Christian Experiences at JA

Middle and Upper School Chapel

JA’s Chapel is a monthly worship event that is planned and facilitated by a student-led, faculty-supported Spiritual Life Leadership Team. Throughout the year, guest speakers, faculty, alumni, and students share messages of encouragement and hope with students, all relating to a theme selected by the Spiritual Life Leadership Team. Some chapels have a special focus, including Christmas, Black History Month, Easter, and Senior chapels. Upper School students are required to attend five chapel services per year, with additional chapel attendance being encouraged, while Middle School students attend all chapel experiences. Taught from a Christian perspective, chapel is designed to encourage and equip students to grow in their faith.

Spiritual Life Leadership Teams

A student-led, faculty-supported Spiritual Life Leadership Team makes decisions about chapel themes and programming. A Black History Month committee develops an extended chapel program for February, which focuses on the contributions of black Americans. 

Student Praise Team

Students with interest in serving through singing and playing instruments can audition for the Praise Team, which leads worship during Middle and Upper School Chapel.

Lower School Chapel

Students in the Lower School attend chapel once each month. Teaching in the Lower School’s chapel meetings interweaves ethics around a yearly theme — such as “Friendship” or “Live in Harmony” — chosen to appeal to younger children’s understanding of spirituality. Students attend each chapel service. Lower School educators lead the chapel services, with accompaniment from the Lower School music teacher and hundreds of eager young singers in the audience.

Bible Curriculum

Upper School students can choose Old Testament or New Testament as electives. Middle School offers a boys’ Bible elective in the fall and a girls’ Bible elective in the spring, both titled “Survey of the Old and New Testament.” Bible lessons and concepts are sprinkled throughout the curriculum in Preschool and Lower School. JA teaches Christian music starting in the K2 music program. Also, Preschool and Lower School students start their day with a Bible story, prayer, and praise songs every day during Morning Meeting. 

Bible Studies

Student and adult-led Bible Studies are offered for Upper School and Middle School girls and boys. Refresh is a Bible study hosted weekly during lunch in the Performing Arts Center for girls in ninth through twelfth grades. Bonded is a weekly study for ninth through twelfth grade boys to gather to hear messages from peers as well as outside guests and faculty members; it meets in the Learning Commons. Middle School Bible Study alternates between boys and girls every other week and meets on Tuesdays during lunch, with student, parent, faculty, and counselor support. A morning Bible study for sixth grade girls meets weekly as well.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes

JA offers an active chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which meets regularly on campus, having guest speakers and student speakers. The campus chapter collaborates with another independent school to offer a worship event that is attended by students from multiple schools.

Service

Students connect with Christian organizations through volunteer service. Each year, a Service Fair offers organizations an opportunity to show students the array of service opportunities available and to help them sign up for service. The school and student leaders arrange on and off-campus service opportunities throughout the school year. At JA, students are not required to serve to earn service credits. JA seeks to encourage students to develop servant hearts, growing into people who make service a way of life.

From the School Nurse and Counselor

School Nurse and Lower School Counselor Kathy Sheffield ’82 incorporates Christian values into the social/emotional lessons she provides to all K4 through fifth grade students. They talk about how God made all people differently, yet perfectly, and how each person can strive to be the best version of themselves.