Helping to sort books for the Little Sharing Libraries (L-to-R): Susan O'Hagan Marley, Grants Manager; Javvieaus Stewart, Director of Choral Music & Music Education; Janiyla, 4th grader; Cindy Vallier, volunteer and member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (Yardley); and Tristan, 8th grader, making the hand heart

“The Little Sharing Libraries will be very helpful for our community. It’s a like a free education. Youth need to be encouraged to read and this will help. This will give them more education.” – Kamajiah, 8th grader

In addition, students assembled hundreds of hygiene kits for donation to the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House founded by the late Dr. Audrey Evans, a co-founder of St. James School. Filled with items provided by the Church of St. Asaph, the kits will help families of patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Our School Culture Team designs the Martin Luther King Day of Service and Reflection for students, faculty, staff, board members, volunteers, neighbors and families. Led this year by co-chairs Susan Lapacinski, 5th grade teacher, and Kerianne DeLine, 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts teacher, the team designed the day to start with a prayer service and keynote address.

As keynote speaker, Amber Earls – author, poet, St. James Community Choir member, volunteer and professional Benefits Outreach Specialist – impressed upon the students the importance of having a dream and focusing on the process of reaching your dreams. She got everyone up on their feet to repeat with grand enthusiasm: “I’m here on purpose, because I have a purpose, and God is not finished with me yet. My best days are right in front of me, and my dreams are perpetually valid.”

Amber sang a few bars of a song she composed, then asked the audience to shout out their dreams. “Nurse!” “Pediatrician!” Art teacher!” “Win a Grammy!” were among the many. Amber advised us to stand as a community to reach our dreams. “Through community, look for things that validate your dreams, through your mind, body, and spirit. What you put in your body matters. Respect yourself as you get to your dreams,” she said.

A Community Reflection Circle followed the morning service projects. Inspired by Dr. King’s famous question, “What are you doing for others?” students were prompted to reflect on how the Little Sharing Libraries and hygiene kits will help others, how that makes them feel, and how they can carry forward Dr. King’s mission and the message they heard from the keynote speaker.

Tuesday is library day for all students at St. James School. Each grade has a half hour devoted to learning about books and selecting their choices for the week ahead. Library class begins with a discussion about the books the students have read over the past week. Based on that discussion, Librarian Rachael Stube and her team of volunteers recommend new books.

In her 10 years as our librarian, Rachael has overseen the growth of our collection from a few hundred books to over 7,000! Her current volunteers – Karin Crawford, Judith Van Buskirk and Robin Ayres – help her to select a monthly theme based on a genre, such as poetry, fiction, non-fiction, science or mysteries.

“The goal of the St. James Library is to love reading,” Rachael enthuses. “You never know which book is going to affect which student.”

The library's large selection of graphic books attracts students to Shakespeare, history and the classics. Students also look for books that inspire them as Black Americans, so Rachael ensures Black authors and illustrators are well represented, along with Black history and biographies of Black leaders.

The Library also supports specific areas of study. For instance, this year in English Language Arts the 7th and 8th grades are studying WWI and WWII. In response, Rachel has increased the number of books on both world wars.

Seventh grader Dylan says, “My favorite book this year, so far, is Treaties, Trenches, Mud and Blood, a graphic novel about WWI. It’s part of a series that I really love.”

Dylan also shared his enthusiasm for library class: “Having a person describe the different interesting categories of books really gets me interested in reading. At St. James, it’s really important to read. The more you read, the more they love it!”

If you’d like to donate a book to our library, see “How You Can Help” below for details.

A tradition since our first Advent service at St. James in 2012, the Festival of Lessons and Carols this year was a collaboration between the St. James music programs, the Church of Saint Asaph (Bala Cynwyd) and The Society of St. George. How wonderful it was to have a full church after several years skipped due to the pandemic!

The Festival is a service of Scripture and song that dates to the late 19th century. We listen to nine lessons which recount the Fall, the promise of a Messiah, the Incarnation, and the Great Commission to preach the Good News. Each is followed by a carol or other song and a prayer.

Under the leadership of Javvieaus Stewart, Director of Choral Music & Music Education, and The Rev. Andrew Kellner, School Chaplain and Rector of the Church of Saint Asaph, the program included readings from Scripture and Maya Angelou and musical pieces from historic, cultural, and local sources.

A group of our brass musicians played a German-inspired prelude under the direction of Band Director Allie Sinatra. Combined student and adult choirs sang a gospel-style piece called "Rejoice and Sing!" written by a Temple professor. Guests shared that they particularly enjoyed the opening and closing meditation, "As you go, Tell the Word," from the African American Heritage Hymnal.

The singers were beautifully accompanied by Organist Rasaan Hakiem and Percussionist Kimpedro Rtotheriguez. The evening ended with a festive dinner hosted by the Society of St. George in the Parish Hall, where fellowship and gratitude continued into the night.

Pews were full at the Church of Saint Asaph for Lessons and Carols

Our new mural, "The Seeds We Grow," was officially dedicated last month and blessed by The Rev. Andrew Kellner. The Mural Arts Philadelphia Education Team, St. James graduates and community members worked for weeks over the summer planning and installing the mural in the stairwell of our new Upper School building. Brad Carney, lead instructor, recognized the many students and interns who collaborated to produce the final product. The mural highlights the four houses of St. James – Benevolentia, Industria, Humilitas and Patientia – and incorporates the many winding stone pathways both physical and metaphorical that connect St. James to the world beyond our gates.

We did it! Thanks to 455 of you who donated to our Year End appeal, we surpassed our goals and met the challenge from Lori and Matt Espe – unlocking their $30,000 gift!

As donors, you help St. James NOURISH the development of each child’s intellectual curiosity and love of learning, and the God-given gifts of our entire educational community. Thank you for helping us to sustain our holistic approach grounded in transformative love, embracing families as partners, and supporting our graduates into adulthood.

total gifts (73 over goal)

new donors (10 over goal)

returning donors (63 over goal)

donated by check

states/one Canadian province represented

of staff wrote personal Year End notes

student thank you videos emailed