St Michael's Academy

228 North 4th Street

Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

15 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on June 23, 2023

School is not inclusive and adopts policies which are lagging the science and culture by 20-30 years. I worry about security and while the school has taken steps to harden their infrastructure, there is a lot of work left to do. This is a community led school, which is beneficial, but also presents a risk as vocal parents can make decisions that supersede the administration, including the principle. I believe this is a good school, if you have a child who represents the majority demographic of Fernandina Beach. The teachers at this school are excellent and I believe, the primary issue is the the principle/PTO dynamics and the management and planning decisions that follow.
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2022

Extremely disappointed in this school! The principal and English teacher don’t reflect the descriptions written in their claims about the school. They will have to answer for the negative effect they caused on my student!
Submitted by parent on July 18, 2022

St. Michael Academy is a stellar institution for academic and character development. I have two children at the school with a cumulative four years of experience. It is a joy to drop them off, always welcomed by the warm staff, and to pick them up brimming with stories of what they learned that day. Ms. Dorner and the entire staff truly love children and want to see them succeed. The school recently achieved the highest standardized test scores amongst Catholic schools in the state. {Side note: Kudos to the Catholic schools for staying open to serve our children during the pandemic. They are the ONE institution that had its values in place during COVID.} From the administration: "SMA has the highest test scores in Nassau County! All of us are very proud to share that SMA 3rd-8th grade Reading and Math class scores were higher than the province, all Catholic schools in the state. SMA 2nd - 8th grade scores were higher than the province in science."My children transitioned from another private school, and the combination of structure and thoughtful planning have allowed them to blossom in the classroom and at play with their peers. They have truly become little citizens and impress me daily with their understanding of the history of Christianity. The school encourages healthy competition, which appeals to my children, but the administration makes valiant efforts to ensure children are not stressed out about tests or fixated on performance/ranking, etc.Our family began during the pandemic, so some of the community-building aspects were limited, and I will refrain from commenting on that broadly. As we are parishioners, we do see the benefits of reinforced learning between Mass and the school, and we absolutely love the church community.The campus includes an historic convent as well as annex buildings that provide an ideal space for learnings. Meals are often eaten outdoors. Each day begins with morning prayer -- an assembly that emphasizes patriotism and gratitude while recognizing special achievement. The children have weekly specials including Spanish, Art, Music, Library, and Computer. Although I do not value screen time, I understand that this is accepted as necessary while cautioning the school not to exceed the AAP recommendations. Any teacher-endorsed screen time > 20 minutes/day will be met with strong resistance from my family. Also, I would love to see the school offer even more Spanish classes!
Submitted by parent on May 11, 2022

I wouldn’t recommend. The principal is a nut and the English teacher picks on students. They also don’t seem to do any work in math class. I’m not even sure they take notes in class. Almost all math work is done as online homework, which they call a “reverse classroom”. So if I had to guess, the math teacher doesn’t like to do her job. You’re better off choosing Fernandina Beach especially if your kid is into sports.
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2019

Terrible, best decision ever to pull him out! So sad that this is a "Catholic" school...I put in my 13 years and my children will not
Submitted by parent on May 05, 2019

Not good after al the thing I seen
Submitted by other on October 14, 2018

My experience as a parishioner and supporter for 12 years has been outstanding. I have no children or grandchildren attending St Michaels, but I have 5 grandchildren ages 1-11 and if I could have them all living nearby, I would gladly pay and consider them and myself blessed to have them attend St Michaels Academy.
Submitted by other on March 29, 2016

It is too bad that a parent cannot honestly state how they feel about the school without someone stating it is a dissatisfied staff member. This school used to be Catholic, but now considers itself an elite prep school. Unfortunately, it has lost the Catholic character where all children are cared for and educated. Now only the wealthy parents or friends of administration are welcomed or listened to when there are definite problems that need to be addressed.
Submitted by parent on February 26, 2016

SMA is a terrific school with a stellar staff. The teachers, led by a stalwart principal this year, are more dedicated to the students than any faculty I Have ever encountered. The students are taught, along with an appropriately challenging curriculum, compassion, kindness, community involvement, and core values. Even as non-Catholics, my family has been welcome with open arms into the St. Michael family. I cannot recommend SMA highly enough, and I wouldn't dream of sending my child elsewhere.
Submitted by parent on February 26, 2016

I will be forever grateful for the positive impact this school has made on my 4 children. The teachers care more than I have ever seen anywhere. The teachers, Principal and staff truly give their whole selves to their students and fellow staff members. Fantastic PTO and very involved parents, always willing to step up when needed. It's also amazing to have the fantastic technology in such a historic beautiful building. My only wish is that they had a high school so they could continue their education here.
Submitted by parent on February 26, 2016

This school is amazing and has changed my children lives for the better! We came to this school from public school for the challenging curriculum and family atmosphere. The teachers and interim principal are deeply invested in not only educating our kids but in helping them to become good citizens. The interim principal has been a blessing and is well loved by staff and parents. People like her are why we pay to go to this school. I have met the incoming principal and he is equally impressive, highly qualified, and we are beyond excited to have someone of his educational experience lead our children. Anyone who claims otherwise is clearly not involved or invested in this 5 star excellent school.
Submitted by other on February 20, 2016

The last two reviews are obviously from an very unhappy employee. The school I know quite well is run beautifully. Almost all the teachers get along extremely well. The acting principal works tirelessly to give the children the best education possible. It is a shame someone would post catty, hateful comments about a really lovely, warm person who is doing a wonderful job. Jealousy is hard to put up with.
Submitted by other on February 20, 2016

Teachers do not get along and this influences the way the students act toward one another. This is supposed to be a Catholic, Christian school but the behavior is far from that this year. The "acting" principal is not a leader. The new principal coming in has no elementary administration experience. There are other good private schools in the area. We are leaving this one.
Submitted by parent on February 02, 2016

This used to be a very good school. However, a change in principal has caused the school to change. The "acting" principal does not follow through on discipline, does not make decisions, has other people do her work, and cares more about the teachers being her friends than caring for the needs of the students. We are leaving this school at the end of the year.
Submitted by parent on August 08, 2012

We just finished our first year at St. Michael. I couldn't be happier with our choice. They offer in-school and out-of-school exposure to foreign language, art, music, drama, multiple sports, family fun, and community outreach. The after school arts programs have been a blast (Violin, Culinary Arts, Painting / Pottery, etc ). The opportunities for relationship-building have been heartwarming (Mothers Brunch, Fall Festival, Christmas Pageant, class parties, field trips, Carnival, I could go on). The principal is a graceful, compassionate, capable leader, who LISTENS, and works HARD. The teachers (and most of the parents) are well-educated and involved. St. Michael s kids are usually well ahead of their public school peers. The school is a safe, loving, structured environment, where my children are excited to go every day. We feel like we've found a second family at St. Michael (even as non-Catholics). It has been a great fit for us!