What’s Going on at St. James School
4th Grade: Mapping to Success!
Read about our amazing 4th grade class and their continuous improvements, volunteer opportunities, and much more in this month’s newsletter!
Church Comes to Classrooms During Lent
Read about how we celebrate Lent during a pandemic, St. James poet all-stars, a recap of the Celebrating Our Church Partners event with Bishop Michael Curry, and much more in this month’s newsletter!
Our Nation, A Poem By London (Class of 2022)
We all know the pledge of allegiance. We stand up as a group On a particular day We put our right hand on our chest And we proudly say... “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation…….” One...
Students ‘Excited for Everything’ as In-Person Learning Returns
Read about our students return to in-person learning, Black History Month activities, a video from our gradates, and much more in this month’s newsletter!
St. James Partners with Cabrini University and Harcum College
We are so excited to celebrate St. James School's new partnership with Cabrini University and Harcum College! With the extensive support of St. James and these wonderful institutions, our graduates will be more prepared than ever to get an excellent education at high...
How 8th Graders Are Getting High School Ready
Read about how St. James made the best of a different December, our first ever virtual puppet show, Q&A with servant year members, and much more in this month’s newsletter!
What We Say and Do Matters. Our Young People Are Watching.
Dear St. James School Community, You saw what happened. Provoked by President Donald Trump, thousands of extremists stormed the Capitol building in Washington D.C. on Wednesday in an attempt to prevent lawmakers from certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in...
It’s Wig Wednesday in 6th Grade
Read about a day in the life of 6th grade, a Thanksgiving to remember, and much more in this month’s newsletter!
The right decision, made reluctantly
Dear Volunteers, Donors and Friends, In response to the rising rate of COVID-19 infections in Philadelphia and our 19132 zip code, St. James School has voluntarily moved classes to fully remote again starting today, Monday, November 16th. The predicted fall/winter...
Our Students are Making an Impact!
Read about our civic minded students, watch the ‘Hip Hop Hooray’ video featuring teachers and staff, and much more in this month’s newsletter!
We’re Open! How School Started This Month
Read about our socially distant graduation, reflections by alumni tutor Sydnee, a new face up front and much more in this month’s newsletter!
Class of 2020 Graduation
Graduation didn't look the same for our Class of 2020, with face masks and social distancing replacing the usual handshakes, hugs and high-fives. But our graduates were just as pleased and proud of their accomplishments as they walked or drove under a colorful tent to...
Summer Program Preps St. James for Fall
Read about how this year’s Summer Camp Program is going, an update on the Welcome Table, an interview with alumni Jon Taylor and much more in this month’s newsletter!
Restarting St. James School – Slow, Steady, and Safe
The St. James School Community is committed to protecting the health of students, families, employees, and guests. We support the City of Philadelphia’s and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s efforts to control the spread of COVID-19. Read our guidelines for restarting...
Congratulations to all our Class of 2020 graduates!
Read about a parade the staff organized, our eighth grade graduates, our alumni graduates and much more in this month’s newsletter!
Staff Parade Celebrates Our Class of 2020
It has been an unusual year, to say the least! We applaud the perseverance of every student in the Class of 2020. They finished their final year at St. James School by working hard to attend classes online and complete their assignments despite extraordinarily...
June 2 Message from Head of School David Kasievich
What can rightly be called the “original sin” of slavery has left an indelible imprint on our nation’s soul. We mourn the fact that Racism is alive and well and responsible for the ongoing disproportionate impact of deadly violence against our Black sisters and brothers — from Trayvon Martin to Eric Garner to Michael Brown to George Floyd.
Racial Equity Team Update – June 1, 2020
Dear St James School Community, In the words of The Most Rev. Desmond Tutu, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." We as the racial equity team acknowledge that the recent racial violence in America must be...
May 22 Message from Head of School David Kasievich
Ten weeks into a time that is testing us all, I see persistent pressures trying to push people down. I also see tremendous strength in people pushing back against the pressures, lifting together when the burdens are heavy, and pulling up others when they are down. In that dynamic is the value of community, writ large.
May 8 Message from Head of School David Kasievich
The COVID-19 pandemic has felt in some ways like an earthquake with unending aftershocks. Structures that gave stability to our lives crumbled. Routines were upended. The experience threw us all off balance. It has taken resilience, effort – and tremendous support from you, our donors and supporters – to regain our footing at St. James School.
Thank You to Our Wanamaker Scholarship Society
April 24 Message from Head of School David Kasievich
Dear Friends of the St. James School Community, I have been tremendously heartened by your response to my weekly messages sharing the ways we are coping with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on our students, families and neighbors. Without the outpouring...
April 17 Message from Head of School David Kasievich
Dear Friends of the St. James School Community, Thank you for what you’re doing and please continue to help, whether by giving financially, or purchasing items from our Amazon Wish List, or dropping off food directly to us, to St. Christopher’s or to your...
April 10 Message from Head of School David Kasievich
Dear Friends of the St. James School Community, Holy Week is a time to commemorate, through sacred services, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In recent years, our school community has looked forward to, and fully engaged in, the sacred mysteries of...
April 3 Message from Head of School David Kasievich
Dear Friends of the St. James School Community, Thank you! So far, we’ve received over $18,000 and 50 of you have donated food to help our students, families and neighbors during the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis. I am especially grateful to those who are giving what...
March 27 Message from Head of School David Kasievich
Dear Friends of the St. James School Community, In this time when we are all affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus — directly or indirectly, perhaps physically, biologically, psychologically or spiritually, and for many, economically — it has been heartening to hear...
How We Are Adapting to New Realities
And How You Can Help Dear Friends of the St. James School Community, As the world adapts to new realities in response to the coronavirus COVID-19, St. James School is adapting and responding as well. We know this is a crisis with medical, social, and economic...
Bringing to Life our 4th Wax Museum
Read about how we celebrated Dr. Evan’s birthday, and much more in this month’s newsletter!
“The Time Is Always Right To Do What Is Right”
Read about a special St. James love story, Black History Month, why students love math and much more in this month’s newsletter!
Our School ‘Doing Right’ on MLK Day of Service
A gallery of photos from MLK Day of Service at St. James School. Click on an image to enlarge it.
A St. James School Love Story
By Sarah Carroll, Director of School Culture & ELA Teacher, and Kevin Todd, Director of Graduate Support, who were married by the Rev. Andrew Kellner at the Church of St. James the Less on January 25. We first met on Sarah's demo lesson day. After she was...
Student Journalists Took to the Streets with WHYY
Learn about the young professionals who were married at Church of St. James the Less and much more in this month’s newsletter!
New! Our Website and Celebrating Advent in Community
Both help us better engage and serve the St. James Community
Freedom Voices Student Radio Show – Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery
The Youth hosts had an in-depth discussion about Human Trafficking and its affect on them. What is Human Trafficking? FAQs About Human Trafficking. Types of Trafficking. Impact of Human Trafficking
Fall-ing Means Climbing, Harvesting, Bonding and More!
Meet our new music director and see our first-ever student newspaper and more!
Freedom Voices Student Radio Show – Understanding the Impeachment Process
The Youth Hosts of Freedom Voices Youth Perspective: Politics & Issues discussed the impeachment process and gave their point of views on impeachment. Using the 5 Myths About Impeachment by Gene Healy Vice President at the Cato Institute, they gave their...
Smiles, High-Fives, Good Vibes as We Start Year 9
Learn about the week our students spent on the Chesapeake: fears overcome, nature explored and relationships enhanced
Graduation Filled with Song, Speeches, Special Moments
Learn how one student compares North Philadelphia with Beaver Island and that Summer STEAM Camp feature hands-on learning for all grades!
Summer begins at St. James
Learn about our starry night celebration, first retreat, a graduate in Greece and more!
Our Starry, Starry Night!
The atmosphere was celestial — dark paneled draping with strings of bulbs, glittered bowls with twinkling lights, cocktails pun-named "gin-terstellar & tonic" and "mars-garita," star stickers earned for visiting students' exhibits. It was a truly "An Interstellar...
Spring Brings Awakenings of Joy & Hope
Learn about our joyful Easter celebrations, a successful 5K, an eventful Sky Party and more!
A Message of Thanks From Our Students
Learn about what’s been going on at St. James recently
Learn about involved parents, an inspiring astronomer and updates on three extracurricular activities!
Celebrating Black History Every Month!
New Pastoral Care Center opens … How we spent MLK Day … What makes Friends of the Huskies so special
Learn why Eric Gardner decided to teach at St. James, why Adrianne liked the movie “Wonder” better than the book and more!
Generosity Took Many Forms During the Season of Light
You’ll love the words of wisdom from 8th grader Davon and enjoy the photos from our sold-out Highland Christmas event.
What Happens on Weekends? Look and Listen!
Learn why students spend ‘days off’ on campus, what baptism really means, how children got adults to vote, and what one student learned by trying new things.
Trailblazing Latino Judge Holds Court with St. James Students and Staff
Judge Nelson Diaz, an activist who blazed a trail for Latinos in Philadelphia, engaged in a lively discussion with St. James School students and staff during a much-anticipated visit on October 2nd. Judge Diaz recounted the odds he overcame in his personal journey...
St. James Welcomes Two Servant Year Members
College is an exciting time in the life of young adults, and it comes with a lot of questions. One of the biggest that each person wrestles with is: "What is next?" The Servant Year program is a partnership between St. James School, Saint Mark's Church and the...
Opening Doors Ceremony: A Welcoming Tradition on Clearfield Street
A light morning rain on Monday, September 10th did not dampen the joy filling the St. James School Dining Room for a favorite school tradition — the annual Opening Doors Ceremony. In fact, every inch of space in the school’s Dining Room was filled with students,...