To accomplish St. James mission statement, the school has adopted a philosophy that focuses the student experience around the following areas:

Roman Catholic Foundation
Academics/Curriculum
Spiritual Development
Intellectual Development
Personal Development
Social and Physical Development

Outlined below is further information about each area of focus. Together, the teachers, administration and parents of St. James school strive to give each child an opportunity to flourish in an environment that will educate and enrich their lives.

Roman Catholic Foundation. We believe it is our responsibility to provide our students with a sound foundation of Catholic beliefs based on structured religious studies, as well as to witness the Good News of the Gospel through their daily experiences. Our emphasis is to teach as Jesus did, leading by example, seeking the goodness within and the gift of each individual. We strive to create a climate that reflects the inclusiveness of the family of God through prayerful worship, reverent respect for each individual, and the awareness of God's presence in each other and all aspects of our lives.

An integral aspect of St. James' identity is the awareness of our responsibilities to the community-at-large. Through active participation in community service, we, as teachers, lead our students to understand that our commitment as Christians is a witness lived, as well as a witness spoken. By this process of integrating word and deed, our aim, together with their parents, is to help the students to be "other oriented " and thus grow as a concerned, selfless human being. In offering service for the benefit of the human family, we focus on the concept of community responding to it as a reality to be lived.

Academics. We believe that learning is a life long process in which students must ascertain to be risk takers, problem solvers, active learners, and skillful communicators. With this goal in mind, we are committed to providing each student with the stimulus to pursue knowledge through a balanced program of learning and self motivation, enabling him or her to strive for excellence, yet meeting the individual needs of each student. We view self-esteem and educational success as interdependent. Students must be challenged to reach their potential, whatever that may be. We, as teachers, are aware of the need to provide opportunities to develop higher order thinking skills, as well as creativity in the learning process. Combining both content and process learning in our educational program, the faculty strives to accommodate the learning styles and needs of the individual student.

Curriculum. The core curriculum of St. James is mandated by the Diocese of Trenton. This core is continuously revised and updated, based on an analysis of student performance and need. Curriculum committees evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum by student progress, current trends, and the integration of the content areas. Recommendations are made to the administration according to the committee's findings. Changes are then implemented through study and discussion, the adoption of new textbooks, faculty in-service, and diocesan and professional workshops.

Listed below is the full curriculum offered by St. James. The curriculum meets all Federal and State requirements and is reviewed diligently by the principal and faculty of St. James.