Julington Creek Elementary School

2316 RACE TRACK RD

School District

St. Johns
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

public

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on March 04, 2025

This is our 4th year at JCE, and I can confidently say it is the most warm and inviting community! The PTO is EXCEPTIONAL and coordinates so many great events and fundraisers for the school, the principal is empathetic and great with the students, and the teachers have all been exceptional. I have a 3rd grader and a 1st grader and both are thriving here! The room parents are great at keeping us updated, and both teachers send out weekly emails with the next week's events and learning plans. I can not say enough great things about this school! We moved to this area specifically for this school, and it has far exceeded my expectations.
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2024

This is our fourth year at the school and I continue to be very pleased with our family's experience. Our new principal, Dr. Reichenberg, sets a wonderful tone and example. She is warm, engaged, compassionate, and by all accounts is a terrific leader. Communication is great. They have introduced new programs for the students this year, including quarterly field days, monthly awards ceremonies, and other opportunities for positive recognition. My children have had excellent teachers who support them both inside the classroom and out (attending games, plays, awards ceremonies, etc). Parental involvement is strong and there is a very active PTO. While it is a large school, if you can get involved, it quickly "shrinks" and feels very much like a family. We moved to JCP specifically for this elementary school and have not been disappointed.
Submitted by parent on December 18, 2023

While family’s experiences can vary greatly, I feel compelled to write a positive tenure review since a frustrated parent is far more likely to review than a pleased one. Yes they teach to the test. As they should. However every class my kids have been in also do lots of more creative and group learning. Every teacher has been extremely supportive. COVID remote learning was certainly not as productive and required significant at home learning turning parents into teachers. But I can’t see any way around that for the younger kids. I’m very pleased overall with this school and you are likely to be s as happy here as you would be at any other public school.
Submitted by parent on March 31, 2023

The only reason I would recommend this school is because most of the teachers here are respectful, sweet and friendly. The teachers show they actually care and are passionate in what they do. However, the current school principal, Mrs. Murphy, couldn't care less about students and parents. She is not approachable, nor is genuine and very unfriendly. She has no interest in listening to our concerns, or professional when dealing with situations and solving issues that occurs, I’m surprise she is still the school principal of the school.
Submitted by parent on March 05, 2022

We were new to the school this year and worried about my daughter being behind based on lack of learning at previous school during 2 years of CoVid shutdowns/ virtual schooling. However her teachers and ESE support staff have been amazing and she has succeeded beyond our expectations and is an honor roll student now! All teachers and staff have been amazing and I love the community feel of the school! So many parents walking and riding bike with their kids to and from school!
Submitted by parent on July 31, 2021

The only reason, I give this school two stars is because we love the teachers at this school, but the current school principal, Mrs. Murphy, couldn't care less about students and parents. Very unfriendly, not approachable, not genuine, and has a demeaning attitude towards parents. She has no interest in listening much less in solving any requests. It also appears that most teachers are bullied by the principal as well.
Submitted by parent on October 25, 2019

I moved here for this school. We have attended 4 years and this is our last year. The school has gotten a lot worse. It seemed excellent but its not. Just smoke and mirrors they don't care about their students
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2018

Great staff. My children love the school and I do too. Feels like family.
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2018

Our experience at this school started out wonderfully under the outstanding leadership of Mr. Story and Mrs. Olson. Unfortunately, I can not say the same about this year under the leadership of the new principal, Mrs. Murphy.
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2018

Car line is horrific. Leaving 30 minutes early just to make it on time. The line is mikes down race track rd. It’s a nightmare and for pick up I leave an hour early because if you’re not in the parking lot, you’ll be waiting forever. The car line is a disaster!!!!
Submitted by parent on July 22, 2017

The overwhelming goal is to maintain high test scores on standardized, computer administered tests that last about 2 hours and are administered to students about 4 x a year, beginning in Kindergarten. If a student fails the standardized testing in 3rd grade, even if that same student excels in all class work and class tests, failure on standardized testing dictates that student is a "mandatory hold back." I.e., the student will not be allowed to advance to 4th grade & will repeat the 3rd grade. Teachers' salaries are tied to students' performance on standardized testing. Too many resources are diverted into maintaining high standardized test scores but to what end? On 5/18/12 The Washington Post wrote "Florida’s standardized testing program is being misused & has severely impacted student learning." So many resources are diverted into maintaining high standardized test scores, that there are woefully insufficient resources allocated to ensure School Administrators & Directors are trained in student safety programs such as SESIR & theDistrict's own Code of Conduct. Clay & Duval Counties report SESIR incidents at a much higher rate than St. Johns County schools. I do not believe this is because there are fewer incidents in St. Johns County. I believe this is because such incidents are unreported based on my own recent experience with a JCE Administrator and Director, one of whom admitted she had no training in & therefore no awareness of the existence of SESIR; the other was aware she was a Mandatory Reporter but had no idea of the existence of SESIR. The safety of children should be of paramount concern and priority. Even if the test scores were not an invalid indicator of later success, what would it matter if schools are unaware & untrained in executing their duty to keep children safe?
Submitted by parent on September 29, 2016

Same as all the other schools EXCEPT that there are MORE WHITE PEOPLE HERE . Teachers are not exceptional, nothing here is BETTER. Same bullying, same c r a p, same PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT FAIL YOUR CHILDREN. The Teachers morale is SOOOOO LOW!!! They DO NOT have effective ESE teachers, and they only have 2 !! What a joke for over 1,000 children. Services do NOT EXIST HERE
Submitted by parent on May 04, 2015

My 2nd grader has been blessed with some very good dedicated teachers. From Ms Meadows in K, Mrs Adams in 1st and Mrs Kirby in 2nd grade.
Submitted by parent on September 26, 2014

The new Common Core Curriculum is a nightmare. I wish Florida had not taken the money, and instituted this awful thing Homework is going on for 2 hours. My daughter is crying and frustrated. The math is more like a paragraph/ cruel riddle that indirectly asks the actual math question. A disaster. The teachers cannot possibly be happy, with the risk of losing their jobs due to possibility of students scores/too low. Pressure on our students is going to be much worse than the FCats. Common Core is a Socialist form of Education. Many of the books are incorrect when it comes to important things like details of our History. Our children are having to answer personal questions on some of the tests. i.e. Do your parents get along? Do you have fire arms in your home? 11 and 12 year olds are being asked on tests what they think about Lesbian/Gay issues Its here! The dumbing down of our Children, right here in Saint Johns County Schools
Submitted by other on August 29, 2014

Transportation DOES NOT EXIST. I sit in the pick up and drop off parent LINES FOR HOURS. If your child has a LD, this is NOT the place for you. They cannot help you, they won't. Teachers ( several) in 4th grade DO NOT CARE. KIds are very nice. School is clean and well done. Education, FORGET IT
Submitted by parent on May 21, 2014

In response to the person's response to the review dated Dec 13, their statement is false and was posted under false assumptions. I have one student in gifted and the other is in the "general population," so I am not speaking strictly to the gifted program. At times my general population child has more work than that of my child in the gifted program, but there are still high expectations and a variety of assignments for both. I am not blowing smoke - I've been in several elementary schools and JCE ranks at the top.
Submitted by teacher on January 26, 2014

Do not put you child in this school if they have a learning disability. They will not help much and will make you do all the teaching.
Submitted by parent on December 22, 2013

In response to the prior review, this parent is speaking strictly regarding the gifted program. Your child's academic experience within the general student population at JCE won't be anywhere close to this stellar.
Submitted by parent on December 13, 2013

I have read so many reviews admonishing this school based upon their focus on the FCAT that I am compelled to respond. This is a great school, and among the best you'll find in Northeast Florida (we moved from Duval county and our kids have attended 3 elementary schools in the last 5 years). My kids are challenged each day with assignments way outside the FCAT realm. They are reading 200-page books with written questions to check understanding, diving into history by reading biographies, and giving oral reports based on interviewing military veterans to create posters to honor them on Veteran's Day. They are tasked with doing science experiments at home, including using recycled items to create a boat with some form of propulsion. These kinds of tasks are fertilizing little minds to help them grow in their understanding of the world around them, to fuel their curiosity, and to equip them to be critical thinkers. The goal is to do well on the FCAT, but I have found that it is balanced with the mission of educating our children. Florida has tied financial penalties and rewards based upon test results, so it will always be important, but at Julington Creek it isn't the MOST important.
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2013

First the pros: 1) some really good, caring teachers/staff who actually do their jobs; 2) the asst. principal is smart and hardworking; 3) the resource teachers (art, music, computer) are passionate & it shows; 4) high parental involvement = mostly decent kids & higher levels of achievement. Now the cons: 1) Adm. & PTO are both VERY political; 2) parental involvement seems to be waning in recent years; 3) some teachers are burnt out,/unconcerned/otherwise mediocre; 3) agree w/others, the principal blows off parental concerns. It's still better than a lot of schools out there, but for St. Johns County, probably average.