Ortega, Ponte Vedra or Julington Creek area with kids? (Jacksonville: HOA, crime)

[kate916]

Our family is relocating to Jacksonville and we have narrowed it down to these three areas. We could really use very candid/honest feedback and opinions on your experiences in any of the three. We have 3 elementary/middle school kids so schools/safety are TOP priority. We are able to afford a home that suits us in any of these areas but are struggling to get a true feel for what life would be like in each as they all seem like very different choices.

We have researched all the St Johns schools and it is very difficult to determine WHICH schools in the system would be best for us there. Can anyone in this area help to differentiate between them? Do any have better reputations/ more resources than the others? Love the idea of being closer to the beach in Ponte Vedra but there is also something that makes it seem like the easiest place to meet people and get plugged in would be in the Julington Creek area.

Ortega seems to revolve more around private schools/country club memberships. Not opposed to that but is the Ortega area generally welcoming to newcomers?

Would truly appreciate ANY information to help us make this decision easier!!

[fsu813]

Ortega is a great neighborhood, very safe, very good pubic schools, etc. Of course many families. There's no HOA there, so instead, if you like, you can pay a little money to be a member of a club. Most people do so because there's a lot of activities and what not there. The area has a lot of character, huge mature live oaks, parks, and is closely associated with the river. There'sa ctaully different distinct neighborhoods of Ortega.

Here's some pictorials:

Exploring Ortega | Metro Jacksonville

Old Ortega Historic District | Metro Jacksonville

Suburban Jacksonville: Ortega Forest | Metro Jacksonville

Walkable Commercial Districts: Ortega Village | Metro Jacksonville


Also, you should check out The Resident, a hyper-local newspaper that focuses on a few of the older, eclectic, cultural, established communities, including Ortega: The Resident Community News Group, Inc.

Enjoy.

[Acebab]

Ortega is a beautiful area of Jacksonville, but it is an OLD area of Jacksonville! I moved here in 1990 as a high school senior and lived in Ponte Vedra and was "frowned" upon by my private school peers. These same peers are still living in Ortega today (and I am still happily friends with them!) Again, like FSU said, there is lots of character, lots of beautiful trees and houses, great little parks and a lot of charm, but it is still OLD Jacksonville. Stockton is a great elementary school that serves the Ortega Forest neighborhood, but Ortega proper is not zoned for that school. Then you are still hoping for the lottery magnet system for the middle school if you are not in the private school budget range. I am not trying to discourage the area because it is great and I have a ton of friends that live there, but I am just trying to give you some input.

Julington Creek is a VERY popular area for schools and neighborhoods. I personally find it quite congested, but I suppose if you were just sticking to your area, that would not be such a bother. All the schools in that area (elementary, middle, and high) seem to be great! I think that it is a very young family oriented area. They have Creekside Athletics which has a great sports reputation. My main issue with the area is if you have to commute into Jacksonville - your main way in is San Jose Boulevard which is a traffic nightmare between Julington Creek and 295.

Of the three, I suppose I am partial to the PVB area - maybe because that is where I moved to in 1990! Again, great public schools all the way through and a laid back way of life. It is a large area, but there are many different neighborhoods, some with CDD fees, some without. I think that it would be quite easy to "plug in" and meet people, depending on the neighborhood you choose to live in. If you are commuting into downtown, JTB is not fun in the morning or the afternoon, but depending on your work schedule, you can tweak your driving to miss the really congested times of day. If you don't have to commute, you have everything you need out at the beaches. And if you are moving to Florida, why not take advantage of the beach! If you live near it, you will love it! If you live in town, you will always mean to go, but you will be surprised how little you actually make it out there!

[fsquid]

We have a few guys in my company that live in Ortega and have been there all of their life. I think it is a pretty area and the people there seem nice. All the people I know there send their kids to private schools, so take from that what you will. Don't know if that is a social thing or a necessity for the area.

[madcapmagishion]

Ortega is zoned for Robert E. Lee Senior High School an averege to below average high school. And Lake Shore Middle School an average at best facility. I grew up in Old Ortega in the 50's & 60's and attended private schools my entire school career (K-12) as did about 75% of my friends that lived nearby in Old Ortega, Ortega Forest and Timaquana/Venetia. So the attending of private schools in the Ortega area is not a new trend by any means.

[fsu813]

Originally Posted by madcapmagishion

Ortega is zoned for Robert E. Lee Senior High School an averege to below average high school. And Lake Shore Middle School an average at best facility. I grew up in Old Ortega in the 50's & 60's and attended private schools my entire school career (K-12) as did about 75% of my friends that lived nearby in Old Ortega, Ortega Forest and Timaquana/Venetia. So the attending of private schools in the Ortega area is not a new trend by any means.

Things have changed a bit since the 50's & 60's.

Lee High School is rated a "B" school overall now.

Which means, especially for the diverse socioeconomic status of many residents, that it's pretty darn good.

[madcapmagishion]

Originally Posted by fsu813

Things have changed a bit since the 50's & 60's.

Lee High School is rated a "B" school overall now.

Which means, especially for the diverse socioeconomic status of many residents, that it's pretty darn good.

In Jacksonville unfortunately a B school is pretty good, but overall a B school is just average statewide!
And yes things have changed since the 50's and 60's ... the schools have gotten worse. Lee used to be a good school. Before all the FCAT crap ratings became the only teaching point.

[RSWATTY]

Originally Posted by madcapmagishion

In Jacksonville unfortunately a B school is pretty good, but overall a B school is just average statewide!
And yes things have changed since the 50's and 60's ... the schools have gotten worse. Lee used to be a good school. Before all the FCAT crap ratings became the only teaching point.

The way the state grades schools, a lot of good high schools get a B. At the elementary and middle school level, it's a lot easier for a good school to get an A. I'd be more concerned seeing a B at the elementary or middle school level than at the the high school level.

[mississippimagnolia]

Just depends on where your priorities are. Being in an "average" or "good" school wasn't enough for us. I wanted to be in the best school district. And St. Johns is consistently ranked the best school system in the state. Given that we had a choice because Duval and St. Johns are right next to each other, no way were we willing to live outside of St. Johns. It just wasn't something I was willing to compromise on. Why would I settle for a "B" or "C" school when my kids are all in "A" Schools?

We've had our kids in private schools in several states. Even if we had decided to go the private route, we still wouldn't have considered anywhere outside of St. Johns. Crime is almost non-existent in Julington Creek, as it is in much of St. Johns. My youngest rides his bike to and from school. He has the run of the neighborhood.

I love to go to Ortega, San Marco, and Springfield to walk around. There are some gorgeous homes. And it seems like there is always a lot to do. But at the end of the day, I like coming home to the safety of St. Johns. Also, I have three really good friends who live in Ortega. All are trying to get out now that they have kids.

And I like living closer to the beach! Again, it's all about what you're willing to compromise on. No place is perfect. You said schools were your top priority. And you asked about Julington Creek Plantation. You can't go wrong in JCP. Elementary Schools are all outstanding. I have a child at Julington Creek Elementary. Middle School is Fruit Cove. Also an excellent school! High Schools are Creekside and Bartram Trail. Both are fantastic. My kids are at Creekside.

Good Luck!

[Robyn55]

When we first moved here - we spent 6 months looking for a place to live. Didn't consider Julington Creek. We did look at Ortega. As has been mentioned - it is very OLD JACKSONVILLE. Very white - very waspy - lots of people there (and their families) have lived there forever. My main exposure to the area was playing tennis matches at Timuquana CC - Florida Yacht Club - and Epping Forest (the last may be a little south of Ortega proper). The first two were like Ortega - very OLD JACKSONVILLE. I would not have felt comfortable joining either of those places. Epping Forest was less OLD JACKSONVILLE - but it wasn't much in the way of a club IMO.

FWIW - I don't have kids. But I think people in Ortega who have money wouldn't be caught dead sending their kids to Lee High School. Note that when I look at a school - I don't look at its grades (mostly because a significant % of a school's grade is based on student improvement - if the students are less lousy this year than they were last year - that improves the school's grade). I look at the number of poor kids (those who get free or reduced lunch rates) and the % of minority kids (in Jacksonville mostly black - in other parts of the state - mostly hispanic). Those numbers for Lee are 58% and 48%. If I had kids - that would not be the type of school environment I'd want for them.

Note that I assume you realize that Ortega is in Duval County and that Julington Creek and PVB are in St. Johns County. Different school systems. And that - especially in St. Johns County (which is growing) - new schools are being built - and district lines for particular schools aren't carved in stone. It's kind of the opposite in Duval County. I recently read an article that a fair number of schools in Duval County are under-utilized - and there is talk of closing some and consolidating student populations. So - again - the district lines aren't carved in stone. Robyn