GREAT Schools, Low crime near Jax? (Jacksonville, Atlantic Beach: apartments, home, magnet schools)

[Yogi11]

My husband is in the military and we are PCSing to Mayport-Jacksonville in the spring. I have two kids, one in elementary school and one in middle school/junior high. My husband has said he doesn't mind a longer commute if it means a better education for the kids and I intend to hold him to it.

Unfortunately, I haven't heard great things about the Jacksonville schools and I've been looking in all the surrounding cities/counties.

I've heard good things about Yulee.
I've been checking out Orange Park.
St. John's schools look great, but I heard they're becoming overcrowded.

Low crime & awesome public schools are the winning combination for me...can someone weigh in please? Thank you!

Also, the names of some nice apartments in any of these areas would also be appreciated!

[Nomad58]

Originally Posted by Yogi11

My husband is in the military and we are PCSing to Mayport-Jacksonville in the spring. I have two kids, one in elementary school and one in middle school/junior high. My husband has said he doesn't mind a longer commute if it means a better education for the kids and I intend to hold him to it.

Unfortunately, I haven't heard great things about the Jacksonville schools and I've been looking in all the surrounding cities/counties.

I've heard good things about Yulee.
I've been checking out Orange Park.
St. John's schools look great, but I heard they're becoming overcrowded.

Low crime & awesome public schools are the winning combination for me...can someone weigh in please? Thank you!

Also, the names of some nice apartments in any of these areas would also be appreciated!

First off, in Florida, because your husband is active military, your children have the right to go to any magnet school that you want, regardless of what school district you live in. So, it may be that you choose to live somewhere that makes your husbands commute to Mayport bearable, while at the same time, sending your children off to a magnet school on the other side of the city.

But I think there's a lot to be said for having your children actually going to the schools within the district that they live in. It makes it lots easier to make friends too, because the same kids that your children see in school all day, are likely to live close by. With magnet schools, the kids are coming from all over Duval County, and could literally live 40 miles away from you.

That said, I'd go with the Fletcher High School/Fletcher Middle School/Neptune Beach or Atlantic Beach Elementary School district. All of these are an FCAT 'A' rated school, and are very close to the Mayport Base. Better schools than OP or Yulee, and much closer to Hubby's work. And since these are all A rated schools, there's really no reason the consider a magnet school that might be located in downtown Jax, etc.

No way your husband wants to do the Orange Park to Mayport commute each morning.

The Nease High School District, in far Northern St. Johns County offers very good schools, and would also be a manageable commute to Mayport. Although, being located in Ponte Vedra Beach, it's going to probably be a lot more expensive than the Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach areas.

The Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach area is relatively low in crime, and because you'd be so close to to the Mayport Base, you have a bunch of Apartments to select from.

[GadgetRick]

I second the Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach vote. Great schools there and a great community. Very close to Mayport but not so close as to live near the riff raff which is always around military bases (I was in the Navy so I know.).

Also, just over the ditch isn't so bad and close to Mayport. Kernan Trail and Abess Park are two great elementary schools. Unfortunately, I don't know much about the middle and high schools. My kids have gone to both schools and are currently in Abess Park.

We'd like to eventually move over into Atlantic Beach though.

[crazynip]

Try 2-3 hours away from jax in any direction

[ben says]

Best non-private schools: Stanton and Paxton

Best private: Bolles and Episcopal

[Nomad58]

Originally Posted by ben says

Best non-private schools: Stanton and Paxton

Best private: Bolles and Episcopal

Stanton and Paxon don't help a family with kids in elementary and middle school.

And it's highly doubtful that a young military family has 40k extra dollars a year, to consider putting two children in Bolles or Episcopal.

[fsu813]

There are plenty of good elementary and middle schools.

Highschool is where you run into some difficulty, depending.

Also, most of Jacksonville has a "normal" crime rate. Nothing to write home about.

[JBtwinz]

Originally Posted by fsu813

Also, most of Jacksonville has a "normal" crime rate. Nothing to write home about.

Violent crime rates drop but Duval edges to top in Florida murders for 2011 | jacksonville.com

[fsquid]

plus, your kids can get 50 shades of grey read to them in Duval Schools.

[JBtwinz]

Originally Posted by fsquid

plus, your kids can get 50 shades of grey read to them in Duval Schools.

If I did not see this on the Times Union web site......I would have been HUH