Departments & Courses

The Mathematics Department at Saint James School prides itself in offering courses designed to appropriately challenge all students. Ranging from Algebra I all the way through post-AP offerings, our goal is to develop creative problem solvers by encouraging students to appreciate and to embrace mathematical thinking. Within each classroom, students will learn to work successfully in individual and cooperative situations. Our curriculum is designed to help students strengthen their reasoning ability and appropriate usage of technology in learning content. Students new to Saint James will enroll in the appropriate level of mathematics based on previous coursework, recommendations, and completion of a placement test.

The Science Department engages and challenges students to develop a body of knowledge and processes that enable them to understand the natural world. Scientific background and skills are taught to allow students to develop scientific literacy while actively involving them in qualitative and quantitative problem-solving. The laboratory, which is an important part of inquiry, fosters both skills and knowledge. Students are encouraged to ask questions and conduct experiments in order to understand the natural world. Students design investigations, engage in scientific reasoning, manipulate equipment, record data, use technology, analyze results, and discuss findings.

The English Department strives to create a community of readers, writers, and thinkers who appreciate the challenges of formal and creative writing; the process of discovery in close reading of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction; and the importance of finding the right words to successfully explore ideas in a welcoming and lively classroom setting.  Through the “Voices in Literature” sequence, each form examines an overarching idea that guides the selection of a diverse set of authors and narrative voices.

Most students at Saint James begin their study of foreign language in the Second Form by taking Latin. Upon entering the Third Form, students may continue their study of Latin, or they may begin a modern language, either Spanish or French. The language program stimulates interest in other cultures and their literature, history, and values. Students are required to complete a minimum of three years of language study (in one language), which provides a sound grammatical foundation and prepares students for college-level work. Courses are offered from Level I through Advanced Placement.

Students in the History, Religion and Social Sciences Department learn about significant events, ideas, and historical figures. They read critically, analytically, and reflectively from several sources and write research papers and essays on the issues and trends they study. By engaging in daily discussions, students form their own opinions about the past and its relevance to today’s world and their own lives.

The Arts—visual and performing—are recognized as rich opportunities for students to discover or expand their own artistic expression in art, music, and the stage.  The Arts Department offers elective courses in Music and Art. All students in the second form take Music and Theater in the fall semester. The Saint James Mummers’ Society performs several theater productions each year. Dance is offered in all three athletic seasons.  

The one-credit graduation requirement is to be completed before the sixth form year. It may be fulfilled by taking co-curricular classes or extra-curricular performing arts performances and Applied Music lessons.  The Handbook contains full information on credit granted for particular activities outside of class enrollments.