Day School

Humanities & Language Arts

St. James offers a rich curriculum that builds the necessary literacy and critical thinking skills students will need for success in middle school and beyond. From fostering strong independent readers and skilled writers to teaching analytical and creative thinking in social studies, teachers use a variety of methods to guide students to become strategic, independent readers and critical and creative thinkers.

In the primary grades, teachers use a flexible, guided reading approach where students develop strong reading skills in small groups, using a variety of leveled fiction and non-fiction texts to become strategic, independent readers. In grades 3-5, the instructional focus in reading shifts to the development and application of core reading comprehension skills through whole class, small group, and independent reading, including novels, short stories, poems, informative articles, and historical texts. Students at the upper elementary level are taught to read, analyze and compare multiple texts on the same topic. Classroom libraries, the school library, and digital texts provided in partnership with the East Baton Rouge Public Library provide students with a host of choices to explore their world and develop their digital literacy skills.

In grades Pre-K 3 through 5th, the social studies curriculum is primarily concerned with developing each student’s awareness of self and his or her place in our ever-changing world. Content is drawn from the basic social science disciplines of history, geography, economics, and sociology and integrated into other curricular areas through project-based and hands-on learning. Students learn about historical figures for Famous Americans Day, create an Abraham Lincoln portrait in the 1st grades’ America and Its People unit, and discover their world during our Me on the Map geography project.

Math & Science

A strong foundation in math and science is essential for 21st-century learners. Our teachers help their students become mathematically proficient by encouraging them to engage in the math practices of explaining their math reasoning, attending to precision, using mathematical models and drawings, and persevering with problem-solving attempts. Our math curriculum addresses both the math content and the math practice standards.

Our teachers help students acquire new math skills and concepts through structured, hands-on learning activities. Through the use of Singapore math strategies and other problem-solving techniques, students learn to apply their math knowledge to problem-solving situations. Students at all grade levels are encouraged to use mental math techniques, along with calculation skills, to demonstrate their math proficiency. 

Children are naturally deeply curious about the world around them and eager to investigate. Our science program encourages students to ask questions, observe, reflect, collaborate, and think expansively about their world and their place within it. Through classroom inquiry and project-based learning, students explore science topics through hands on learning.

Technology at St. James enhances students’ hands-on creativity and ability to innovate, problem-find, and problem-solve. From coding and robotics to virtual reality Mobile Immersion Labs, we integrate leading-edge technology into the classroom to enhance learning and empower students to explore, examine and create, preparing them to be problem solvers at school and throughout their lives.