The Graves Family Early Education Center
The Pelican’s Nest
Our Nest program is specifically designed for our youngest community members and focused on developmental milestones and pre-academic skills appropriate for children ages 12 months to 3 years. At the Nest, our teachers encourage students’ curiosity, nurture the whole child and ensure Nest graduates are fully prepared to enter our day school.
Our unique campus gives us the opportunity to have learning spaces geared specifically to our early childhood students that focus on age-appropriate, student-centered learning. These dynamics allow students to deepen their social and emotional development, enjoy a safe, joyful, and engaging classroom, and contribute to the larger school community, all right here in the heart of downtown Baton Rouge.
Learning at the Nest
Using purposeful play and meaningful exploration, our Nest students learn to be curious and inquisitive. From growing corn in our community garden and learning about the life cycle of plants to music and movement classes that encourage sensory-based learning, our rich classroom environment ensures that each child can grow, learn and thrive. Through interaction with our highly engaging curriculum, the Nest children enjoy a loving learning environment that allows them to spread their wings and grow towards readiness for lifelong learning.
Our play-based curriculum supports social and emotional development, gross and fine motor skills, language development, and cognitive skills. We offer individualized learning opportunities and support services that ensure that each student grows and develops at their own pace.
PreK-3 & PreK-4
At St. James Episcopal Day School, our PreK program is designed to nurture the whole child—academically, socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Serving children in PreK-3 and PreK-4, our classrooms provide a warm, engaging environment where children are known, valued, and encouraged to become confident learners. Through hands-on experiences, purposeful play, project work, and meaningful relationships with teachers, children develop the skills, independence, curiosity, and love of learning that prepare them for a successful transition to Kindergarten and beyond.
Our PreK students learn by doing, questioning, exploring, creating, and sharing their ideas. Project Work gives children opportunities to investigate topics that spark their curiosity and make meaningful connections across the curriculum, while our dedicated teachers intentionally build early literacy, mathematics, science, communication, problem-solving, and social-emotional skills into each day. Beyond the classroom, children have opportunities to explore their interests through our SPARK Studio, an innovative space designed to encourage creativity, collaboration, experimentation, and hands-on discovery. PreK students also participate in enrichment classes that expand their learning through experiences in areas such as Art, Music, Library, Spanish and Physical Education.
With beautiful learning spaces and an inspiring outdoor environment, St. James provides a rich and joyful learning experience where children are encouraged to wonder, explore, and discover. Most importantly, our teachers build strong relationships with each child and partner closely with families to ensure every student feels known, loved, and supported. At St. James, we believe these early years are the foundation for a lifelong love of learning—and we are honored to help each child begin that journey.
Click HERE to view the Louisiana Department of Education Child Welfare and Safety Standards.
