St. James Academy

As parents of twins it's always a challenge to decide what's best for our boys. We in live in the best school district in San Diego so we had many local options for our boys' education. St James Academy was the best fit for us. The faith and values along with the curriculum are above and beyond. Our school is a family, students feel welcome and loved. We consider ourselves blessed to be part of the community!

Our kids have attended St. James Academy (SJA) for the past 2 years. SJA is not just a "school" it much more than that. It is a caring and nurturing student-focused educational facility with a strong sense of community. It is our extended family! Everyone has been welcoming and inviting, the teacher/student ratio is low, so every child gets personal attention to help them thrive with individual needs. The teachers and other SJA families care deeply about the kids. SJA has helped our kids grow both spiritually, academically, emotionally, physically and socially. They really educate the whole child. We have loved the families we have met through SJA. Not only are our children obtaining a great education, but they are learning to be good people with great morals and values in a safe and loving environment. It is beautiful to see the older grades connecting with the younger ones. During lunch time they play together, and the older kids sit with the younger ones during Friday mass. The students even have "school families" where kids throughout all different grade levels come together monthly to do activities. It creates a strong relationship and friendship between all the children on campus the older kids help teach the little ones. SJA has been the best investment in our children's future. We love it here and would highly recommend it to any family.

St. James Academy is a fantastic school. We moved from Portland, OR four years ago and toured 8 schools in the area. We chose St. James Academy and have been happy every day since! Our children continue to thrive in the nurturing environment that SJA provides. The academics are outstanding. Faith and love fill the school. The Fine Art, Performing Arts, Athletics, Foreign Language, and Leadership Program have been awarded in the community and are amazing. We have won the CA Green Ribbon Award three years in a row and recently recognized and awarded nationally. There is an outdoor classroom nestled in an indigenous garden along with a Monarch Butterfly sanctuary. There is an all school mass weekly that each class leads where the Jr. High students sit with the Kindergarten-second grade students acting as mentors/role models. We have an amazing athletics program with two phenomenal coaches that instill teamwork, communication, health, and fun into every class. We offer sports teams K-8. Our preforming arts program is stellar with our students being invited and having the privilege of singing at Carnegie Hall early. Fine, I offer arts to every grade with an hour and a half elective for the Jr. High. They have won Best in Show at the San Diego Fair two years in a row. The spirit on campus is electric! The students exude confidence and kindness. St. James Academy is one of a kind.

This school and community have been a family for us. Both my daughters had different needs and both thrived in the environment. I cannot say enough good things about the staff and families, the amount of love and support, and quality of education my kids have experienced. I am a huge supporter of st. James Academy.

After an exhaustive search of the North County parochial schools we choose SJA for our son. We have been with the school for three years. SJA is a great fit for us. Our son had 4 years of Montessori education before starting 1st grade at SJA. We found the methods used here align well with the solid academic foundation he had developed. When touring the school we noticed the central location of the music/choir room. I think this program is what fosters the community spirit at SJA. All children participate and the singing creates a positive buzz around campus. Being a costal family, we support and love the surf team program. Friday afternoons kids from all grades gather at San Elijo state beach for surf practice. Those kids that are to young (<6th grade) just enjoy time hanging out in the water. We love SJA and recommend it for any family that wants a school with solid academics, Christian community spirit in an intimate setting and the ability to make life nurturing friendships