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We are considering moving to the Daytona area and we don't know much about it. I have two girls. 6th and 3rd grade. I need to be in driving distance of Daytona, but I want to find the best schools for my girls. I would love a diverse school (economically and socially) that has a friendly atmosphere. I also need a school with great support from teachers. One of my girls has a processing disorder. It's a very mild processing disorder that makes her a little socially awkward but a really friendly girl. I would like a school that encourages friendships and academics. We would also like to live in a place that the kids can go outside and play with other children, and build a strong relationship with neighbors. I think this is a tall order, but I know it's out there. Please help!
Ormond Beach and Port Orange have the best schools in the area.
I grew up in Ormond, so I don't know as much about the Port Orange schools, but the elementary (K-5) schools in Ormond are:
Pine Trail
Pathways
Tomoka
Ormond
Osceola
Pine Trail and Pathways are probably the two best, and Osceola and Ormond are probably the worst, but I don't think any of them are bad.
As for Middle School (6-8), the two schools that service Ormond are Ormond Beach Middle and Hinson Middle (which is actually in the city limits of Daytona Beach), but both are fine.
Keep in mind that a lot, if not most of the schools which are labeled as "bad" or
"worse than the others" are labeled that way because their population includes a lot of low income families. Not that those families are not supportive, many are, but in general those kids haven't had near the educational and social experiences that children who attend school in more middle and upper middle class areas have had. Some of those schools in the lower income areas also tend to have some of the most dedicated and caring teachers. I taught in a Title I school here for 21 years, in Holly Hill, which is just a bit north of Daytona. Teachers tutored students after school on their own time without pay, would go around and pick up parents to bring them to school functions if they had no transportation, would spend their own money on clothing and school supplies for them if they needed it, etc. Our sons attended there with me and they always had excellent teachers. I am in a more middle class area now teaching in Port Orange and I have found those teachers there (our DD is a student there) to be good and very caring as well. Generally the cost of housing is directly related to the school's test scores, but like I said, test scores are certainly not the only way to judge a school. Keep in mind too that in many of the schools which are located in more upper MC areas, a lot of the families tend to be a bit on the "entitled" side if you know what I mean. Again, certainly not all, but they can often be perceived as "snobbish" for lack of a better word.
We have lived in Daytona near the Museum of Arts and Sciences and now live in Port Orange. We have been here for 14 years and have been very happy with both neighborhoods, though there really weren't a lot of kids for our boys to play and socialize with in the Daytona neighborhood where we lived.
Thanks guys. This is extremely helpful to me. I really appreciate the honesty about the "snobbish" areas. That's what we are dealing with where I live now. It seems like it is hard to find that balance of great schools vs. snobby attitudes. I totally agree with Bio's post! GREAT ADVICE and EXACTLY what I was looking for!
Keep in mind that a lot, if not most of the schools which are labeled as "bad" or
"worse than the others" are labeled that way because their population includes a lot of low income families. Not that those families are not supportive, many are, but in general those kids haven't had near the educational and social experiences that children who attend school in more middle and upper middle class areas have had. Some of those schools in the lower income areas also tend to have some of the most dedicated and caring teachers. I taught in a Title I school here for 21 years, in Holly Hill, which is just a bit north of Daytona. Teachers tutored students after school on their own time without pay, would go around and pick up parents to bring them to school functions if they had no transportation, would spend their own money on clothing and school supplies for them if they needed it, etc. Our sons attended there with me and they always had excellent teachers. I am in a more middle class area now teaching in Port Orange and I have found those teachers there (our DD is a student there) to be good and very caring as well. Generally the cost of housing is directly related to the school's test scores, but like I said, test scores are certainly not the only way to judge a school. Keep in mind too that in many of the schools which are located in more upper MC areas, a lot of the families tend to be a bit on the "entitled" side if you know what I mean. Again, certainly not all, but they can often be perceived as "snobbish" for lack of a better word.
We have lived in Daytona near the Museum of Arts and Sciences and now live in Port Orange. We have been here for 14 years and have been very happy with both neighborhoods, though there really weren't a lot of kids for our boys to play and socialize with in the Daytona neighborhood where we lived.
Good luck!
Nancy
Thanks so much! That was EXACTLY what I was looking for
I have to comment about the "snobbish" attitude comment. I aslo worked at Holly Hill Middle School. I have been a documented witness to three separate attacks on teachers by student...I have witnessed several (more than 10 in one school year) students being taken away in handcuffs by police. My stepson is a police officer and can tell you about all the drugs/crime in the area of that school.
SO, if you want to call parents snobby because they dont require a ride to a parent/teacher conference...go for it. Or snobby because they feel entitled to better schools for their taxes...again, go for it!!
I worked at Holly Hill for one school term, ONE and was shoved against a fence and hit several times by a student who had to be pulled off of me. This was random and I had no idea who the student was. I worked in the special ed. classes and did not have any interaction with "mainstream" students. This was a mainstream student walking past us.
My students were called "retards, morons, losers" and continually insulted as we walked through the halls. There was no attempt at control during class changes and the kids ruled the classrooms.
This information is not my opinion, these are facts that occured. Eventually the doctor who was responsible for overseeing the finances which supported the class I worked in, was charged with embezzlement!!! I won't post her name. I will tell you that we did not have an actual 'teacher' in that classroom for most of the school year. When the school did bother to hire a teacher for our kids, they hired a temp. with a college degree in 'Tourism"!!!!
Let me tell you, this area, Volusia County, has some of the worst schools in the state. Look it up. YES test scores matter! Only a teacher from a Volusia County School, would tell you a test score, that shows how well they are teaching, doesn't matter!! Figures!!
I have three kids who have gone through Osceola Elementary, Ormond Beach Middle School and Seabreeze High School. Currently my youngest goes to Calvary Christian Academy adn thats not great.
What you need to do is find the least crappy school in a sea of crappy schools. I am not misleading to achieve a pat on my own back..I'm a parent who is personlyl not from this area but have had three kids go through these schools. They are pathetic, all of them. Lowered expectations..thats all I can tell you. But I would take notice when a TEACHER is advising you on choins your schools by indicating a score of a school is not the only way to judge a school. THIS IS SCORING THE TEACHERS ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOB!! How else are you going to judge? I want to thank that teacher who blogged for making my point for me....Scarey!!!!
I have to comment about the "snobbish" attitude comment. I aslo worked at Holly Hill Middle School. I have been a documented witness to three separate attacks on teachers by student...I have witnessed several (more than 10 in one school year) students being taken away in handcuffs by police. My stepson is a police officer and can tell you about all the drugs/crime in the area of that school.
SO, if you want to call parents snobby because they dont require a ride to a parent/teacher conference...go for it. Or snobby because they feel entitled to better schools for their taxes...again, go for it!!
I worked at Holly Hill for one school term, ONE and was shoved against a fence and hit several times by a student who had to be pulled off of me. This was random and I had no idea who the student was. I worked in the special ed. classes and did not have any interaction with "mainstream" students. This was a mainstream student walking past us.
My students were called "retards, morons, losers" and continually insulted as we walked through the halls. There was no attempt at control during class changes and the kids ruled the classrooms.
This information is not my opinion, these are facts that occured. Eventually the doctor who was responsible for overseeing the finances which supported the class I worked in, was charged with embezzlement!!! I won't post her name. I will tell you that we did not have an actual 'teacher' in that classroom for most of the school year. When the school did bother to hire a teacher for our kids, they hired a temp. with a college degree in 'Tourism"!!!!
Let me tell you, this area, Volusia County, has some of the worst schools in the state. Look it up. YES test scores matter! Only a teacher from a Volusia County School, would tell you a test score, that shows how well they are teaching, doesn't matter!! Figures!!
I have three kids who have gone through Osceola Elementary, Ormond Beach Middle School and Seabreeze High School. Currently my youngest goes to Calvary Christian Academy adn thats not great.
What you need to do is find the least crappy school in a sea of crappy schools. I am not misleading to achieve a pat on my own back..I'm a parent who is personlyl not from this area but have had three kids go through these schools. They are pathetic, all of them. Lowered expectations..thats all I can tell you. But I would take notice when a TEACHER is advising you on choins your schools by indicating a score of a school is not the only way to judge a school. THIS IS SCORING THE TEACHERS ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOB!! How else are you going to judge? I want to thank that teacher who blogged for making my point for me....Scarey!!!!
I am not only responding as a teacher, but also a parent of a 23 y/o, a 20 y/o and an 11 y/o. All three have grown up here and attended public school here. Their father and I have been very happy with the education they have received and with the dedication that has gone into teaching them.
I am especially surprised that you would think test scores indicate how well a teacher is doing when you have taught in a Title I school where you know full well how many problems those students have. Most of the students you have taught at that school, and others like it probably haven't been read to before starting school, played with, talked to and many have lived in homes where its common for mom to be walking the streets at night, police to be arresting neighbors and even family at all hours of the day and night and the list goes on. How in the world are their scores going to compare to those who live in homes and neighborhoods where they have been read to, talked to, played with and have had it demonstrated to them that they are loved and cherished? There certainly is going to be a heck of a difference. As a teacher, I am shocked that you do not realize that. In some cases, yes, if a teacher's scores drop year after year for a few years maybe there is a problem, but generally test scores indicate more about the student's home life, or lack of it than they do about a teacher's ability to teach.
As for snobbish attitudes, I am not talking about parents who don't need rides to PTA meetings, but parents and families who ignore you in the hall or at meetings and events just because you don't appear to have enough jewelry adorning your body or drive the most expensive cars. There are plenty of schools out there like that and you know it as well as I do! As a matter of fact, I live less than 3 miles from one here in my Port Orange community which has that reputation. I have heard comments from parents as well as teachers there about the snobbishness and attitude problems when their children have moved on to their zoned middle school.
My own three children have gone through Holly Hill Elementary, Port Orange Elementary, Silver Sands Middle, Creekside Middle and Spruce Creek High School. While all of their experiences have certainly not been perfect they have all had great experiences both academically and socially and for the most part, dedicated, caring and talented teachers. Most of my co-workers over my 27 years of teaching have been the same.
I hope if you are still teaching, anywhere, that you have a more positive attitude than what is coming across here because if you don't, your students are going to suffer for it!
Nancy
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