Welcome

 Mission

The Mission of St. John Academy in McLean, Virginia is to answer the call of the Church to support parents in the education of their children. St. John Academy teaches the Faith, as it is found in Sacred Scripture, as well as in the tradition and teachings of the Catholic Church, and provides the necessary academic instruction to teach the skills that illuminate and enrich the students' knowledge.

top

 History

Located in the heart of McLean, Virginia, St. John Academy has welcomed students and families from Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. for more than 50 years.

St. John Academy provides children in pre-school through eighth grade with a Catholic education rooted in the rich tradition of academic excellence and spiritual formation reflected in the school’s motto, “Faith, Knowledge, and Joy” – the three virtues that epitomize our approach to education. We are committed to educating the whole child in mind, body, and spirit, and give our students a variety of opportunities to build and develop their spiritual lives, as they grow closer to Christ. Our thorough diocesan curriculum for all grade levels challenges students to meet benchmarks and gain the critical, relevant skills they need to develop their individual potential, and reach new levels of success in an ever-changing world.

Founded in September, 1954 as St. John’s School, the campus originally consisted of a main building with five classrooms. It first opened its doors to 150 elementary students in Kindergarten through Grade 4. Additional grades were added over the next few years.

In 1956, the main school building was expanded to meet the needs of the school’s rapidly growing, enthusiastic student population. Enrollment continued to increase and, by 1961, it became necessary to expand facilities again with an additional building then called the Primary Building. In 1987, our pre-school program was launched, and the Primary Building was renamed the Guardian Angel Building. This building features a gym, and spacious rooms for parish and diocesan activities. St. John Academy also features a fully furnished music room, library, resource and enrichment rooms, a computer lab with fully networked computers for student research, and ActivBoards — interactive whiteboards — in every SJA classroom.

Today, our school population at St. John Academy consists of a single class for each grade – from pre-kindergarten, through eighth grade. And our progress continues, thanks to the commitment to quality education demonstrated by our pastors, faculty and staff, and the dedication and generosity of our parishioners, and parents.

top

 Vision

Our vision centers on our commitment to excellence. At St. John Academy, we believe that academic excellence and spiritual formation complement one another and are key ingredients to successfully educating the whole child in mind, body, and spirit. Our commitment to excellence centers on the well-founded belief that our students must be equipped with skills, habits, and strategies that will make them successful now, at the next level, and beyond. We challenge our students to think critically and analyze information to make better decisions in the classroom, and in life.

top