St. James School in Santa Monica, California

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2010-05-04

“I am so sad that there is someone who clearly has a beef with this amazing school. It sounds like the same person over an over again... I hope if you are interested in St. James' you would just go and visit the school. I am sure you could get a tour. I love St. James'. My kids love the school, their teachers and Mr. Bowers. We think Stephen Bowers is great and we are sad to see him go”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2010-05-03

“Our son will graduate from Saint James' next month and we are so grateful for everything he has learned. He is well prepared for middle school academically. He scored very well on the middle school entrance examinations without having to spend his summer and weekends in tutoring, and is moving on to one of the most highly rated schools in the area. He has learned the importance of community and character. The curriculum is traditional but incorporates current research into how the brain learns and I can say for sure that it works. The current Head of School will retire but the administration and faculty overall are solid and we know our younger children will also graduate from Saint James' ready to take on the world.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2010-05-02

“The current Head of School of St. James has announced his retirement as of the end of next school year. Our family is so grateful for his time at the school. Under his guidance, academic standards have remained high, but he has brought 21st century teaching methods that are based on solid research to the school. More importantly, no one can doubt his commitment to the spiritual values and mission of the school. Compassion, respect, tolerance and service have all been held up by Mr. Bowers as daily guidling principles. The community has been fortunate to have had an educator of his experience, and he will be missed.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2010-05-02

“We have been sending our oldest child here for the last two years, and have been extremely happy with his progress and all the wonderful teachers and atmosphere. We love the school and can't wait until our next children get in... it is the perfect place that we had hoped to find!”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 3

Post Date:2010-04-28

“Now that it has been confirmed that there will be some administrative changes next year, many parents are optimistic that the Board will bring in qualified administrators who are able to improve morale among parents and faculty alike, while effectively doing their jobs. The most recent administrative changes have proved to be ineffective and having a detrimental effect on the morale of the SJS community. The parents and the faculty are the true heart and soul of SJS, and thank God for that. Things are looking up!”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2010-04-23

“We relocated to Los Angeles almost four years ago from the east coast with our now 7-year-old daughter. After raising two boys, now both college graduates from top universities, we knew what we wanted in a school for our daughter- one that is academically challenging, including the arts, culturally diverse and is a true community that offers spiritual guidance as well. Our search for the right school was extremely challenging in Los Angeles; however we were committed and are so pleased we found St James School!!! SJS meets and often exceeds our expectations! Our daughter is very happy at SJS and so are we! Way to go SJS!”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2010-04-04

“St. James' School is a most remarkable place. The diversity--racial, ethnic and socio-economic--is absolutely real. The academics are first rate. Their graduates matriculate to the finest schools in Los Angeles including Marlborough, Harvard Westlake, Pasadena Poly and more. But St. James' eduates the children in so many other ways. They truly do nurture the mind and the spirit. The religious component is totally appropriate--not too heavy handed. The emphasis is on respect for one another and an appreciation for the many differences that make each person unique. There has not been turnover among the teachers. Instead, the school has added several assistant teachers to helpout in the classrooms. This school is a real gem!”
This review was posted by a other.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2010-02-19

“Our child started at St James this year and we are very happy. Kristin Haines, who heads the the earlier grades, is absolutely wonderful. She understands the children and education and is always available and eager to make positive changes. I totally disagree with some reviewers who say that the school is moving is a developmental/progressive direction. It remains academic and traditional whilst offering the children a lot of emotional support and care. We have been very very happy and would recommend it highly. I should add that of all the schools -private and public-that I have seen it is by far the most diverse (ethnically, socio economically, and in every other way). It truly reflects a cross section of the surrounding community.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2010-02-04

“Our family has been at St James' for four years. The teachers are what keep us at the school. They care so much about each indivdual student. They always have time for parents and want each child to succeed. Admin could learn a lot from the teachers on how to communicate with parents.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 2

Post Date:2010-01-03

“We have been at St. James for 4 years, and I am saddened to say, are disappointed in the direction the school is going -- academically. With the new head of lower school steering the charge to a more developmental direction, the school is slowly declining. The teachers are wonderful, the leadership is terrible.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2009-12-21

“My daughter has attended St James' School since Kindergarten and will graduate in 2010. I am very pleased to say that this school is exactly what I expected. It is a loving small environment that is challenging and very academic. As a single mother I have taken full advantage of the FREE after school care and my daughter has taken part in quite of few of the after school classes (additional fee). We have met many loving families. As we all know nothing is perfect but 9 out of 10 times I have been very happy. My child has always felt welcome to meet with any and all the staff members (including the Head of School). Whether she is having a problem with a classmate or writing a letter to the president voicing her concerns, the teachers are there to help.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2009-12-09

“I am a current parent. St. James is a wonderful school and my child is happy, thriving, and learning a lot. This school develops the whole child (academic, emotional, spiritual). I love the traditional education and how the teachers still incorporate centers. The teachers are first rate! I feel that I'm a part of a wonderful community. The children are diverse in many aspects and so is the faculty/staff. The tuition is reasonable and there is no fee for after school care! If you are looking for a more traditional education in a Christian atmosphere, St. James is your school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2009-12-03

“This is a lovely school. My son is very happy here as are we with the community. We are pleased with the efforts the school makes to constantly improve. There's been a specific effort underway to improve fundraising and communications. My son is thriving and we are pleased by how the school addresses the whole child in a nurturing yet academically environment. Please don't be swayed by the earlier negative reviews.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2009-11-16

“I have two children at St James', and we absolutely love the school. It's academically excellent, and on top of that it lives out its commitment to diversity... more so than any other school of its kind I've seen. The School is a genuine community. It's not easy to always practice the values you preach when faced with the political complexities and parental pressures of running an highly in-demand urban school, but St. James' puts its values front and foremost, and lives by them, all the while maintaining the highest academic standards... which is a terrific example for the children lucky enough to go there. It's worth noting that other schools now study St. James' as an example of successful forward-looking values-based education. I can't recommend it highly enough.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2009-11-12

“My son has been at Saint James for 3 years. I find the staff warm and welcoming. The door has always been open for me to come and discuss any subject, concern or idea I have had. The New science Lab is the best lab by far in Los Angeles for Elementary school and the science teacher suberb. We have dedicated and innovative teachers that have years of experience. We have won math competitions and exhibit art through out the city. The children are taught the importance of serving those in our community and becoming a confident , well educated and well rounded human being. While no school is perfect, I believe this school has been given a bad rap and I invite prospective parents to come and visit us themselves.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2009-11-12

“This is a terrific neighbourhood school, it is rich in diversity, and although there have been some hiccups within, so have all schools, even the ones that are double the price! The academics are terrific and the kids are kind well mannered and polite. If you are living in Hancock park and want a school with strong academics but a sweet simplicity, this could be the place for you.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2009-11-05

“We love St James'. It's academically rigorous, warm, welcoming, and the Head of School and staff are excellent. Our child is very happy, loving each day, and achieving great results. I'm not sure what school the detractors below are describing, but it doesn't sound even a little like the one we know. To each their own. We have found both the school administration and the Board extremely responsive, and could not be happier.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2009-09-11

“St. James' is a wonderful school. It's teaching staff clearly loves our children and the administration supports them in so many ways. The curriculum seems to be evolving with the times. The administration is clearly leading experienced teachers in the right direction. Three cheers for them. I highly recommend this community of caring professionals. Our child has been very happy.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2009-05-09

“Even with the tuition doubling in the past five years, St. James' School is an incredible value. How can you put a monetary value on excellence? In a word you can't. Many of the parents complain that the school administration is bloated and unresponsive to the faculty and parent concerns. Nothing could be further from the truth. Any time I have had a concern about my son's education, I get a return phone call or email within minutes. And in many cases even a hug! The administration at St. James' are master communicators in every possible way. Unfortunately, I have had many disagreements with the teaching staff, but under the stellar guidance of the administration, I'm sure these teacher shortcomings will be resolved in time. I cannot recommend St. James' more highly. It's a place of wonder and imagination!”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2009-04-06

“I have sent all three of my children to St. James School. It truly is a magical place. The teachers are good, but it's the leadership at St. James that is what makes this school so special. The administration puts communication with parents and faculty above all else. They return calls and email within minutes and always provide answers and solutions to problems immediately. When I have had problems with individual teachers, the administration was always there to brilliantly smooth things out. Other schools should use St. James' as a model for effective school administration.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2009-02-12

“I loved having my daughter at this school. We had only one teacher (no longer at the school) who was probably a good fit for some kids, but was a bad fit for our daughter, but I would expect one or two years like that at any school. My daughter graduated from St. James last year and we moved out of the area, so I'm now comparing St. James to the local schools, and I can see that my daughter has many educational advantages that other kids here don't have. I appreciate all the more, the fact that every teacher at St. James responded promptly any time I had a question. I appreciate now the fact that any time I needed to meet directly with a teacher, he or she would make the time to see me. The specialty teachers were particularly impressive.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2008-12-10

“I have three children attending St. James'. They are all there because I feel they are receiving a solid academic education and because they are being encouraged to become caring, responsible people. Over the years, I have volunteered for many committees and have always been impressed by the can-do spirit and friendliness of my fellow parents. I have had many constructive conversations with the teachers. On the whole, they are an inspired and dedicated group with some truly exceptional members among them. The school has also offered several parent education seminars that have ranged from study skills workshops to how to run the middle school admissions maze. In 2001, my husband and I decided to send our pre-schooler to St. James'. On the eve of 2009, we still happily stand by that decision.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2008-12-05

“I am one of the parents that took part in the fund-raising campaign this year, making calls parent-to-parent. I found this to be largely a positive experience and preferable to more traditional methods. Yes, some parents found this a little uncomfortable at first, so did I. But all in all it gave us a chance to talk about the school, why it is so special, and how important it is to keep it that way. Fund-raising plays an ever-increasing role at the school, given that the school essentially subsidizes tuition to maintain the economic diversity it is known for. That was the message put out by parent callers, and parents who understood the message stepped up as best they could, even in these difficult times.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 1

Post Date:2008-11-20

“In my experience, it seems that fund raising has become quite aggressive over the past few years. I have received several phone calls and letters soliciting donations. The new lady has asked parents to call other parents in her quest to raise funds and add to the new endowment, which I completely disagree with. I will not be giving to the annual fund this year because I refuse to encourage this type of behavior!”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2008-11-20

“For the live of me, I cannot figure out where all these negative comments about the administration are coming from. The headmaster Stephen Bowers is nothing short of a truly visionary. His leadership is unquestioned among the parents and teachers at the school. The assistant head Angelina Arrington has to be the most dynamic leader and speaker I have ever worked with, often moving me to tears during her frequent chapel addresses. My family and I are truly blessed to be under the guidance of such people who embrace humanity and Christian values and lead by example. I would give this school 10 stars if I could!”
This review was posted by a other.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2008-11-19

“This school is amazing. I am so thankful that I chose this school for my son. I had applied to five schools for Kindergarten and was accepted to all of them. I chose this school for it's diversity and academic structure. I had been accepted to a 12 year school and chose St. James. My son is thriving. He is thrilled with his reading, math, computer, and spanish classes. He is involved in after school activities. He is involved in sports outside of school, but there are plenty of options for the elementary aged children within the school as well. Most importantly, my son is well beyond his peers that attend other schools in spelling and reading and math. He loves school and he is a typical 'boy'. The school is extremely diverse in religion, lifestyle and ethnicity. This is the right choice for my family”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 1

Post Date:2008-11-17

“I also agree on the high price of tuition. It is true that we as parents, keep on getting solicited for donations for the school. I have asked the administration on where our money is being used for. The response that I get is that they are 'improving the school.' As far as I can see, no improvements have been made, at least for the classes that my child is in. I have emailed and called/left messages for a request to see their public financial disclosure statement as a non-profit organization, and they do not respond. Next year, public school for my child.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 1

Post Date:2008-11-12

“I had one of my children at this school last year. At first, the employees at the school were very friendly when I was inquiring about the school and during the enrollment process. After my child started attending classes, I had several concerns that I wanted to address to the staff. It took so long for them to finally listen to my concerns. It took a long time because they said that I had to make an appointment to speak to a certain person and the appointments were cancelled several times because of 'staff meetings' that would mysteriously come up at the last moment. Even after the meeting, I felt that they did not care about what I said. My child is no longer at St. James.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 1

Post Date:2008-11-11

“The teachers that I my child have are great. They really do a great job. Howerver, the administration is lacking in really caring to support the teachers. This is because I am on the PSF (Parent Support Fellowship). I have personally observed actions where the parents and teachers agree on starting a new program or idea, and the administration does not back it, usually citing that the budget does not allow it.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2008-10-30

“This is our third year at the school and we couldn't be happier. Our son is thriving and it has been a really good fit for us. The school is more traditional, students wear uniforms, it's religious and is incredibly diverse socially, racially, economically. The diversity is one of top reasons we chose the school. We looked at six private schools and while they all strive for diversity, St. James' was the only school that really delivered. We've had really strong teachers each year and the sense of community in the school is strong. Parent involvement makes it a great school. There are tons of different options for volunteering depending on what you're interests and availability are.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: N/A
Post Date:2008-10-29

“As a faculty member at SJS, I must say that I am a part of a team of gifted educators. I feel supported and encouraged by administration. The community of families promotes an atmosphere of mutual care and respect. I have worked at other independent schools, and SJS exceeded my expectations. I feel Blessed to be a teacher here amongst such gifted colleagues and caring families. I am always telling others about this great educational community that I am a part of.”
This review was posted by a teacher.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2008-09-13

“I adored this wonderful school. Our daughter came here new in the fifth grade and was instantly welcomed by many new friends, parents, and teachers. She graduated in 6th grade and will always remember this school. They have a great and challenging academic program, and a very good english program as well. The kids go to church once a week, but there are many other religions taught as well in the religious studies program, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. The only thing lacking is that they do not have afterschool sports. They do, however, have afterschool sport enrichment classes such as volleyball, fencing, piano, chinese, Paw Prints, (the school newspaper written by students) and even Boy Scouts. They have a wonderful community with wonder diversity.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 4

Post Date:2007-03-26

“St. James provides a well-structured academic program in warm and supportive environment. We love the religious association of the school and feel that it provides insight and inspiration to our child s life. While we re genuinely happy at St. James, we have become increasingly disappointed by their decisions to raise tuition each year. They attempt to justify the increase by claiming that they are several thousand dollars less than other independent schools. However, they seem to forget that they are not perceived as an independent school due to the religious affiliation. With these increases, they are pushing out the mid-level income families that selected the school based on the academic curriculum, religious affiliation, and what was once, an affordable tuition.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 3

Post Date:2007-03-14

“My children love the school. The kids are bright and friendly. The school fosters good citizenship and moral characters. However, there are serious flip sides. The new principal is very tentative, and seems to minimize the importance of a strong academic program. The teachers are a mixed batch of good and bad. During the past several years, tuition has been increasing. Still, the school pushes the parents to increase their annual giving. As much as my children and I will miss our friends at this school, we are looking at other schools. It is sad to see a once-great school to continue losing its edge.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2006-09-11

“Academic standards are high and St. James students are known for getting into some of the most competitive junior highs/high schools in Los Angeles. My child is in 4th grade and has been attending since kindergarten. She has had some excellent, inspirational teachers, and really only one that I would rate as 'fair.' She loves going to school and likes staying after to play. Parents are very involved. The arts programs leans heavily toward the ecclesiastical music that supports St. James' Church, which is great, but there could be a greater emphasis on visual and performing arts. There has been principal turnover in recent years, and the policies of the latest are still being implemented, too early to comment. Overall, it is a warm but not coddling atmosphere. Very ethically diverse, a true mirror of L:A.”
This review was posted by a parent.

Quality Score: 5

Post Date:2004-05-06

“A spirited amazing intercity school. Diversity reigns here as does excellence in academics. Strong placement into the best middle schools in Los Angeles. Strong parent and teacher involvement has created a beautiful environment to learn in. This school develops character. This school has chapel at St. James' parish on the same shared property. First desegragated church in Los Angeles. Check out the organ, kid's choir, handbell choir. Field trips, music and exploration abound in this structured Episcopal progressive environment.”
This review was posted by a parent.

St. James School in Santa Monica, California

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St. James School Reviews

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St. James School in Santa Monica, California

St. James School Detail

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St. James School Ratings Summary

St. James School Reviews

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