Fleming Island High School

I have 2 children that attend this school. 1 is a senior the other a sophomore. We have been very pleased! My kids are average students, some honors classes. They have been on a few sports teams but not every year. They have not participated in any groups or clubs. Just some background info. We moved to Fleming Island in 1997 because of the school. The kids have attended school in this area from pre-k to current. If we have had issues to address they have be met with full attention an concern. We have always felt that the kids best interest was attended to. All staff, ads, teachers an administrator have been available and willing to assist us when ever needed. The kids safety is always first. I only have good things to say about the entire school! We are very fortunate to have this school!
--Submitted by a parent

I came to post a review and came across many similar reviews of what I was going to address...This school needs to run an anti-bully campaign, and enforce more parental involvement on this matter. Many kids with "I am gangster" attitude", bullying kids with better moral values.These bullies start their verbal attacks in school hallways and inside the school buss, bringing the worst on the buss stops. It is a shame that children look forward to the High School years and withing the first month of class they rude awakening. Many parents moved these neighborhood due to the "great" school system. This school is no longer what it used to be when it gain its great reputation. Great families have moved in the near neighborhoods, but also families with poor family values and children with lack of parental guidance, with that "wanna' be gangster" attitude. Bringing down the happy, safe, and family oriented stigma these neighborhoods have.These are the same people who have ruined the quality of the high school experience for our children. I agree 100% with the FCAT comments bellow. Not to mention the awful attitude of many of these teachers and staff members.
--Submitted by a parent

I definitely would not rate this school a 10! My 2 sons went to FIHS and performed fairly well academically. It seemed as though the students in the honor's and AP classes received a lot more attention from the teachers, for developing the students for college. My daughter started there and I saw a whole different side on this school. The front office receptionist make everyone feel as if they were bothering her and unimportant. Lack of leadership. The principal was aloof to the students. Teachers that stood out, Ms. Weldon, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Neidrich. My daughter ended up transferring out of this school 2 months before her senior year, because of the tremendous amount of peer pressure and cattiness from the girls at that school. She was threatened and bullied many times and asked to change schools 2 years before we made the change. Once we transferred, I realized how rude and disrespectful the staff was at FIHS. The staff and administration at OPHS were so helpful and courteous. Even the principal introduced herself to my daughter. So, glad we made the change. My daughter is flourishing now in her senior year! Wish I had sent all my kids to a different school.
--Submitted by a parent

I purposely purchased my home in Fleming Island for my daughter to attend Fleming Island High School. The lack of interest from the guidance office is truly a sad affair! I have never been treated so unprofessionally and was embarrassed that my daughter was witness to it. To be pointed at without at word and directed into the male guidance counselors office with not even a handshake or introduction with again another finger point infuriated me. I was dressed in business attire and expected to be treated with respect as a mother and a professional business person. My daughter and I were reaching out for help during a difficult time and were treated so poorly. I can only hope that this is not a typical event for other parents. I did speak with the Principle and he did offer kindness however unable to offer any help with the original issue. That being, my daughter asking to be transfered to another class where she would be able to study and learn, from as class where the teacher was unable to do so due a discipline problem with several other students. We were refused this request .
--Submitted by a parent

Our son graduated from this high school and our two daughters now attend FIHS. The academics are decent and the teachers competent, but all three of our kids were made miserable by an influential minority of pampered suburbans white kids who model their behavior after inner-city thugs. They use urban slang, deface property with grafitti, and get into fights. The moral and spiritual impact on our kids has been devastating. Wish we had never put them in that environment. If you love your kids and can afford it, you will be much better off putting them in a private school.
--Submitted by a parent

Fleming Island HS provides everything a motivated student will need to get accepted into any college they want. The AP and Honors teachers go out of their way to communicate with the parents and be available to the students. The sports and band programs are outstanding. We are fortunate to have this caliber of education in a public school, in our community.
--Submitted by a parent

As a student of FIHS, I felt that my view of the school is extremely important. The fact of the matter pertaining to FCAT is yes, they do stress it way to much. As a junior I'm extremely glad I do not have to take the test this year. From what I have heard from my previous teachers FCAT is especially being fed by the spoon fulls to students, due to the budget cuts from the county during 2009. You see, the better the schoolas a whole does on the FCAT, the more money they recieve from the state. Now you know exactly why it is shoved down our throats so much. The teachers at FIHS seem to be pretty well educated...as long as it's an Honors or above teacher. Standard teachers are exactly like the students they teach.Standard.
--Submitted by a student

The academic opportunities are vast and my daughter (who was a Valedictorian of her Jr. High in CA and never received a 'B') has been challenged. Only issue with the entire state is the obsession with 'FCAT's'. Lets face it...all schools have standardized testing, yet shouldn't we teach everything-not simply what they know will be on the FCAT's, thus making their schools seem 'better'?
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter has been disgusted with this school since starting 10th grade there, and I've tried to be encouraging, but I also am not impressed with it. The administrative staff is burned out and has minimal interest in being friendly. Only a few teachers had a real love of teaching that I noted from conferences with them. FCAT is the all-comsuming entity that seems to drive that school, and my daughter was so sick of hearing 'FCAT' that mentally she shut it out after some time. Sports are a big thing there, but since she didn't play a sport, there wasn't a lot of involvement. I contacted a few people via email regarding extra-curricular activites, but never heard back. Wealthy kids with disregard for authority or dress code (short-shorts permitted, and an abundance of Abercrombie). My daughter never opened a book and still got A/B's. We're going to Clay.
--Submitted by a parent

Fleming Island is amazing. The students are great, teachers are great. Its just an all around GREAT school. The band and ROTC programs are superb and I would recommend this school to anyone.
--Submitted by a student