E NORTHSIDE DR
JACKSONVILLE , FL 32218

First Coast is a great school! They care about the students, and they support the staff where necessary. They prepare students for college, and for those that don't want to go to college, they are prepared for the work force. I love this school!

As a parent with a child currently enrolled at this school, I am sharing my honest experience based on having to interact with the staff on a regular basis.While there are a few positive exceptions—particularly the front office staff, who have consistently been kind and helpful—my overall experience has been very disappointing. Unfortunately, the majority of my interactions with staff have felt unprofessional and, at times, disrespectful.The new principal, Ms. Simpson, has been especially discouraging to deal with. In my experience, she is noticeably unapproachable and often walks past parents without acknowledging them. I have never encountered a school administrator who made parents feel as unwelcome as this. There also appears to be very limited effort to build meaningful relationships with all families. Some parents seem to receive attention and engagement, while others feel overlooked, which creates the impression of unequal treatment.Parent involvement and communication are extremely limited. It is difficult to stay informed about what is happening at the school, and communication with teachers is often inconsistent and challenging.It is also deeply concerning that, on more than one occasion, teachers have spoken negatively about parents in front of students. No child should have to hear their parent being criticized or discussed in a negative manner while at school. This is not appropriate in a learning environment and undermines the trust and emotional safety students deserve.My greatest concern, however, is academic support. Many students who need additional help do not appear to be receiving the level of support they need. A significant number of children are falling behind academically, and this has become alarming as a parent. Because of these ongoing issues, I am seriously considering homeschooling my son.Given these concerns, it is difficult to understand how this school maintains an A rating. The difference in leadership compared to the previous principal is very noticeable. The prior administration created a more welcoming, supportive, and collaborative environment for families, while the current climate feels disconnected and discouraging.Overall, I hope the district takes a closer look at the school’s leadership, communication practices, and academic support systems, as many families deserve a more inclusive and supportive school experience.

I am personally a student here, and I can tell you that oceanway is not the best. They have the smallest hallways, they make you run around the entire school even if 2+ of your classes are in the same area, the school is disgusting and dirty, constant fights break out, and its overall horrible. If your apart of LGBTQ+, or at least your child is, this is not the school. Im Transmasc and im constantly bullied because of it, and its not just the students either. Its also the teachers. They dont care about you being comfortable. They dont care about your preferences. You do what they want. They want your respect but yet they give none back. To the parents who sit there and "well the teachers and students are mean because those children are horrible", Most of them are not. I do what im supposed to, I keep quiet and yet I still get picked on or told off. The people at the front office wont do anything about it either unless its a fight, which leads no time for other reports. There is accepting and great teachers here, but theyre wasting their time at this school. They need to go to a better school to teach, because oceanway is absolutely not worth it. Again, this school claims its LGBTQ+ friendly, but its really not except for a small group of teachers.