Our move to Jacksonville is becoming increaslingly real. (Gainesville, Plantation: real estate, homes)

[mississippimagnolia]

We still don't have orders, but it's looking very likely that we will move to the Jacksonville area in June. Thank you so much for all the advise about Julington Creek Plantation.

I've been researching high schools. Three of our five will be in high school beginning next year. I've narrowed it down to Creekside, Bartram Trail, Ponte Vedra and Nease.

Am I correct that if we live in JCP, the kids would go to either Creekside or Bartram Trail? Is one better than the other. My daughter is very into drama and chorus if that helps.

What about Ponte Vedra and Nease?

I would love to hear from anyone with information, but especially parents with kids at any of these schools.

We are getting excited! It's been a long, cold, and very snowy winter for us in Northern Virginia! I'm ready for the beach!!! What beach do most families go to? When we lived in Hawaii, there were certain beaches that attracted families with kids. Is there one beach that is just the most convenient and nicest, or are they all about the same?

Any help y'all could offer would be so appreciated!

[fsquid]

JCP is either Creekside or Bartram Trail. Creekside is the newer school. You'd have to check their websites regarding the electives.

[fsu813]

The best school for Drama & Chorus is Douglas Anderson.

They are the Arts magnet and have a national reputation: Douglas Anderson School of the Arts

[mississippimagnolia]

Thanks! I'm checking out both. I feel like all I've done all day is research neighborhoods, churches, and schools. If we get orders, we'll have about three weeks to find a house. I've done it in much, much less time. But the Jacksonville area is huge! I think we've decided on St. Johns County, so at least that narrows it down a little bit.

[QHOA]

Please take a look at this listing. After June 1st if it's still available, I might decrease the price drastically. Let me know if you are interested (9794 Sharing Cross Ct, Jacksonville, FL, 32257 - MLS #511876 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com®).

Jacksonville has some really great high schools: Stanton and Paxon. These schools are some of the best not just in Jacksonville, but in the whole nation. Both of them have an IB program and are consistently ranked in the top 10 high schools in the country.
Stanton College Preparatory School | 1149 West 13th St * Jacksonville * FL * 32209 *(904) 630-6760 *A Public Magnet School

Paxon Home

Mandarin high school has the AICE program which is comparable to the IB program.
(Mandarin High School)

Nease and Bartram are both good public schools compared to most public schools in Jacksonville and have the IB program, but they are not as good or prestigious as Stanton or Paxon.

Douglas Anderson is definitely the best arts school in Jacksonville.

If you are interested I can provide you more detailed information about Stanton and Paxon.

[mississippimagnolia]

Thanks QHOA! I'm forwarding the information to my husband!

[fakeblonde]

I'd stick with St. Johns County schools...they are some of the best in the state. I mean, if your daughter is REALLY into the drama thing, the other schools mentioned in Duval County are great. But I think (?) you would have to provide your own transportation, and they aren't exactly convenient if you want to live in St. Johns. I don't have high schoolers, but I hear good things about Creekside. We just moved to St. Johns county 6 months ago, and we like it. The only thing about buying in Julington Creek Plantation...be VERY careful to check the facts before you buy a house, RE: which schools you are zoned for and whether you are a member of the Community Development District. We got burned on both these issues because we took a realtor's word for it.

[Robyn55]

Since I've seen this discussion about a thousand times - I feel compelled to write a short - but sincere - response.

My husband and I were educated in excellent public schools in the northeast. If you are coming from there - or any other place in the country that has similar public schools - don't expect to find them here. Places like St. Johns County have some ok elementary schools - perhaps a middling middle school or two - but the high schools are mediocre (although they pass for "great" here because the schools in Florida are in general pretty bad).

Duval County has some very good magnet schools (and no - you can't send your kids to a magnet school in Duval County if you live in St. Johns County) - but my perception of the politics is they will be gone in 5-10 years. Because they haven't fulfilled their stated purpose. Which was to integrate students in decent schools (today most of the magnet schools just serve as a cheap substitute for private schools for wealthier white students).

FWIW - this is the state of education in just about all of Florida. I am an upper middle class professional - and don't have a single friend who ever sent a kid to public school in Florida past elementary school. IOW - you get what you pay for (and we in Florida really stink when it comes to paying for public education). Robyn

P.S. Schools like the University of Florida (Gainesville) are now terrific. But you need the kind of grades and test scores to get in that you used to need to get into Ivy League schools.

[ChrisNY]

Definitely do not take advice from the Realtor's. Things have been on the market down here for ever and they will say anything to get you to buy. We moved to JCP almost 2 years ago. My kids attend Fruit Cove middle school and Julington Creek elelmentary school. Both schools are great. And there is not much talk about distractions from troubled ones in the class either. I like JCP, I just wish I had a bit more privacy between the Homes. We listened to our Realtor about some things only to find out she was wrong and was not even from the area. One thing you have to realize when looking at Real Estate especially online is that Even though Jacksonville is Duval County, St Johns county listings get thrown into that mix. So you get a bunch of Duval or Beaches area Real Estate agents that do not know SQUAT about the area you are looking in. Your best bet is to find an Agent with an office in the immediate area you are looking in.
Just my POV

[fsquid]

yup, vet yourself. I even checked my address with the JCP CDD office before making an offer.