upper school (3-6)

The Upper Division at St. James’ consists of a four-year program with the intention of culminating in critical thinkers who will make significant contributions to our communities, both locally and globally. The goals of the Upper Division at St. James’ are to: build upon the foundation set in the early grades; to provide a challenging academic curriculum that prepares students to be successful at competitive secondary schools and in their chose careers; to help students become global citizens; and to continue character education by emphasizing our school Core Beliefs, kindness, and a sense of community. The core curriculum is comprised of language arts, which includes specific study in reading, vocabulary, spelling, and English, social studies, mathematics, and science. Adding to the rigor and the breadth of a St. James’ education are our specialty classes, which include art, technology, library studies, music, physical education, and religion, and Spanish. Technology integration contributes to the success of our academic program, and we use current technological tools such as SMARTBoards, iPads, and computers to bring greater access to information and to assist students in organizing, creating, and presenting what they have learned in a variety of formats.

Our focus on academic acumen and spiritual development has allowed our graduates to have a strong record of achievement at some of the best independent schools in the city, including Harvard-Westlake, Marlborough, Campbell Hall, Oakwood, and Winward, just to name a few. Beginning in the Fourth Grade, we speak with parents about school choice and making the best choice for secondary school because we believe that it is important to work closely with families early in their tenure in the Upper Division. Our admissions process focuses on helping families place their child in selective schools that best meet his learning needs. Throughout the school year, we facilitate various workshops for families in Fourth through Sixth Grade to provide them with the information they need to make informed choices. As well, we meet individually with each Sixth Grade family to discuss school choice, timelines, and the application process. We invite admissions officials from different local independent schools to make presentations to our Sixth Grade students. In short, we guide our families through each step to help them apply to schools where they will experience the most success.

Equally important in the St. James’ experience is creating an environment where our students are encouraged to value community service, diversity, ethics, and strong moral values. Further, we nurture our students’ spiritual development through weekly chapel services and religion classes that focus on building a personal relationship with God and respecting and learning about how others in our community and around the world do the same.

St. James’ Upper Division strives to strike a balance between hard work, fun, caring for others, and global awareness. We acknowledge learning as a lifelong process, and we believe that our program will prepare our students to make significant contributions to creating a very bright future for our communities.

 
 
 
 
Angelina Arrington
Assistant Head of School
(213) 382-2315 x276
aarrington@sjsla.org