Good evening, St. James Families,

I wanted to take a moment to tell you how excited I am to be afforded the opportunity to become a part of the rich tradition of educational excellence and deep faith formation here at St. James.  Having worked in the education field for 28 years, I have heard colleagues talk about the exceptional product St. James School produces and I am eager to add my experience in K-12 education to further enhance the great things the staff provides every child in this loving and caring school community.

As a product of a Catholic school upbringing, I know firsthand the power in faith formation and its importance in shaping the mental well-being of today’s youth.  With so many distractions and temptations in the world, it’s comforting to know that there are still institutions that stand for the golden rule, “Treating others the way you want to be treated.”  I am honored to be able to model our cherished beliefs on campus.

I want you to know that my immediate plan is to get to know each and every one of you.  I must admit that I am fairly good with faces but bad with names, so please don’t be offended if I have to ask you a time or two to repeat yours.  And I hope you will correct me if I happen to get your name wrong.  It will help me learn them faster if you do.  I plan to spend my initial days looking and listening around campus to get myself fully immersed in the school and its historical practices.  I pride myself on having an open-door policy and welcome any feedback you are willing to share with me about what you like about St. James School and any thoughts on areas we can improve.  

We will maintain a safe learning environment, one that is focused on stretching the academic abilities of every child no matter where they fall on the educational spectrum.  All the while, looking for opportunities for them to participate in co-curricular and extracurricular activities that spark their interest.  Faith formation and developing a personal relationship with God will be the foundation on which we will facilitate a fantastic educational journey.

Thank you again for this wonderful opportunity to work with you and your children.  It’s a responsibility that I take very seriously, and want you to know that I will care for every child as if they were my own.  May God continue to bless you and your family, and I look forward to getting to see you in person very soon.

In the Service of Christ,

John Stith

PS – For those transitioning to High School, I’ve spent the past decade working for Hardin County Schools.  If I can facilitate a campus visit or answer any questions about that district, please reach out, as I would be happy to assist (270-234-3627).