Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT SCHOOLS MAKE UP SAINT JOHN PAUL II CATHOLIC ACADEMY?

Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy is made up of three campuses – Columbia, Lower Mills and Neponset. SJP2CA is a legacy school of St. Angela, St. Ann, St. Gregory, St. Mark, St. Kevin, St. Margaret, Blessed Mother Teresa, St. Peter, and St. William.

WHAT AGES DO YOU SERVE?

We serve students from Preschool (age 2.9) – Grade 8. We serve Toddlers at our Columbia Rd campus only. Our diverse and welcoming Academy represents 30% of Catholic elementary school students in Boston.

ARE ALL THE STUDENTS CATHOLIC?

Over 50% of our students are Catholic. The teachings of the Catholic Church and its traditions make up the foundation of our school. Over 25% of students are from other religions. We embrace this religious diversity and believe it enriches our program and our school. Our students attend monthly Mass and celebrate Holy Days together.

DO YOU OFFER PRESCHOOL AND EARLY EDUCATION? DO YOU ACCEPT VOUCHERS?

Yes, and yes!  Our early childhood program is part of the highly regarded Lynch Foundation Early Childhood Project. The program serves age 2.9 to K1 at our three campuses, Columbia, Lower Mills and Neponset and toddlers at our Columbia campus only.

Our early childhood program features:

  • A safe, nurturing, structured, faith-filled environment.
  • Classrooms that support social and emotional growth and competence for young learners.
  • Trained teachers guided by the OWL (Opening the World of Learning) curriculum to help students develop language and early literacy skills.
  • Free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs
  • Before and after school programs

EEC Vouchers are accepted for students in the Early Childhood Program.

And our students are exceptional! Ninety percent of our Kindergarten students score “ready” to “highly ready” on their First Grade Readiness Assessment!

WHAT ARE THE TEACHERS AT SJP LIKE?

We have over 90 full time teachers at the academy and all are licensed by the State of Massachusetts. Over 10% of our staff have been educating children for over 20 years and over 30% have earned their Master’s degree. All of our teachers participate in over 30 hours of professional development a year. Our early education teachers receive continued coaching and professional development through the Lynch Foundation.

IS FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE?

Financial Aid is available to families that demonstrate need. Over 50% of our students receive financial aid. Click here for more information about financial aid.

HOW ARE PARENTS INVOLVED?

Teachers work collaboratively with families to ensure the best environment and education for their child. To keep parents more involved in the school community, the Academy has Parent Corps. The primary objective of the Parent Corps is threefold:  to enhance the overall student experience, to encourage parent and family involvement, and to establish the Academy as an integral member of the Dorchester and greater Boston communities.

ARE THERE EXTENDED DAY, VACATION AND SUMMER PROGRAMS?

Yes, we offer extended day, vacation and summer programs. Extended Day offers before and after school programming. In before school, early drop off is available at 6:30 am and is $8 per day. We offer an after school day program that runs each day until 6:00 pm.  More information can be found here.

We have a full day arts program during February Vacation that is open to all students from preschool to grade 8.

During the summer we offer a full week arts program in late June as well as our eight week Summer Program. The summer program consists of morning academic blocks pertaining to Math and Language Arts, focusing on the curriculum for the grade the student will be entering in the fall. Afternoon sessions are full of enrichments.

WHAT TIME DOES SCHOOL START AND END EACH DAY?

For Preschool – Grade 8 the school day begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m.

Toddlers school day begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m.

WHAT IS THE FACTS MANAGEMENT PAYMENT PLAN SYSTEM?

All families at Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy should have a FACTS account. Click on the link below to access your account or create a new account. – FACTS Online

Please visit the FACTS frequently asked questions page here:

https://factsmgt.com/parent-resources/payment-plans/

IS THERE TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO GET STUDENTS TO SCHOOL?

Student transportation will be provided by the Boston city school district for those students who meet the guidelines for eligibility for the transportation requirements. For questions regarding transportation, please contact your campus office.

DO YOUR STUDENTS WEAR UNIFORMS?

Yes, our students wear uniforms at Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy in all grades. Our uniform supplier is Collegiate House and the school code is SJPA.

WHERE DO SJP STUDENTS GO AFTER 8th GRADE?

The class of 2022 received 100% acceptance to a high school of choice and over $2.3 million in financial aid rewards. On average, 70% of the Academy’s Grade 6 students are accepted to Boston exam schools. Last year, 94% of our students went on to attend Catholic High Schools. The other students attend Public Schools, Exam Schools, Charter Schools and Independent Schools.

The Academy is a legacy school of St. Angela, St. Ann, St. Gregory, St. Mark, St. Kevin, St. Margaret, Blessed Mother Teresa, St. Peter, and St. William parishes in Dorchester, MA.