The Saint Jarlath Philosophy
As a community of faith, St. Jarlath School strives to provide an educational environment that develops the whole human person in relationship to God and others. While acknowledging that parents are the primary educators of their children, we strive to form an active partnership between home and school. The faculty, parish staff, and parents work together to motivate our students to develop their full human and spiritual potential. Our goal is that all St. Jarlath students will become increasingly responsible for their own faith life, learning, behavior, and future.
Academic and Spiritual Life
St. Jarlath school is a place where learning is an active, joyful process of discovery -- where students are the primary agents in this process, not just passive observers. Our school prides itself in the following:
• A diverse, well qualified and dedicated staff
• Small class sizes / One Classroom per grade
• Interdepartmental learning in Jr. High
• Emphasis on Christian values
• Monthly student lead prayer opportunities
• Computers in every classroom and a computer lab
• Service Learning Projects
• Art, Music, and Physical Education
• An expansive and secure building
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Extending our Reach
Being a Christian school, St. Jarlath has always been conscious of the need to connect students academic lives to the world that they inhabit. Through community service projects, the opportunities to reach out beyond the classroom are not only abundant, but are fundamental to the mission of our school.
Our students actively participate with many charitable organizations throughout the Bay Area, the nation, and in other countries around the world.
• Individual classroom initiated fundraisers
• Community Outreach
• Catholic Charities
• Two classes sponsor children in Sri Lanka and
Guatemala each year through the
• Christian Children's Foundation
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Whole Child Curriculum
We believe that there is more to education than just academics. Our staff strives to cultivate each individual child's strengths and talents by offering a well rounded curriculum that inspires, engages and fosters personal and spiritual growth.
• Student Council: Our Student Council Representatives attend a Diocesan sponsored leadership camp during the summer to prepare for their service.
• Traffic Patrol: Many of our 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students assume responsibility on our award winning traffic patrol squad every morning and afternoon.
• Music Program: We have a school Choir, an Honors Choir who have produced two CDs, and a four part recorder choir.
• Art Program: Our students are yearly participants in the Lillian Black Festival of the Arts at Bishop O'Dowd High School.
• Athletics Program: Students may participate in boys and girls basketball teams, girls volleyball, cross country track team in the fall, and track and field in the spring.
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Beyond St. Jarlath
One of the best measures of a school is its graduates. Ours are creative, caring, intelligent, motivated, and spiritual people. They have a sense of community, and an even stronger sense of their academic life goals. At St. Jarlath, we pride ourselves on building a strong educational foundation for high school and beyond.
All of our graduating students go on to Catholic or college prep high schools throughout the Bay Area.
• 75% of graduating students remain on high school
honor rolls.
• 90% of St. Jarlath students go on to four year colleges
• Several St. Jarlath graduates have become UC Berkeley Bill Gates Scholars, obtaining full 4 year scholarships.
• Several graduating students receive "A Better Chance" scholarships each year.
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Who was St. Jarlath?
St. Jarlath was a priest and bishop who lived in Ireland in the late 5th to early 6th Centuries. Records indicate that he was born about 445, and died on the 26th of December, 540. Legend has it that he was very "humble and child-like in nature". Further stories indicate that as a young priest, he was instructed to go out into the countryside in the west of Ireland and preach the word of God. His bishop told Jarlath that when his wagon broke down, that was where he was to stay. Jarlath did as he was told, and headed to the rugged land of western Ireland. When his wagon wheel broke, he established a church and a school in what is now the Diocese of Tuam in County Galway. Ruins of "Temple Jarlath" which date to the 13th Century can still be found in the village of Tuam, not far from the still flourishing "Jarlath College" named in his honor.
Jarlath was well known for his personal holiness as well as his commitment to education. His symbol is a broken wagon wheel; his feast day is celebrated on June 6.
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