Orange Park Junior High School

I'm a parent of a 2 girls, they are little body, look like they are still in elementary, but they are good girls with good grade and they love to participate in sport, cheer leading, music, help others, etc. and I'm new in this area and I would love to know if this school is going to be good for them or lakeside junior high is better for them, I hear bad suggestion about OPJH school and I need to know if is true or not.... PLEASE if someone read this and can help me to make a good decision for the best of my girls please write something to me I will appreciate....THANK YOU
—Submitted by a parent

Im A 7th grader im really really nervous i hope im gonna like this school all the reviews look good :)

This is my sons 2nd yr at OPJH. He began 7th in the EBD classes and has been moved to the VE (varied education) with smaller class sizes to better suit his needs while still maintaining mainstream curriculum. I applaud the guidence dept. for their attention to parent concerns and vice principal Ms. Tucker for conducting swift, yet fair disciplinary actions. Parent participation is particuarly low given the amount of students attending. Correspondence with teachers could be abit better, but given their class loads, I understand to take a one on one approach with each student may diminish to the needs to the class as a whole. All in all, I'm very pleased with OPJH and confident with sending my son there. I know he's in good hands.
—Submitted by a parent

i am a 7th grader at opjh and i was scared to go here because i would be going to a middle school. and all i have to day that it is awesome! i am also on the cheerleading squad and we dont go to overboard on our routines. and they do make sure your grades are on check. i am also a honor role student, the teachers do a great job teaching! and i made alot of friends it wasnt very hard! opjh is great and cant wait to enjoy my last year here!
—Submitted by a student

I am a teacher at OPJHS and have been there since the doors opened on Aug. 17,1976. I absolutely love the school. students, teachers and my administrators. I just finished my 32nd year of teaching and yes, all of them at OPJHS. I am very proud to say that I am a part of such a great school and wouldn't want to teach any place else. I have had the chance to leave, but I chose to stay there. I am a proud Wildcat.... Cathy Rangeo Dept. Chair Physical Education Head Boys Track Coach 7th grade Instructor
—Submitted by a teacher

Over all i think its a great school. Im attending Orange Park Junior High this year as an eigth grade and i think it's a prtty okay school. This school has been an A school for 7 years so apparently the trachers are doing something right. As far as making new friends goes its actually quite easy to make friends. Infact your a new student moving to Clay County and are zoned for Orange Park i think that would be your best bet. It'll be an easy/smooth transition into your new school. Most people think that Orange Park Junior High School is full of gang banging hoodlums who have fights everyday and blah blah blah...get a life!! opjh hasnt been like that is 3 or 4 years. its much better so send you child there!!!!!!
—Submitted by a student

The principal, James Young, has not shown any respect for the students or teachers at this school. As a parent, I believe that the students their deserve a much better principal and he falls short of that.
—Submitted by a parent

My son loves going to OPJH! JH is a lot different than elementary. The teachers do not hold your child's hand as they did in K-6. Children need to be held accountable for their actions, or lack of. His teachers HAVE communicated with me when assignments were not turned in prior to mid term report cards, yet some have NOT. Children need to be responsible and we cannot hold their hands all the time. My son partipates in sports and has been sought out for his academic achievement on the FCAT. OPJH does recognize academic and sports potential. Parent involvement seems low. I know my involvement has been low.
—Submitted by a parent

Orange park junior high school is very good in disciplining their students. It could use some remodeling and a huge cleaning but other than that it is a great school.
—Submitted by a student

Getting a good education at OPJH is dependent upon which teachers your child ends up with. Very few teachers are good. When teachers would speak about the kids it always seemed to be negative. If I had a choice I would not send my child to this school again. Her grades are good but her self-esteem is low.
—Submitted by a parent

absolute wonderful school my daughter was so excited to go there and when she finally got there she made a ton of friends and now she is in eighth grade and still loves it maybe all the teachers aren't as so perfect but hey there is no school in the entire world with totally perfect always smiling teachers.
—Submitted by Gloria L, a parent

Sending your child to OPJH compares to playing the Florida lottery. You could get lucky and pick one of the winning numbers, or two, etc. Because there are some really good teachers still left there. However.... those of you who have played the lottery know that you Never pick all the numbers and maybe you will get lucky and hit one number or have 'one good teacher',and so on. But your child's education cannot be gambled with, and I for one moved my child because of what I felt was a lack of leadership from the administration, and unprofessional behavior and disorganization from some of the teachers my child would have had. I will not gamble with my child's education and that is exactly what you will be doing when you send your child to Orange Park Junior High.
—Submitted by a student

I can't wait until my son is out of this school. The administration at this school is a joke. With the exception of a few good teachers this school has the laziest and most unprofessional faculty and staff I have ever experienced. This school has done an excellent job of putting on a good front but there are so many issues at this school that 150 words just cant begin to describe it. Kids are being harassed by students and teachers, staffing is a problem at this school I would like to know the absentee rate of the teachers some are never there, the staff is unfriendly (most of them). Some of the kids I have talked to have told me about various activities at the school that go unnoticed and unpunished. If I have to move my daugher is not going to go here. This school is bad!
—Submitted by a parent

This is a good school. However, I've recently had trouble with my son not doing all of his homework and the teachers do not attempt to contact you unless it's via progress report which we all know we may or may not get in time to effect help at home.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter has had two successful years at Orange Park Jr. High. Her teachers have been positive, encouraging and very knowledgable in their respective fields. I applaud the school staff for stressing excellance and personal best. Special help, such as before and after school tuitoring, has help my child greatly. It is refreshing to find teachers who will go that extra mile. Thank you OPJH for helping to shape my daughter into the lovely young lady she is becoming.
—Submitted by a parent