About Us

Saint James School is a private, Catholic, co-educational institution of learning fully accredited by Cognia and serves students aged 3 years through 8th grade. It is a vital, important ministry of the Church of Saint James and is administered and run by a dedicated team of faculty and staff members. Saint James School is part of the Metuchen Diocesan educational system and is subject to and bound by the general policies of the Diocese of Metuchen. Located in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, our school works closely with the administration of the Bernards Township school system and observes the regulations of the New Jersey Department of Education.

From its modest beginning in 1965 with 88 first, second, and third graders taught in the old Lee Mansion carriage house, Saint James School has progressively grown and currently houses 335 students in Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grades.  The present building was completed in the 1968-1969 school year.  In 1990, a gymnasium with two extra classrooms was built onto the existing school building, and, in 2013, the building was renovated to provide a more secure front entrance and administrative offices located on the first floor. In 2017, the school began a phased renovation program to update the gymnasium floor to hardwood, renovate and update the school's science center, upgrade all lighting to energy effecient LED lights, and renovate all bathrooms.

Saint James School currently has a faculty of 24 full-time teachers, a full-time guidance counselor, three part-time “specials” teachers, eight instructional aides, and a reading specialist. Our full-time teachers hold New Jersey teaching certification or its equivalent from another state. Several possess advanced degrees, and all our teachers pursue professional development opportunities for both academic and spiritual growth. Full-time nursing services are available for all students. Our students can purchase a varied lunch menu each weekday, which is prepared by our own in-house Food Program Coordinator, and an After-School Care program is available, which runs until 6:00 P.M. daily.

The mission of St. James School is to develop Christ-centered academic excellence in all of our students, and the entire St. James School community shares in this mission. SJS is blessed with an active and supportive Home School Association that works closely with the school administration to organize events and raise funds.