St James Academy

3100 Monkton Road

Monkton, MD 21111

22 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on August 27, 2024

We spent a total of 4 years here. At the beginning, everything was great. They helped us through covid and my son was able to learn so much. However, I felt as a parent, I was not allowed to have my child there longer than school hours. In the last year and a half I felt personally attacked by the school and it became apparent that my son was no longer welcomed. Promises that were made by the teacher this year were never upheld. Communication was terrible and the school simply does a horrible job with active boys. The school diagnosed my son with a disorder which was completely out of line of them and kept telling me something was wrong with my child. My sons pediatrician was the one who recommended to change schools because he felt their diagnosis was out of line and that he was only having the isses because of how he was being treated at school. St. James even suggested I arrange for my child to be picked up by someone else since I was at the time up able to pick him up on the regular at normal pick up hours even though they supposedly have aftercare hours until 6pm. I was in denial when I heard such treatment in past years and those families ended up leaving before us. And then things really went down quickly all within a year and half. By December I was already ready to pull him out of school and I feared that they simply were not helping my child in anyway as they teased him for not finishing his school work at a decent time at school and I'm assuming was an embarrassment to have on campus and was not their ideal type of child to go to St. James. I'm just absolutely disgusted with how everything ended with the school. I was advised before we started there that they do not do well with boys there but we were so blindsided because we thought it was just their experience but our experience made me realize this is true.
Submitted by parent on January 04, 2023

This is my daughter’s second year at St. James Academy and she is thriving! The administration and teaching staff have been very dedicated to our family and the entire school community. Recently, we have been attending many events at the school and our daughter never wants to leave! She is developing this love of learning and it’s so exciting to witness. My wife and I could not be more proud to be members of this school community. The investment is worth it!
Submitted by parent on January 04, 2023

Post COVID and the new administration I would not recommend this school at all. They promised teacher assistants, after school programs and collaborative experience but have failed to uphold their commitments to a lot of families. And if you are dual working parents that expect the basic communications that come from public school instead of 2-3 hours a week plus 1-2 hrs per night for homework, this is definitely not for you.
Submitted by parent on October 12, 2022

I have two children that attended SJA. My kids are both very different and SJA was an outstanding experience for both. They were accepted to every local private high school to which they applied and were offered multiple merit based scholarships. They have taken the foundation built at SJA and have moved to high school with confidence, the ability to critically think/write, and are leaders in the classroom and on the field. They LOVED their time at SJA!
Submitted by parent on October 12, 2022

Our family is new to the St. James Community this year and we feel so lucky to have found it! Our children entered into grades in the Lower School and were warmly welcomed by new friends and their teachers. Academically, we've found that our children have been challenged, engaged, and love coming to school. The smaller class sizes allow teachers to differentiate instructor to meet the needs of every learner and our kids have jumped right into to extracurriculars like maker space club, after school soccer, tennis, the fall play, and Lego robotics.
Submitted by parent on October 12, 2022

Our family is so lucky to be part of the St. James Academy community. We began with two children in the Young Foxhounds program and PreK in 21-22, and our children have thrived! The teachers are nurturing, curriculum is engaging, and there are so many enrichment activities that take place throughout the school day and beyond. Furthermore, the parent community is extremely welcoming and the parents association and school do a great job bringing new families into the fold with other new or current families. We are grateful that our students get to attend school on such a beautiful campus surrounded by such a wonderful community of faculty, peers, and other families.
Submitted by principal on October 12, 2022

St. James Academy has truly been a wonderful experience for my daughter. She is thriving! Not only is she learning to make new friends, but she is also taking appropriate risks and developing a passion and a love of learning. I can't say enough good things about making her feel included as a new student and known. I can't wait to send my younger daughter to school at SJA!
Submitted by parent on June 09, 2022

Sadly, my child’s experience at St. James was negative and damaging. I reached out many times during the school year for help with a fellow student who was not only disruptive and proudly bigoted, but also bullying my child and others in their grade. Very minimal effort was made by the school to mediate the situation. There is a profound lack of diversity in the student body, staff, and teachers, and that is reflected in the lack of educational engagement with current events regarding race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. My child did not feel safe at St. James.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2022

Saint James is an amazing place that fosters learning, compassion and creativity. I have been nothing short of pleased after pulling my daughter from another school and sending her here. The education that you get here is a STEAL compared to other private schools. The campus is gorgeous and the teachers are extremely kind and professional. Highly recommend!
Submitted by parent on March 01, 2021

Saint James Academy has been such a great school for both of our children. Our daughter, who has ADHD and Dyslexia was very fortunate to have a great learning specialist (Mrs.Dewlin) at SJA , when she was in the lower school. Mrs.Dewlin worked tirelessly with our daughter and helped her learn valuable study skills, organizational skills, and most importantly, to advocate for herself. While the assistance the learning specialist provided was great, we did bring in an outside tutor 1x/week. Our daughter has had a very easy transition to high school, and was well prepared, earning straight A’s her freshman year. We can’t say enough great things about SJA! The faculty and staff are wonderful, and it has been a great place for our family. SJA has helped our children grow into good, upstanding citizens of the community. We are so thankful for this hidden gem!
Submitted by parent on January 17, 2020

St. James Academy has become a home away from home not only for our daughter but for our entire family. As a parent, there is nothing more comforting than pulling up to the school each morning and seeing my daughter being greeted by name and warmly welcomed to another exciting day of school. The faculty, administration, and fellow parents are alongside us on this journey through Eighth Grade. Our daughter feels the security that comes with such a close knit community. It allows her to feel comfortable taking risks and growing as a learner and a person.The incredible faculty really know my daughter - what motivates her, what excites her, when to gently push her towards a challenge. They recognize and celebrate her strengths while supporting her areas for growth. Communication between school and home is strong. My husband and I appreciate that our daughter's teachers keep us posted regarding her progress.Overall, we could not ask for a better elementary and middle school experience for our daughter. She is not only receiving an excellent academic foundation, but she is also given opportunities to discover her passions, grow as a leader, and impact her community, the impact of which will extend well beyond her 8th Grade graduation. Thank you St. James Academy! It is worth every penny of the investment! (The school is also great about working with families to make the tuition affordable!)
Submitted by parent on January 17, 2020

I could not ask for a better experience for my daughter. I cannot wait until my son is old enough to come to St. James. The community is so warm. As two working parents I love that I can still be involved in the community. We have watched the afterschool sports games and see the plays.... what exciting things to come!!
Submitted by parent on January 17, 2020

It has been several years since our child left SJA for another independent school. Here is my review, with some time and distance from the situation. It's hard for a child coming in late in the game (fifth grade, in my child's case) to assimilate easily. Most of the children have been together since K and try tight bonds are formed. My son experienced some not nice treatment from some of them over the three years he was there and he never built any great relationships, which is part of why we moved on in the 8th grade. We were thrilled with most of the teachers. He still talks about several of them and how great they were. There were a couple though who did NOT understand executive function deficits. This is something the school assured us they could handle when we placed him there. In one instance, my son used his snack money to purchase a pen from the school store because he couldn't find his pencil case and when he arrived at class with it, his teacher wouldn't allow him to do the classwork because it wasn't a pencil. I'm sorry.... but is it too much to ask to please just give my child a pencil? The real world doesn't even work this way. This teacher essentially ruined his 6th grade year. SJA CAN be a wonderful school under the right circumstances. But please think long and hard before placing a child there with any kind of learning disability, including ADHD. Some teachers handled it well, and I applaud them....the ones who didn't made it an absolutely horrible fit for our bright and curious child who deserved better. (and mine is not the first child I've heard of struggling there with this issue).
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2019

My daughter started preK at St. James Academy (SJA) in Monkton, Maryland last year and it has been an amazing experience for her and our family. Everything, from the breath taking scenery when you first arrive on campus, to the Head of School greeting every kid by name as they walk into school, to the limitless learning opportunities each student has at SJA is incredible. Even the drive to SJA through horse farms is calming in the morning and prepares my daughter for a day full of learning. In addition to all the fundamental classes you would expect at any school, my daughter also was introduced to Spanish and French. In preK She had the opportunity to go on 4 different field trips. I was lucky enough to go to a farm and the Baltimore Science Center with her. The learning and opportunities continue to grow this year in Kindergarten. The teachers are some of the most dedicated and loving people I have ever met. I couldn’t imagine trusting my child’s wellbeing and growth to anyone else. If you asked my daughter what the best part about SJA is, she would say the playgrounds of course, but also her SJA buddy. Younger students are paired up with older students throughout the year. The older buddies help the younger students with projects and tasks and the older students get an opportunity to work on their mentoring and leadership skills. This program has made my daughter feels like a rock star at school because older kids know her name and say hi to her in the halls and on the playground. Don’t forget about what goes on after school like girls scouts, clubs, and sports. As much as my daughter has gotten out of this school, I think I may have gotten out just as much. The support, sense of community, and friends I have already made with other parents is something that I have never experienced. If you ever have any opportunity to check out SJA I highly recommend it. There are always events open to public that people can attend like Halloween parties and Family events throughout the year. They always put the information on their Facebook page. I can’t wait until my youngest daughter gets to start there next year.
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2019

I could not ask for a better experience. St. James Academy is worth it!
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2019

Both of my children attended St. James Academy and received outstanding educations! I have been involved with this school for 25 years and it is a wonderful place for children!
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2019

We are so fortunate to be at a school that is so wonderful. My children are thriving, and it's because of the faculty and staff at SJA! They come home and share all of the opportunities they experience, and it's incredible to see their excitement and passion.
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2019

St. James Academy is truly a gem in the Baltimore area. The experiential, inquiry based approach makes learning come alive for the students. Our experience has surpassed our expectations. We considered several other schools in the area and feel so fortunate to have discovered SJA. The foundation students receive is second to none and prepares them for successes well into the future.
Submitted by other on September 29, 2019

The Academy was very welcoming to our family. I am so impressed with the opportunities given to each student.
Submitted by parent on June 14, 2017

SJA is an excellent place for kids to grow and learn. The campus is beautiful, the teachers are dedicated and experienced, and the curriculum is rigorous and challenging.