Administration

Dear Grove Park Family, 

Welcome to Grove Park Elementary! As the principal, I am proud to lead this amazing school situated in the heart of Orange Park. The legacy of GPE goes back over fifty years, and I am thrilled to have this opportunity to be part of this wonderful community. At GPE, we are committed to ensuring that our scholars receive a world-class education that prepares them to make choices about their future, and allows them to transition to secondary school and participate within any of our District’s competitive academic programs. We believe that our students can achieve anything that they commit themselves to, and it is our job to provide them the tools necessary to capture their greatest aspirations. 

Our priorities for students this year will include an increased focus on the fundamentals of reading and math. In addition, we will support our students’ acceleration by reinforcing the development of their peer relationships and social development. At GPE, our students will be expected to achieve their very best! Our staff will provide the necessary structure to ensure that every student is positioned to reach their greatest potential. 

I am honored to be a member of this fantastic school community, and I am excited to witness all the success our students will achieve in the upcoming school year. It will be imperative for us to work together and engage in a partnership in order to fulfill this goal. If I can support your family this year as we seek to maximize your child’s learning experience, please reach out to me or any member of our team, and let us know how we can help your student.  

In Appreciation,

Justin Jones

Dear Grove Park Gators and stakeholders, 

I write this letter with great pride and excitement as the newly appointed Assistant Principal at Grove Park Elementary School. I consider it an honor and a blessing to be in this position, and I am looking forward to assisting Mr. Jones in making this a great school year!

I have spent my professional career working with elementary school students. Clay County has been my home front for eleven wonderful years, and I’ve been happily leading as an assistant principal in Clay County for three. This new journey is an exciting opportunity to continue to grow as a team and sow seeds in the Grove Park community.

My decision to become an administrator stemmed from a strong yearning to leave a legacy of relationships and building desire to impact an entire school community positively. As your new Assistant Principal, I will work diligently with our faculty and staff to carry out the vision and mission at Grove Park Elementary School. I believe that we as a team play a fundamental role in positioning students for future success as 21st-century learners. I am committed to working closely with each of you, our parents and our community to ensure our children achieve their full potential to prepare them for the next phase of their education adequately. I firmly believe that no student is unteachable and that all students can learn best from teachers they enjoy and who are actively involved in their success. As an educator, the ultimate joy for me is seeing happily engaged students learning and observing their degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion when they are within the classroom.

I am looking forward to witnessing the unique teaching styles and perspectives each of our educators brings to GPE. I can’t wait to get to know each one of our Gators and their families. I am looking forward to  learning and growing together. I know the future holds exciting things for each of you! Go Gators!

Wishing you all a safe and successful school year. 

The Proud Assistant Principal of GPE, 

Mrs. Smith