Jordan Glen School

12425 Southwest 154th Street

Archer, FL 32618

18 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 14, 2022

I cannot say enough good things about this school. My child’s social and emotional well-being have improved dramatically since starting here, and he is more eager than ever to learn. Teachers strive to cultivate the whole child, not just their academic skills. A place where kids can be kids, while also learning to be kind, responsible, and self sufficient.
Submitted by parent on December 02, 2021

Jordan Glen's impact on the lives of my children I immeasurable. The nurturing, creative, and highly skilled teachers made all the difference! They prepared my children for rigorous academic work in high school and beyond and nurtured a love for learning, creative endeavors, sports, and community. I simply cannot imagine our lives without Jordan Glen.
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2021

I am a student at Jordan Glen School and I love it!! I am in fifth grade and have been attending since pre-k. The teachers are so nice and if I could I would rate Jordan glen an 100. I definitely recommend it for all children!
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2021

If you are looking for more for your child than what a public school has to offer, look no further than Jordan Glen! My dad, Jeff, has dedicated the last 50 years of his life to creating a supportive environment for children to learn, grow, love, and thrive! My husband and I moved back to Gainesville after having our first child, because we couldn't imagine sending our children to any other school in the world. I may be biased, but if you are interested in Jordan Glen, reach out to be connected with alumni and parents. You won't be disappointed if you make this investment for your children, I promise!
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2021

Jordan Glen made me the person I am today! A truly special school that focuses on creativity, fun, and personal responsibility.
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2021

My son just started at Jordan Glen this year, before he was in Public schools. Before JG he was in public schools. I felt I was constantly running after communication and consistency. He would get hone from school exhausted from the lack of social time, boredom, and stress. I heard some great feedback from other parents and from adults who went through JG as kids and I was convinced this was the best option. We are now in the school for almost two months and it exceeded my expectations! I have never seen him more happy about going to school! I
Submitted by parent on September 25, 2021

Great school. A place I can drop my kids off and feel good about what they will experience. Outdoor time, happy teachers, education that is not focused on standardized testing for school funding, freedom to be kids.
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2021

My two children have been attending since pre-K, now in 6th and 8th grade. Advantages of JG: Small school, family feeling, lots of outdoor time in a beautiful setting, respect for diversity, respect for human rights and dignity, no bullying, teachers attentive to students' well-being, teach kids to be good citizens and kind to eachother and contributing members of a community, my kids do their homework (nearly) independently because they have been taught to take responsibility for their own work, kids learn to speak in public at daily morning meeting and performances, older kids mentor younger ones, grades mingle and play together, kids were able to go in-person during the pandemic except for a few online short interruptions due to the school's good COVID strategies, kids learn self-confidence and are free to be themselves. Disadvantages: small school, no bus. My children have thrived there and have always been happy to go to school, which is a real blessing when you are a working single parent. The teachers and administrators have given them a sort of family support and structure that has helped them build a sense of belonging, community, and well-being. Interview several of the children if you are interested in the school during your tour-- you will see that they are bright, vibrant, alive, and love learning and school.
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2021

My children have attended Jordan Glen since pre-K. They are now in 6th and 8th grade. I feel blessed that they have never been bullied, and have always been excited to go to school. I think the outside setting and frequent outdoor activities are good for their bodies and souls. Advantages: small school, feels like family, in a beautiful outdoor setting, lots of traditions, respect for diversity, focus on teaching children to be good citizens: care for each other, mentor younger children, be kind. Disadvantages: small school. During COVID it was a blessing that school stayed open. Their safety protocols were good, and compared to other schools, had much fewer cases. My children have always been loved and supported their for who they really are, and challenged to become the best version of themselves. Today they are self-confident and outgoing, which I think is partly the result of their school environment. And they have learned to speak and express themselves in public. They are mixed race and their diversity has always been supported and celebrated. I love this school and actually have turned down job offers to leave Gainesville just so that they can finish their experience at Jordan Glen. No school is perfect, but this one is really good. Oh, and my kids work on their homework BY THEMSELVES! Thank goodness. They have been taught to take personal responsibility for their own work.
Submitted by other on September 23, 2021

The way I sum Jordan Glen up is with the following example. There is an orange tree outside of the school. When all the oranges were ripe, the children picked and ate them. As the lower oranges disappeared, the bigger kids helped the smaller kids get the higher ones. When the higher ones disappeared, the biggest kid got a ladder and got the very highest ones down and shared them with the other kids. It operates as a family. Everyone is welcome to share and learn together. All of the teachers and children know each other. Before JG, our children were at a "Montessori" pre-school in town for several years (from ages 2-5). We did not have a positive experience there and our children displayed signs of anxiety, stress, and developmental delay with actual schoolwork such as math, reading, and spelling. We switched to JG halfway through Kindergarten and pre-K and immediately noticed a difference. The children were allowed to feel comfortable in their own skin. They weren't labeled. They weren't put in time out for the slightest issues. They were allowed to simply exist comfortably. As a result, they were able to learn schoolwork and, more importantly, how to be good human beings. Our oldest's math, reading, writing, and other skills immediately shot through the roof and she is now considered advanced for her age. Our youngest, who was labeled a behavior problem at the previous school became a campus wide favorite at JG. When covid hit, and we kept the kids home for a year and a half, our children were amazing people to have home with us. We fully attribute this to their experience at JG.While it seems far away, it is actually either shorter or comparable in distance time wise to other private schools in the Gainesville area.
Submitted by parent on September 22, 2021

We started at Jordan Glen in the 2020-21 school year because of Covid as we were looking for a smaller, safer and more outdoors learning environment for our kids. Now that we are there, I don't see us leaving until each of our kids ages out because they are thriving! They are being taught to think for themselves and are challenged every day to be better humans. They also have a strong sports component that suits my kids well. It is a unique school, and we feel grateful that we found it!
Submitted by parent on September 22, 2021

I am a parent of a recently graduated JG student. This school has been in existence since the 70s and graduated the majority of the IB graduates and future word successes in Alachua county. Sarah Sidner CNN reporter and winner of multiple Journalism awards makes the trek back from CA each year to visit her beloved school. Summer Land, author and social media influencer - JG Grad- wrote about her time at JG in her book Summerlandish. Pulitzer price winner Jack Davis’ daughter graduated from here the year before my child left. Most of the parents are UF professors, involved in the arts, intellectual and invested in our planet. The extended family involved in the school volunteers their own time and financial resources to the school. The ideal JG student and parent are not mainstream public school America. This culture reminds me more of the schools I have seen in Sweden and Denmark. As in Europe, the kids are treated with respect and given many more freedoms than in public school. This leads to self confidence and curiosity in life. When mainstream people, mostly afraid of the diversity in the public schools, attend JG they are often not a good mix for JG. The students who attend come from very educated households and tend to be academically motivated with a love of learning. The academic rigor in grade 5+ also turns some students and parents off. In the lower grades (like Sweden) the kids are encouraged to learn through play. Here they develop a love of learning that never leaves them. Some parents don’t get the academic environment in countries where education far outpaces the US and they feel JG falls short when they see a new way of looking at things. JG may not be for everyone, but if you value a great education for kids in a safe and loving environment and do not like what you see in public schools- give JG a try. The school is easy to work with, listens and cares.
Submitted by other on September 21, 2021

I attended Jordan Glen for 9 years from kindergarten to 8th grade. It was a good fit and fantastic experience for me. The school is very student-centered and has created a supportive, loving, and welcoming environment. It may not be your first choice if you care about academic success and excellence above all else because it provides a more well-rounded and wholesome educational focus.
Submitted by other on September 21, 2021

Jordan Glen is the best thing that has happened to my children. I have 2 kids enrolled there now. They are so happy. My kids look forward to school starting each fall. Where else can a kid get a great education and get to swim on Fridays!? JG is run by a family, and every child is considered a part of their family. Jeff, the founder of the school, loves all the students at JG, and they love him too. Class sizes are small so each child gets personal attention from their teachers. Students are allowed to learn at their own pace. If they are ahead in a subject, they don't have to wait for their classmates to catch up, they can simply move on. Children are encouraged to be creative and share their passions. Parents are encouraged to volunteer and teach electives each semester. I personally taught an elective there and greatly enjoyed spending time with the students. There is no other place I'd send my children to school!
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2021

I am an alumn who appreciated my experience at Jordan Glen so much that I did everything I could to be able to send my own children there, one of whom was in attendance through 2020 and 2021 (through the pandemic & masked every day per school policy). This school is a gem and I wish every child was lucky enough to attend and experience the MAGIC that is Jordan Glen. There are no new owners, so I’m not sure where that reviewer is getting any of their information. The family that runs the school is a big part of what makes the school so special. They have put their entire life into creating an amazing place for children to learn and thrive. It makes me very sad to see the negative reviews and I suspect they are an organized, malicious attack from a disgruntled family. I attribute my time at Jordan Glen with setting me up for a fulfilling life and I am so glad that my children have been able to have an unforgettable, well-rounded school experience there too.
Submitted by parent on March 21, 2021

Great idea, poor execution. There are only a handful of kids in each grade and half of them are part of the family that lives at the school. If you are not part of their clique, it is not a great experience.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2021

JG is perfect for some folks but be aware before you sign any contracts with them. The school is run by an extended family who lives on campus. They are not accredited by any school association. They let some people go there without signing year long contracts so I recommend trying to go that route if possible to try them out. They are ruthless with their contract enforcement and won’t respond to phone calls or emails. Many teachers and students left because of poor experiences during the pandemic and have chosen to find other schools.
Submitted by parent on February 02, 2021

New owners have taken over the school and it is not the same. Many of the good teachers have left. Several students had to go online during the pandemic since the school refused to follow county mask ordinances. Owners refuse to work with parents to provide any kind of educational experience in exchange for thousands of tuition dollars. They would rather collect tuition money for one year than build a relationship for a kiddo to attend K-8.