Viewbook
SJSLA
Welcome
Welcome to St. James’!
As you step into our courtyard, our belief in preserving the wonder of childhood is palpable. We are a warm, inclusive community filled with intellectually curious, dynamic learners who believe in the power of questions. We ask our questions together, we search for answers together, we make our educational journey together.
At St. James’, we believe that even our youngest learners have the capacity for deep thought and collective action. Thus, all of our preschool to grade 6 students actively engage in service learning. Our excellent academic program, built on solid socialemotional foundations, ensures our students are ready for the next step on their educational path.
I invite you to come learn more about us!
Sincerely,
Diane
St. James’ Episcopal School
Excellence Through Joy
OUR PHILOSOPHY
For over half a century, St. James’ has embraced the philosophy that teaching children kindness and empathy is essential to building academically successful students and, more significantly, good people. During these formative years, we partner with the most important educators of all—the family—to collaborate in providing our students with the skills and values that will shape them for the rest of their lives.
At St. James’, our approach to teaching and learning blends studentcentered instruction with joy and rigor. We have designed learning spaces with careful attention to the socio-emotional needs of our students to ensure that all of our children are seen, heard, and affirmed. Throughout our KRP through 6th Grade program, most core academics are team-taught to provide an intentional learning experience for every child. While thoughtfully structured, our program embraces the fundamental view that a love of learning leads to academic excellence and success. Through our partnership with Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence RULER Program, students learn to express their feelings using anchor tools to communicate emotions, which leads to greater self-esteem and increased empathy for others. The Center for Belonging, run by our Dean of Students & Belonging, provides a warm and embracing space for students who need to take a moment out of their day, no matter the reason.
St. James’ Episcopal School
www.SJSLA.org
Learning How to Learn
A PERSONALIZED APPROACH
Our programs provide rich opportunities for children to develop essential traits of empathy, joy, creative expression, and a lifelong love of learning. We implement innovative, research-based best practices with careful attention to students’ overall growth and well-being. Resilience and grit are imperative for excellence; our students are encouraged to take academic risks, to tackle unfamiliar concepts and strategies, and to celebrate the intrinsic joy of trying one’s best.
Our classrooms are composed of diverse learners—not simply heritage, race, or history of experiences—but also learning style. The unique attributes of each child can be thoroughly supported with a 6:1 student to teacher ratio in Preschool, a 7:1 student to teacher ratio in our KRP and Kindergarten program and an overall ratio of 11:1 in upper grades. With team teaching, this differentiated approach to instruction embraces students where they are on their developmental journey, providing support and academic rigor when appropriate. St. James’ teachers understand this and work closely with students and families to utilize standardized test scores to further inform a child’s development and growth. Our Child Study Team and Learning Specialist also ensure a whole child approach to student success and engagement.
Developing Compassionate Leaders
LEARNING TO LEAD
Our students will inherit a beautiful but complicated world. At St. James’, we believe the purpose of a robust education is multilayered: acquiring knowledge and the joyous satisfaction it provides, while also experiencing what it means to be of service. These traits are vital to becoming global citizens and leaders of tomorrow. Throughout their journey at St. James’, our students engage in joyous discovery while preparing to use their skills to make our world a better place.
Being of service to others and the world at large is not just a theme at our school, it is part of our curriculum. Our service-learning program is thoughtfully developed for each grade to support the unhoused and the hungry through meal kits, cards, toiletries, bags, and clothing drives. Our sixth graders manage their own food pantry for the hungry and unhoused. Additionally, they organize an annual drive for KFAM, a local agency which assists AAPI children during various stages of foster care and placement. We love that our fall student government elections are held on election day each year, too, to remind children of the importance of civic engagement.
Being a member of the St. James’ community offers a unique opportunity to be part of something bigger than ourselves.
Educating from the Start
PRESCHOOL PROGRAM
Our preschool program is play-based, child-centered, and nurturing. Teachers partner with parents in these magical early years of school. Even with our youngest learners, service-learning is part of our program. Teachers encourage children to care for their classroom, school, and community. Students engage in a wonderful neighborhood program to support St. James’ Manor, an elderly care facility for low-income senior citizens. Additionally, the herbs and produce grown at the preschool, tended by our youngest learners, are donated to the St. James’ soup kitchen each harvest. As with our KRP-6 program, all St. James’ students are encouraged to be curious, empathetic, and kind.
We believe learning and play are linked, not separate. Teachers provide an abundance of intentional opportunities and activities to engage a child’s natural curiosity about letters and numbers. Fine motor skill development helps little hands prepare for the rigors of using writing tools like pencils and pens. Playing together, taking turns, and sharing resources are all very important skills we practice to be compassionate leaders. Our outdoor classroom extension connects students with nature and supports their learning of effective stewardship of the environment.
St. James’ Episcopal School
Joyous Curiosity
OUR KRP—6 CURRICULUM
Our KRP-6 program fosters a joyous thirst for knowledge and instills a pride in academic scholarship. A team approach to teaching meets students where they are and ensures their academic success, and our child study team provides extra support when unique learning challenges arise. We incorporate a projectbased approach that guides students in research and writing in order to become outstanding communicators, writers, and innovators.
In addition to the core academics, our students study:
– Science
– Technology & Coding
– Spanish
– Performing Arts
– Visual Arts
– Religion
– Instrumental Music
– Physical Education
Our broad and diverse curriculum reinforces excellence through joy for our students.
St. James’ partners with the Gesell Program in Early Childhood at Yale to assess every student applicant to our early childhood program. The Gesell Assessment System is a research validated and kid-reported “fun” set of screenings that provide insight into a child’s developmental journey.
Go Beyond School
Excellence Through Joy
OUR PHILOSOPHY
BEYOND SCHOOL PROGRAM
Beyond School provides multiple options for families once the school day is complete. Beyond School and Beyond School Sports classes form St. James’ unique tuition-inclusive enrichment program where students can take a variety of innovative courses to expand their learning both before and after the traditional school day.
For over half a century, St. James’ has embraced the philosophy that teaching children kindness and empathy is essential to building academically successful students and even more importantly, good people. During these formative years, we partner with the most important educators of all—the family—to collaborate in providing our students with the skills and values that will shape them for the rest of their lives.
Over 40 classes are offered per trimester which include Journalism, Creative Coding, Lacrosse, Choir, Golf, Strings, Write Right, Reading Explorers, Being Your Best Self, Basketball, Test Prep and more. Beyond School also offers the opportunity for students to participate in school productions as performers or backstage crew. The musical production, available to K-6, is presented on stage at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre.
Another tuition-inclusive option is free play on the yard from 7:45-8:15 a.m. and 3:45-5:30 p.m. every day. Many city-raised children need unstructured but safely supervised play time with their friends and at St. James’ these extra hours after school are available at no extra charge to families.
At St. James’, our approach to teaching and learning blends student-centered instruction with joy and rigor. We have designed learning spaces with careful attention to the socio-emotional needs of our students to ensure that all of our children are seen, heard, and affirmed. Throughout our KRP through 6th Grade program, most core academics are team-taught to provide an intentional learning experience for every child. While thoughtfully structured, our program embraces the fundamental view that a love of learning leads to academic excellence and success. Through our partnership with Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence RULER Program, students learn to express their feelings using anchor tools to communicate emotions leading to greater self esteem and increased empathy for others. The Center for Belonging, run by our Dean of Students & Belonging, provides a warm and embracing space for students who need to take a moment out of their day, no matter the reason.
www.SJSLA.org
St. James’ Episcopal School
St. James’ Episcopal School
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
A SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP
St. James’ was established in 1968 to respond to the call of the civil rights movement to ensure a more equitable and compassionate society. The school does not have a majority ethnic population; we are so proud of our community’s diversity in all areas—culture, faith, family structure, and socio-economic status. St. James’ provides over $1.2 million each year in tuition assistance to ensure socio-economic diversity, and our teacher-led equity team works with faculty to ensure an equity-minded curriculum. Our older students also participate in a social justice class to learn in age-appropriate ways about challenges in our society. St. James’ partner schools in Haiti and Korea also ensure our commitment to global citizenship for our students. Our extensive program of cultural celebrations honors traditions and customs in the form of music, dance, and performance for Lunar New Year, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Latin Heritage Month, PRIDE celebration, AAPI, and Diwali.
St. James’ Episcopal School
Leaders in Action
CLASS CABINET
One of the most anticipated elements of being a St. James’ 6th grader is the opportunity to run for Class Cabinet. Every year ambitious student leaders design campaigns to garner votes from their peers on Election Day in November. The elected president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer meet regularly with the Head of School to make recommendations regarding school life.
MATRICULATION
School leadership meet with all rising third, fourth, and fifth grade families to build a multi-year plan for middle school admission.
These senior administrators also coordinate a personalized matriculation plan for every sixth grade family. Additionally, St. James’ provides tuition-inclusive test preparatory classes to support students as they take entrance exams for middle school. Students are regularly coached in interview, writing, and self-advocacy skills. St. James’ sends its graduates on to excellent college preparatory schools in Southern California. The majority of our graduates attend Harvard Westlake, Marlborough School, and Campbell Hall, while others attend Polytechnic, Oakwood, Crossroads, Immaculate Heart, Episcopal School of Los Angeles, Buckley, and Geffen Academy. St. James’ enjoys a half-century track record of placing our students in one of their two top choices throughout the city, nationally and internationally.
Episcopal Identity
UNIFIED IN DIVERSITY
At St. James’ we welcome families from all faith backgrounds and secular traditions. Our approach to Episcopal identity is simply this: serve to make our world a better place and believe in a peace that passeth all human understanding. All of our students learn about food insecurity and the unhoused in ageappropriate ways and our oldest students organize their own food pantry for the hungry. Students are encouraged to reflect on the many different approaches to spirituality and all of the world’s major religions are celebrated at St. James’. Rabbis, Imans, Buddhist monks, and community leaders speak at our weekly chapel services.
St. James’ Episcopal School
Looking Back
A PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE
“If St. James’ excels at one thing, it is guiding children into becoming conscientious, kind, and formidable human beings. It never ceases to amaze me how, one after another, the students of SJS exhibit thoughtfulness and care for all those around them. It is no wonder since they are taught by educators who wholeheartedly invest themselves in every child who passes through that gate. St. James’ students—past and present—are curious, confident, respectful, well rounded, and active members of their community. They are challenged, supported, and encouraged to take risks and try new things. The St. James’ family is close-knit, diverse, welcoming, and forward thinking. We truly couldn’t ask for anything more from a school.”
— Sally Pressman, Mother of Josh (Class of ‘25) and Chloe (Class of ‘31)
“The campus is a wonderful atmosphere of happy, empathetic, and accomplished children engaging alongside early education professionals who excel in their fields and genuinely care about each student. During our five years, we have grown close with teachers, administrators, parents, and students. They are family to us.”
— John Roman, Father of Jake (Class of ‘24) and Charlotte (Class of ‘27)
Excellence Through Joy
OUR PHILOSOPHY
For over half a century, St. James’ has embraced the philosophy that teaching children kindness and empathy is essential to building academically successful students and even more importantly, good people. During these formative years, we partner with the most important educators of all—the family—to collaborate in providing our students with the skills and values that will shape them for the rest of their lives.
At St. James’, our approach to teaching and learning blends studentcentered instruction with joy and rigor. We have designed learning spaces with careful attention to the socio-emotional needs of our students to ensure that all of our children are seen, heard, and affirmed. Throughout our KRP through 6th Grade program, most core academics are team-taught to provide an intentional learning experience for every child. While thoughtfully structured, our program embraces the fundamental view that a love of learning leads to academic excellence and success. Through our partnership with Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence RULER Program, students learn to express their feelings using anchor tools to communicate emotions leading to greater self esteem and increased empathy for others. The Center for Belonging, run by our Dean of Students & Belonging, provides a warm and embracing space for students who need to take a moment out of their day, no matter the reason.
St. James’ Episcopal School