Private School in Tampa, FL

St. Johns Episcopal Parish Day School:
St. Johns Episcopal Parish Day School in Tampa, Hillsborough County, is a primary, lower & middle school offering Pre-Kindergarten through 8th Grade programs. Your children’s education is the greatest wealth you can bestow on them and choosing the right school is the key to starting them on the right path. In today’s complex world, it takes a community of home, school, and church to raise our children. An excellent school such as St. John’s provides rigorous academics, inculcates a life-long love of learning, and weaves Christian values throughout the day and the curriculum. St. John’s encourages parental involvement and promotes a positive, safe, and nurturing learning environment.

Education Programs:
* Primary School program:  Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten
* Lower School program:  First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade & Fourth Grade
* Middle School program:  Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade, Seventh Grade & Eighth Grade

Pre-Kindergarten to Eighth Grade Curriculum:
The curriculum is designed to provide the types of basic academic and intellectual habits and skills required for success in secondary school, college and throughout life. During the year, aspects of our curriculum may be modified or amended, as required to meet the best academic interests of our students.
* Divinity:
Divinity classes are required of all students regardless of the nature of their religious faith. Christ’s two great commandments are central to the curriculum throughout all grade levels: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind…and love your neighbor as yourself.” All students participate in outreach projects each year that allow them to live out these commandments.
* English:
English is taught as an integrated, multi-faceted subject, in order to cover the special skills of and various aspects of English.

- Latin:
The Latin program in Forms VII-X initially teaches students to comprehend the Latin language through practice in reading Latin stories. Through this reading, they develop an understanding of the social and political history of the Romans, especially during the 1st century A.D. 

St. John’s Latin students also take part in the competitive regional and state Latin Forums, placing among the top handful of participating schools statewide. They also take the annual National Latin Exam, receiving some of the highest-level honors.

- Spanish:
Spanish is taught to all students in Forms I - VI. The program introduces basic linguistic structures, creates an "ear" and love for the language. A continuously growing vocabulary in Spanish comes through themes, greetings, numbers, colors, clothing, classroom objects, weather, holidays, and the alphabet. Grammar, initially contained in conversational patterns, becomes increasingly evident to students.

Hispanic culture and customs are learned through speaking, reading and writing. Reinforcement of spoken Spanish is accomplished through songs and music, puppets, games, stories, and dramatizations.

* History / Geography:
History as a specific course begins in Forms VI - VII, where students study American History. This course begins with the early settlers and ends with the Reagan Era.

Form VIII studies Geography with an attempt to familiarize the student with the location of the basic political structure and geographic features of the world. Specific cultures, regions, environment, and map skills are also emphasized. A Geography Fair offers students the opportunity to showcase their knowledge of foreign lands.

In Forms IX - X, the student returns to history to trace the roots of our religious, social, political and cultural institutions, and to learn to write a formal research paper. Form IX centers on Ancient History, while Form X focuses on World History.

* Instrumental Music:
This program provides students the experience of learning instrumental techniques and becoming musically competent and knowledgeable. Youngest students will learn musical notation, melody and rhythm through Orff instruments and instruction, and later on they play the recorder and may join ensembles.  Students who already play an instrument can be sectioned into after-school musical ensembles as interest and time allow.

In addition, there will be an inclusive program of after-school instruction in stringed instruments. A future objective is for student instrumentalists to take part in some of the School’s choral and musical performances.

* Mathematics:
Computation and concepts are emphasized at all levels. A great amount of drill and practice is necessary to fix the concepts and methods in the students' minds. Students graduating from St. John's will have covered Advanced Pre-Algebra or Algebra I, and some secondary schools will give Algebra I credit to our higher-scoring students.

* Penmanship:
St. John's teaches cursive script so that students can write legibly and repidly. Formal instruction begins in Form I and continues through Form VI. Older students are required incrementally to write and format their documents on the computer.

* Physical Education:
In their classes, Lower School students learn basic concepts of cooperative learning, fitness, and sports. Yearly advances in skills and stamina prepare students for the Middle School program and - for some - participation in athletic teams. For all students, personal fitness, sportsmanship, team work and leadership become increasingly important elements of development.

* Science:
Formal Lower School instruction begins in Form I and introduces basic science concepts and vocabulary. Classroom experiments, problem-solving techniques, increasing integration with mathematics, and a "hands-on" learning approach prepare students for the depth and complexity of the Middle School science program. Students in forms VII - X cover a comprehensive curriculum, embracing earth, life and physical science, leading to introductory physics and chemistry.

Daily classes are supplemented by frequent laboratory work, analysis, immersion in the scientific method, and extensive descriptive writing. Critical thinking skills are stressed. Our higher scoring students are often given high school credit for physical science. Students participate in regional and national competitions.