ORANGE PARK – Success at Orange Park High School started before teachers delivered the first lesson or students opened a book.
It started with school staff and officials creating a connection with the students, Principal Ivin Gunder said.
“I'm just fortunate to work with a staff in the community who just believe that every child, every kid has opportunities to learn and get a quality education,” Gunder said. “We try to make intentional connections, to be very intentional about establishing a positive relationship with students.”
As a Title I school, Orange Park could have used its poverty status as an excuse for a lack of academic success. Gunder said that was never an option. If anything, it became a motivator.
“We wanted to create a culture here people wanted to attend,” he said. “Kids want to come here. Parents want to send their kids here. I think we've done that over the past few years. Even the past principals have done that. There’s been positive reinforcement in the community as a whole.”
Orange Park’s success has spread well beyond the community. The East Coast Technical Assistance Center’s Exceeding Expectations Project identified Orange Park as one of its 15 schools in Florida that met its initial criteria of achievement, learning gains, achievement in ESSA student groups and subgroups, and percentage of economically disadvantaged students.
The Raiders were selected from a group of 3,457 candidates, and the only secondary school north of Sumter County to be selected in the state.
“While the data brought these schools to our attention, their remarkable stories put them on this awards list,” said ECTAC Director Maria Longa. “Join me in connecting in person with exceptional school leaders from across the state of Florida and learning from their journeys of success.”
Orange Park will officially be recognized at the Exceeding Expectations Conference on June 18 in Orlando.
“We're just excited. This award is just huge for our students,” Gunder said.
The announcement adds to the Clay County District School’s growing list of accomplishments this school year. The Florida Department of Education selected Orange Park Elementary as No. 1 in the state, while R.M. Paterson was No. 10. Also, 11 of the district’s 54 schools earned an A rating by FDOE.
“We are very excited and grateful for the state and the district to recognize us as well,” Gunder said. “I know Clay County has got to be really proud because they've won a lot of awards this year. (Superintendent) David Broskie has done a fabulous job. He's a great leader. He's someone great to work for, so I enjoy my time working with him. We have a great group of principals and teachers and students.
“That's a lot of work we do, but it's nice to enjoy some of your fruits of that labor as you go along.”
