Ortega Elementary School

I HAVE 3 CHILDREN THAT ATTEND THIS SCHOOL. AND I FIND MYSELF RETEACHING ALL SUBJECTS WHEN CHILDREN COME FROM SCHOOL. I HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES AND I FIND THAT EACH TEACHER HAVE WAY TO MANY STUDENTS IN EACH CLASS. SOME OR EVEN SCARING THE CHILDREN AND KEEPING THEM FROM ASKING QUESTIONS. THIS IS WHY A LOT OF THE FCAT SCORES ARE BELOW STATE AVERAGE.

My child has attended Ortega for two years and at first we had real concerns; new principal change in magnet status etc. As a parent I felt their growing pains but we were determined to support our neighborhood school. And yes parental involvement is limited as most families are not from immediate neighborhoods. So I volunteered & became part of a team that is absolutely dedicated to bringing the best education possible to these children. Staff saw an opportunity capitalized on it & now they are a museum magnet- one of 7 in the nation! I wasn t crazy about this initially as I couldn t imagine a less exciting choice for my 7 year old son who has zero artistic ambitions. But he recently asked if we could go to MOSH & I was floored. Of course it was to see the Snot Exhibit but he loved it. The staff at Ortega has repaid my faith three fold you can feel them pulling together as a team teachers are focused & caring the Principal is accessible & a natural leader. Ortega s recent Grade A is proof that yes they are small but they are truly an academic force to be reckoned with. I would strongly recommend this small determined close-knit & fantastic school to anyone.

This is a great little family school where the education is superb and the children LOVE to come to school. The new Museum Magnet program has far exceeded all of our expectations with total involvement of the children. My daughter can't wait for the next exhibit night!

My son attends Ortega as a magnet student and I couldn't be happier. We chose this school after looking at almost every private school and nearby public schools (literally). I know he is getting the best possible education here and he is able to explore his interests. The new Museum Magnet program is broad based and allows him to explore a variety of curriculum areas. The monthly learning expeditions to museums dedicated teachers small family-like atmosphere and innovative curriculum make this a great fit for our son!

I am a parent from a 'bad zoning area' that has donated alot of time and effort to Ortega. My child is soaring academically and has never had a behavior issue. Our family also LOVES the faculty and staff at Ortega. We all want our children to have the best education possible. We all believe in Ortega or we would not be here writing about it. If you want to make a difference DONATE your TIME and help these troubled children by setting a positive example. Show them what you believe thier families are not!

I am completely amazed by the teachers and staff in this school. It is as though my son is there's. I truely LOVE this staff. Thanks for all you do Ortega!

Ortega as a school is very good. Great teachers and a great principal . The problem is that there are children with behavior issues that stem and even encouraged from their home life which makes it very unsafe for your children.

Lovely location bad zoning. Unfortunately kids are not encouraged by parents. Therefore teachers are spending their time correcting behaviors instead of teaching (not their fault). Poor parent involvement led to me putting my child in private school and paying lots of money.

Academic curriculum is perfect its the availability of teachers time to teach it is the problem. Unfortunately too much time is spent on correcting other childrens behavior instead of on learning.

I was unhappy with how some of the staff treated some of the parents especially when they thought that the parents were uneducated. My daughter second grade teacher Ms. Price was very helpful when dealing with a problem related to school that she needed help with.

Two of my three children attended Ortega and of the four schools they've attended Ortega is far and away the best. The teachers are outstanding I couldn't ask for a better principal and the parent involvement is through the roof. I was crushed when we were forced to relocate. My seven year old cried for weeks.

My daughter attended Ortega from grades K-5. She and I both loved it. I hated to see her have to leave this year. I wish it went through the 12th grade. There are many wonderful teachers there and the office staff is very helpful and friendly. I also appreciated the principals interest and participation in all the students cirriculum.