Emory II Plan in Wilford Oaks by Dream Finders Homes
Orange Park, FL 32073

Orange Park High School is such a special place! The teachers are some of the most pure-hearted, compassionate, and skilled people I have ever met. Truly inspiring place to walk the halls of, and it has inspired me to pursue education. Administration here fosters a culture of family and looking out for one another. There are several teacher, staff, and admin who have a long tenure at OPHS because of its deep roots in the Orange Park community, being built in 1959. Athletics, while not amazing records, are extremely well-managed, with caring coaches, and great facilities. The CTE (Career and Technical Education) options, for students looking to go into some area of the trades after high school, are vast at OP including Automotive, Welding, Carpentry, Engineering, Manufacturing, Early Childhood, Nursing, Culinary, Emergency Medical, Firefighting, Banking, and Digital Design. The Art and Ceramics programs are extremely well-rounded as well, with seasoned artists as the teachers of those classes. OPHS leaders highlight student and teachers who Rise above the rest, and establish valuable partnerships with the community, as a Children's Home Society Community Partnership School. The alumni network at Orange Park is wide and chances are a Clay County resident knows someone who is a Raider alum! Overall, this is a wonderful school whose motto is Outshine Perception for a reason. You might drive by and see an old high school campus with mid-century architecture, but OPHS truly has a heart and culture like no other, and you have to step inside and talk to the staff and students to know this.

Orange Park Junior High has serious and ongoing issues with student safety, discipline, and teaching quality. Fights happen almost daily, and even when students are disciplined, they often return within a day or two. Bullying is rampant, and defending yourself can lead to even more conflict. Drugs, smoking, and explicit inappropriate materials are found in bathrooms, creating an unsafe environment. Teachers often seem disengaged, many have quit over the years, and disruptions are common even during important tests like the FAST. The cafeteria is poorly managed, with students excluding others from seating, and when fights break out, hallways erupt into chaotic, dangerous scenes that put bystanders at risk. In its current state, this school cannot be recommended.

As a military family it has been a struggle for my children to adapt to this school, after having transferred mid school year. From the lack of help of administration, to teachers telling me "it's not my job to catch your child up", I couldn't be more unhappy with this school. It's hard to get teachers and administration to communicate with you face to face and emails sometimes go unanswered.This school is very driven by state testing, not by the success of their students.