Orange Park High School

Posted: February 18, 2025

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.

Posted: February 18, 2025

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Posted: January 24, 2025

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Posted: January 24, 2025

The school appears to be driven by a political agenda rather than a genuine commitment to education. It seems that individuals have been hired to further political objectives rather than to serve as Principals, Teachers, and support staff dedicated to students' growth and development. The situation is deeply concerning, with the same issues being repeated endlessly without meaningful solutions. There is a glaring failure to address problematic behaviors and practices, as well as a lack of transparency in providing critical information to parents and students.

Adolescents aged 15 to 19 cannot be treated as if they are 25-year-olds. The school’s approach disregards fundamental aspects of humanity and professional ethics within the teaching profession. Instead of fostering young minds to become strong, motivated contributors to society, the focus has shifted away from education, knowledge, and ambition.

The students have been failed by a system that has turned them into political pawns, placing them in an environment that hardly functions as a true school. There is a severe lack of oversight, with teachers neglecting essential responsibilities such as monitoring bathrooms, where students have reportedly found drug paraphernalia, such as zip-lock bags containing joints. Additionally, instances of students selling and using drugs on school grounds highlight major security concerns.

Where are the teachers, counselors, and security personnel hired by the county to ensure a safe and supportive learning environment?
These issues demand immediate attention and action to restore the integrity and purpose of the educational institution.

Posted: December 10, 2023

The teaching staff has a handful of very caring teachers for them I am grateful. Other than that no one answers phone calls you will always go to a voicemail and after three years of this school I don’t think I have received more than one return call from a voicemail. Emails are sometimes returned. Guidance refuses to see children they are turned away immediately no matter the concern brought to them, I’ve been ignored when emailing directly to assigned guidance counselors about schedule, making time to see my child and no response I’ve been lucky that I have an email I’ve kept from one person I can sometimes get help from in that department. The principal has taken racial issues that were sensitive and when asked to just discuss with the teacher as not to upset my child or make things uncomfortable for her. He instead forwarded my email and without warning as well received a mid day phone call that the school or teacher was prepared to call for while I was moving heavy equipment. Again the teacher was nice respectful and we both were able to to see some things from both of our own perspectives. Now my child is grieving the loss of her grandfather. We are a military family we live here with only our immediate household. The school has a counseling program that states it covers a vast range of things and is paid for by the DOD department of defense. The school has harassed and accused my daughter about says she has been late during this time and with a note she was brought down to the office and blamed for there actions of not having her in the system. She has no way to access the school without them letting her in scanning her card and giving her a pass. The principal offered no condolences, no referral to the program or ask if our daughter needed anything. The month prior felt to share a family loss and I’m sure felt supported but that is how he treats the community.
Good afternoon,
When I receive an email about a situation in the class, I always forward the email to the teacher and the evaluating administrator. The teacher is the one who is in the class with the students. The teacher touched base with me after he spoke with you. 
No, I do not have a bias against Native Americans.
As far as the latest issue, I will get with our administrator, who oversees attendance and or attendance secretary, tomorrow, and someone will give you a call. Thanks
Cold, uncaring and hyped up as a great principal but helps only who he wants, or what’s good for a photo.

Posted: December 10, 2023

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Posted: May 25, 2023

As a parent of a student who attends this school as I’m writing I can honestly say I’m disappointed. My daughter has been bullied since she started her freshman year. Teachers, counselors not even the principal has done ANYTHING. Counselors have not contacted me regarding her grades, I only received emails from a few teachers and when I do email or ask them to call me to set up a meeting no response. Teachers have their favorites and it’s very noticeable. Not to mention the staff at the front desk are extremely rude. Went to check my daughter out of school, no eye contact, I was address and when I gave her my ID she threw it on the counter instead of handing it to me. My daughter dislikes going to school which is causing her grades to slip but it’s nothing been done to help her with anything

Posted: May 25, 2023

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Posted: March 7, 2023

This school is an amazing school with amazing people! I truly believe that we have the GREATEST PRINCIPLE in the history of Clay County Education. He does not play when it comes to the success of the school. There are wonderful teachers that love teaching and are not just there for a paycheck. Now of course every school has its flaws, but there are so many opportunities at this school. This is coming from someone who went to Oakleaf High School, a rather new school. Through this school, I was able to go on a fully paid for trip to Tallahassee for a Senate Page Term. An opportunity that was not presented at my previous school. The clubs that I am in are very active in the field that they are made for. All in all, this is a great opportunity to get exposure to what greatness is. An opportunity too great to ever pass up.

P.S.: If you are sending your kids here, have them take speech or bring up the idea of taking speech. It will literally change their life and help them prepare for the real world. Mr. Fagan, the speech teacher, is one of the best teachers I have ever had.

Posted: March 7, 2023

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Posted: August 30, 2022

If you have a child who needs an IEP or is an ESE student, do not send them to Orange Park High. The staff cannot do anything to help with children who have disabilities. Good luck.

Posted: August 30, 2022

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Posted: September 2, 2021

orange Park high school does not care for the kids at that school. And the principles at the school's make kids with special need look stupid that don't care if you get in trouble that don't help you.

Posted: September 2, 2021

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Posted: March 8, 2019

Truly a strongest survive type of school with an abundance of violence and bullying that is ALLOWED to go on. My daughter is an honors student. She is intelligent, beautiful, strong, smart, and fortunately she grew up the youngest of 5 and the only girl, so she is also very capable of defending herself. This is something you need to survive in Orange Park High School and if you don’t believe your child can defend themselves in street style fighting on a regular basis, or endure a ridiculous amount of regular and repeated at will style ridicule - more importantly do not feel that any child SHOULD have to physically defend themselves or emotionally heal from a day at school I would not recommend allowing your child to attend this school.

Posted: March 8, 2019

Teachers are always available to help students with homework and it is organized well.

Posted: March 8, 2019

Posted: March 8, 2019

There are many wonderful children at the school, unfortunately the students who practice violence, harassment, and general bullying are not removed from the school so there is a lot of bullying. The principal seems unsure how to handle it all.

Posted: March 8, 2019

Truly a strongest survive type of school with an abundance of violence and bullying that is ALLOWED to go on by the Principal. Generally, students receive a small number of days suspension for violence and then allowed to return and repeat that behavior.

Posted: March 8, 2019

The teachers make every effort to assist the students one on one.

Posted: March 8, 2019

My daughter has been violently assaulted 3 times in 2 years and has ultimately been given permission to defend herself by any means necessary. It is shocking for me to even think I would allow my own child to "defend herself by any means necessary" but she has to in order to survive this school.

Posted: November 23, 2015

If you are white and athletic you will have a better chance of winning the lottery than gaining any further experience in your sport. The coaches are arrogant. If you think being consistently on the honor will make a difference, you are sadly mistaken, Teachers lose homework assignments, tests, and other papers then give the student a zero for the assignment the incompetent teacher lost. Doesn’t exactly encourage students to do their best.

Posted: November 23, 2015

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Posted: August 16, 2014

Appalling to see students go around hallway shouting obscenities and blatantly disobeying dress code rules. Many students loiter hours after classes ends, most likely because they live out of zone in Duval and parents falsify addresses so they don't have to attend Westside (formerly Forrest), though OP ain't much better. Students and teachers vary. If you're in an advanced or honors class, you'd be OK, but if you're in regular classes, good luck. Some students are decent people, but a majority of them are disrespectful brats that don't want to learn. They blatantly disrespect teachers and harass classmates. When administrators come in to reprimand them and the students laugh at them. They get two stars because despite the lack of discipline, most teachers show that they care about students and try (though not always successfully) to teach them.

Posted: July 17, 2014

To be blunt, I hated this school. I felt in my years there that my education was not a priority for OPHS. They sure do care about the 'education' of their student athletes, however! I had a few amazing teachers at my time at OPHS. Most of my teachers really didn't care. My peers were absolutley rude as well. We built like 10 new building that aren't in use, but our classrooms have broken AC and or are falling apart. Classes don't have paper to print things on, but good to know we bought 2 plasma screen to replace the TVS in the cafeteria (that were in perfectly good, working condition). If I were a parent, I would find a different school for my child.

Posted: May 21, 2013

Our son is finishing his sophomore year. With the exception of only 1 or 2 teachers over the past 2 years, they genuinely seem to care about the children and want all to succeed.

Posted: September 11, 2012

I must let you know the truth about the exceptional education department. I have never met a less caring bunch of unprofessional teachers in my life. My child was encouraged to drop out on a daily basis... She was humiliated by teachers.... and when she asked for help with her academics she was ignored.