Our Mission

St. James the Less Academy forms students in collaboration with their parents by the model of Jesus Christ through a rigorous classical liberal arts education that cultivates the theological, intellectual, and moral virtues so they may persevere to meet their God-given potential to become mature, complete persons in service to the Church, their country, and society.

Our School’s Motto

Perseverantia perfecti: “Perfected through perseverance." 

Derived from James 1:4: “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete (perfect), not lacking anything” and James 1:12: "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

Perseverance is the key virtue to becoming a mature adult. Our students will face many challenges in life: Spiritually, academically, professionally, on the sports fields, in their relationships. Life has many seasons, many ups and downs, much adversity, and so a life well-lived crucially requires perseverance. And this is why perseverance is the central virtue of St. James the Less Academy. Perseverance is the key virtue instilled in parents, teachers, and students at SJL Academy. But perseverance is not a trait purely cultivated by our own efforts. Indeed, wholeness, holiness, maturity, completion, perfection, or excellence is not something we achieve without God. We have to desire excellence and must constantly start again and again in seeking it. We do this in imitation of Our Lord and with the grace of the Holy Spirit. We must continuously choose to run the race and run it well as God guides us in our path to the finish line. At SJL Academy, perseverance will be the inspiring watchword to help our students thrive and flourish on their journey to excellence.