and visual arts, is fabulous. Athletics is a mixed bag, but the new AD's are working very hard to create a solid school program where everyone can play. School pride is a good thing to have, but not at the cost of trashing other schools, especially the public ones. SJCDS says it's preparing its students for success in college and beyond, and on the academic level I would agree. However, it creates a climate of superiority based on fear of the public schools and fear of racial and religious differences. Of course, the teachers don't teach racism, homophobia or anti semitism, but they do little to counter it. It is a disservice to young minds about to enter a diverse world outside the grounds of SJCDS. So, as I said, a mixed bag: academics and extracurriculars, a big thumbs up. Character building, individual acceptance, diversity of thought, thumbs down.
—Submitted by a parent

SJCDS is an excelllent school. The coursework is very demanding and requires students to manage time and their responsibilities. Expect 1-2 hours of homework in lower school and 2 or more hours for middle school/upper school. Most teachers are really good although there are a few slugs. The headmaster is retiring - no big loss though since he really didn't bring much to the table. Tutition is costly, but it really is a matter of priorities. I'm middle class and have passed on new cars, big fancy house and other toys so that I can afford the best education for my two kids.
—Submitted by a parent

Spreading misinformation about the competition (AICE) does nothing to make up for the deficiencies currently found at St. Johns. We are leaving St. Johns for AICE and we are GREATLY looking forward to the change. The AICE program is SO much more than accelerated academics and international experiences. St. Johns offers neither the academic nor the social experiences that build strong, intellegent, caring young adults. Between ignoring the cliques, consistently putting athletics in front of academics, and relying on a reputation earned decades ago, St. Johns is losing the battle to its public school alternative...amazing but true.
—Submitted by a parent

St Johns is like one big family. They not only are concerned about our childrens education, but also about having respect for our fellow friends and family. If you have any concerns about anything there is always someone there for you and your children.
—Submitted by a parent

The 8/13 poster is repeating what they said on 4/23. Why would you do that? If you don't like SJCDS, just leave. You already did that so should we feel sorry for you? Did you take the time to discuss your concerns with the admin? Your statements are false. I have no money, no internal connections to the school. My child works hard, harder than her peers at other schools....but that is why we sacrifice to send her to such a great school...Regarding the Principal, I have spoken to her on numerous occasions and she has always treated me with respect. However, I am not a baby and my feelings don't get hurt that easy. Best of luck at your new school. There are plenty of parents/students at SJCDS that will do just fine.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has been a complete disappointment in too many numerous ways to list. Parents are treated like dirt. Favoritism is rampant. Getting rid of the headmaster is not going to cure this school of its many ills. Horrible administrators are running the school into the ground. Educationally, if your child is not what they determine a 'star' child for whatever reason, i.e., a teacher's child, lots of money, been a life-long student, etc., then your child will be basically invisible here. Family environment.....ha ha, what a joke. If you want your child to receive a mediocre education, then, by all means, send them to SJCDS where nepotism is rampant! My child's self-esteem was in the toilet, thanks to this school, and I've spent thousands of dollars for it. Run from this school.....don't walk. Submitted by
—Submitted by a parent

Our child attended 2 years. Our first year experince was great ; wonderful teacher, small class size, nice classroom. Second year was a disappointment. SJCDS has a nice facility with small class sizes. However, we felt that for what we were paying in tuition, we should have gotten more for our money. As an example, we had to hire a tutor for reading as did many others in our child's class. Regarding the Lower School Principal, we saw her often in the halls yet she never greeted nor spoke to us. This was common with alot of the staff there. SJCDS has a beautiful campus but is not very secure, especially with the construction; workers often took their smoke breaks around the children. We may revisit in a few years but for now we feel we can do better elsewhere.
—Submitted by a parent

I truly love St. Johns and everything that it has done for my child. My child is so sad that summer has arrived. Fall can't arrive soon enough for her!
—Submitted by a parent

In our first year at SJCDS we have absolutely loved it. Our daughter was challenged and excelled academically and grew socially beyond our expectations. The school is expensive and we are making great sacrifices to send our child to this school but so far it has been worth every penny. We have had experiences with other private schools and the Clay county public high schools and it has been a refreshing treat to work with the teachers and administrators at SJCDS.
—Submitted by a parent

A great school for parents that want a quality education for their children. My children have attended St. Johns Country Day School since PreK. My boys are articulate, accomplished, and well prepared to face the collegiate life and beyond. The excellent teachers continue to challenge my boys year after year. Participation in athletics and the fine arts program has shaped them into well rounded young men. While I would like to take full credit, they have developed strong character, respect and good manners under the guidance of caring faculty. Yes, it is a challenging curriculum. Yes, we have made sacrifices to afford private school tuition year after year. After twelve years of attendance, I have zero regrets about sending my children to such a fine institution.
—Submitted by a parent

If "optoon" is any indication of the quality of education at SJCDS, I say "Bring on the overcrowded public school classrooms!" "If want the best ..." ?!?!?! Is this any way to advocate for an educational institution? Spell check is automatic on these comments! I have lived in different parts of this country and can compare from experience. This is a sometimes adequate, but overall rather pedestrian, all too local, private school with delusions of grandeur. From my personal observations, SJCDS is not markedly better than many of the local public schools, and certainly not superior to most of the other private or parochial schools in the area. Do not be misled by the spasm of recent construction or any other attempts to mislead by misdirection. A pretty elevation is not going to help your kids master the basics or thrive in higher education.
—Submitted by a parent

I have kids at sjcds and am considering changing schools. They have coaches teaching content they aren't qualified to teach. They raise the tuition and send home snarky letters about how we've all been hit hard with the recession.. It is a huge financial sacrafice and we are made to feel bad for not "donating" more money. I thought we were getting a small school, high quality education with time and appreciation for the arts. I'm hoping there will be a change in management and attitude or we are moving on.
—Submitted by a parent

There is not a finer school in all of NE Florida. We had three children graduate from St. Johns. They were there from K-12. All 3 have excelled in college and life as a result of the foundation they had there. Worth every penny and the sacrifices we made to keep them there.
—Submitted by a parent

This is an excellent school and my two young boys love it! The local public schools are good, but once you visit them and then compare that with a visit at SJCDS, you'll see what I did and that the public schools can't compete with all that is offered both in and out of the classroom. I read a review complaining that most of the good teachers are leaving but this is absolutely false. The fact is the school has been affected by the downturn in the economy just like everyone else. However, my kids haven't felt the impact and the school is adjusting without compromising the experience for our children. The economy will improve and the school will thrive. Through it all, my kids are far better prepared for life (academically, athletically and in the arts) than they would be elsewhere. This is a fantastic school.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter has had a terrific experience in middle school. She actually loves going to school everyday. The teachers are devoted and caring. I enjoy getting e-mails from the teachers about school activities and work. You would never get that at a public school! That is just one of the wonderful extra bonuses at St. Johns.
—Submitted by a parent