Saint James' Episcopal School update — December 2024

In December, our School transforms into a festive holiday wonderland. The hallways come alive with twinkling decorations, lovingly arranged by our dedicated parent association and volunteers. Every classroom sparkles with cheerful artwork created by the students, showcasing their creativity and excitement for the season. As you walk through the school, the joyful sounds of students practicing Christmas hymns fill the air, adding warmth and a sense of togetherness. It is truly a season of joy, community and celebration for all!

A highlight of the season is our cherished Christmas pageants, where preschool and elementary students reenact the nativity. These special performances will be livestreamed and available on the school's YouTube channel for all to enjoy.

As we celebrate this magical time, we wish our church family a very blessed Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year!

Important reminder: The school will be closed from Dec. 19 to Jan. 5. Faculty, staff and students will return on Jan. 6.

January is the start of the admission season at SJES. Early application for the 2025-2026 school year will be Jan. 21-31 and, as a reminder, Saint James’ Episcopal Church parishioners automatically earn a free spot on the early application request list. While early application does not guarantee admission or first choice of class, it does allow parishioners to apply before admission is opened to the public (Feb. 1) and the $150 early application fee is waived (there is still an admission application fee). Interested parishioners should complete the Early Application Request Form for parishioners. 

Our School will be hosting the following admission events for prospective families for the 2025-2026 school year:

KINDERGARTEN READY COFFEE & CONVERSATION

— Jan. 9 from 9 to 10 a.m.

— SJES reading specialist Nell Lawrence, SJES kindergarten teacher Laura Harmon, SJES Director of Curriculum & Instruction Rachel Sirene and SJES pre-kindergarten teacher Dawn Dinklocker will provide tips to help prepare your child for kindergarten. Adults only, please. RSVP required.

PRESCHOOL POP-IN

— Jan. 17 and Feb. 21 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

— Prospective students and parents can experience the joy of preschool! Children must be ages 2 to 4 by Sept. 30, 2025, to be eligible for Preschool Pop-In. We'll have music class, story time with a craft in the classroom, and unstructured playtime. RSVP required.

OPEN HOUSE

— Jan. 23 from 5 to 7 p.m.

— SJES will open its doors to prospective families to see classrooms, ask questions and meet teachers plus our chickens and trout! RSVP required.

We hope you will share this schedule of events and the many wonderful aspects of our School with anyone who may be interested in joining the Saint James’ family.

Contact Saint James' Episcopal School at office@saintjamesepiscopalschool.org.

Click here to view the December 2024 quarterly newsletter.