Millstadt, Illinois

St. James Catholic School

Where faith and education unite

 

Student Handbook

Explore our handbook

Volunteer Requirements

Safety Information

Meet our staff

Learn more about our amazing staff!

Location

412 W Washington

Millstadt, IL 62260

School Hours

M-F: 8am – 4pm

Phone & Email

618-476-3510
principal@stjamesmillstadt.com

Christmas Break

11:30 Dismissal on December 20, 2024

Students return January 7, 2025

Run with Heart

5k/10k, Fun Run, & Wellness Fair

Our Principal

I am honored to serve as your principal and am committed to supporting our students, staff, and entire school community. With 21 years of experience in education, I began my teaching career in Granite City after earning a degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Illinois. I’ve taught in various roles, including as a classroom teacher and blended pre-K instructor, and have continued my professional growth with a Master’s in Teacher Development, Principal Certification, and a Learning Behavior Specialist certificate.

My husband and I are proud parents of two children, Lucy and Benjamin. Our family’s passion for education fuels my dedication to creating a safe, respectful, and engaging environment where every student can succeed.

At St. James, we are committed to high standards and fostering a culture of learning and respect. My door is always open, and I look forward to getting to know each of you better throughout this school year. Together, let’s make 2024-2025 a year of growth and achievement for all!

Our Mission & Vision

The mission of St. James Catholic School is to provide a superior educational program for students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. We proclaim the love of God by word and action through teaching, prayer and community service. We strive to meet the spiritual, intellectual, physical, social, moral, emotional and technological needs of our students and challenge them to work to the best of their abilities.

Welcome and thank you for your interest in St. James Catholic School!

Since 1941, St. James has provided a high-quality, Catholic faith-based education to students in Millstadt and the surrounding areas. With a rigorous academic curriculum, dedicated teachers, a strong athletic tradition, and a supportive community, St. James is truly a special place for learning and growth.

We invite you to explore our website and schedule a visit to discover more about our school’s commitment to faith, academic excellence, and diversity.

Our admissions process is designed to give prospective students and their families the opportunity to learn about St. James, while also allowing us to get to know each family. We accept applications each spring for fall enrollment. Admission is based on factors such as academic ability, student motivation, and parent involvement.

Our admissions team looks forward to meeting you, answering your questions, and guiding you through the application process. Enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year is now open. Please see here. for more information.

“St. James Catholic School, in partnership with the parents, will develop informed, critical thinking learners through the use of progressive technology and innovative learning tools.”
The Hardware!
  • All students Kindergarten through 8th grade have access to a chromebook or tablet for their own use. 
  • Each classroom is equiped with Smartboards in each classroom that are used to deliver interactive lessons to the students.                           
  • Our goal is to expose our students to a wide variety of technology so that no matter what the future brings, they are prepared with the fundamental skills to deal with the latest devices and operating systems.
The Software!
  • Google Apps for Education – this is the backbone of our email system, our cloud-based storage and a huge source of educational apps that are being used on the Chromebooks.Accelerated Reader (AR) – we use this web-based system to promote reading exercise and also track students’ reading progress for all grades.
  • IXL – similar to AR, IXL is a web-based mathematics application that allows the students to practice their math skills both at school and at home.
  • Houghton Mifflin – Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) has been a standard in St. James classrooms for years.  We’re taking that to the next level now with their web-based lesson plans and testing to leverage the power of the technology that we’re delivering to the students and teachers in our 1-to-1 Technology Program.
  • Fast Direct –  this is a school management tool that we use to report grades, track attendance and monitor other various student activities.
  • Other – beyond the core programs mentioned above, our teachers are using a number of other applications to deliver a technology-rich education to our students.  We are a progressive school.  We encourage the teachers to research and test new technology in the classrooms where it benefits the students.  And we encourage the students to use the power of their technology and the internet to enhance their educational experience.
  • Note to parents – all internet content is monitored and filtered while connected to the internet through the STJ network.  For more information on our IT policies, feel free to contact the principal or anyone on the technology committee.
  • Fastt Math – is a must-have solution for all students in Grades 2 and beyond, both those who are accelerating their acquisition of math facts as well as those who are struggling to catch up.

 

There are a variety of education programs intended to enhance the education of the students.

  • Resource teacher
  • Before and after school care through our Early Childhood Center
  • Accelerated Reader Program –  All students in grades 2-8 participate in this program as part of their classwork.
  • Advanced Algebra Program –  Eighth grade students who wish to enroll in this class must be recommended by their current math teacher. The math teacher and the principal will discuss each candidate’s abilities. The standardized test scores, previous performance in math classes, and willingness to work will be considered in selecting students for this class. 
  • Altar servers: Students in grades 4-8 are encouraged to be altar servers.
  • Book Fair: All students may purchase books at one or two book fairs through the course of the year.
  • D.A.R.E.: Students in grades 5-8 participate in this drug abuse resistance program as part of their class work.
  • Ecology Club: Students in grades 5-8 may participate in the planning of Earth Week and other activities.
  • IXL Math: All students in grades 4-8 participate in this program as part of their classwork.
  • Reflex Math: All students grades 2 and up participate in this program as part of their classwork.
  • Junior Achievement: Students in grades 2-8 may participate in this program as part of their classwork, depending on the availability of volunteer teachers.
  • Liturgical choir: All students may sing in the children’s liturgical choir.
  • Math Contests: Students in grades 6-8 are eligible to participate in these intramural competitions. 
  • MCS Band: Students in grades 5-8 may choose to participate in this cooperate program with Millstadt School.
  • National Geography Bee: All students in grades 5-8 are eligible to participate in the school geography bee; the winner of the bee progresses to higher levels of competition.
  • National Spelling Bee: All students in grades 5-8 are eligible to participate in the school spelling bee; the winner of the bee progresses to the next level of competition.
  • Reading Club: Students in grades 3-8 are eligible to participate in this after school program.
  • Safety Patrol: Students in grade 8, and occasionally grade 7, are eligible.
  • Scholar Bowl: Students in grade 6-8 are eligible to participate in these intermural academic competitions.
  • Science Club: Students in grades 2-8 are eligible to participate in this after school program.
  • Speech Meets: Students in grade 6-8 are eligible to particpate in this intermural academic competition.
  • Student Council: Students in grades 4-8 elect two students to represent their class on the council. Any student in grades 7 and 8 may choose to run for student council office as president, vice-president, secretary, or treasurer.
  • Writing and Art contests: Various grade-specific art and writing contests are available to all students at different times throughout the school year.
  • Yearbook: Students in grades 5-8 may choose to assist in writing the school’s yearbook.

 

We are in search for a PSR director. If interested please contact our parish office.

Students

Student to Staff Ratio

v

stay in the know

We utilize a program called, Flocknote, to communicate between families and school. Sign up or click the link to login!

Non-Discrimination Statement

St. James School is committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for all students, staff, and families. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or religious beliefs in the administration of our educational policies, admission policies, scholarship programs, or other school-administered programs. Every member of our community is valued and respected, and we strive to provide an equitable and supportive environment for all individuals to thrive.