A TRADITION OF
FAITH, EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY

From the Desk of Mr. Stith

Dear Saint James Families,

I hope you enjoyed a relaxing fall break! Thanks to the dedication of our teachers, staff, students, and families, we’ve begun this year on a strong and hopeful note. I also want to thank you for the warm welcome I’ve received in my first months as principal. I am quickly learning that SJS is a very special place, and I am grateful to be a part of it!

We have had a very active first quarter! We hosted more than 300 people for our Grandparents’ Day luncheon on September 30 – it is wonderful to be a part of such a supportive community. In addition, our sports teams are off to a great start. Cross Country and Middle School Girls’ Basketball have been competing and our boys’ basketball teams have started practicing for their season, too. We are also kicking off our VEX Robotics extracurricular program and I am anxious to see how many students get involved and how well they will compete locally! 

I am also excited to share some awesome news from our classrooms. According to our most recent MAP testing, 72% of our students scored in the Proficient/Distinguished range for math and 70% in reading—outperforming the state average in both areas. These results highlight the hard work of our students, the commitment of our staff, and the unwavering support of you, our parents and families. 

As we move into the second quarter, please mark your calendars for these upcoming events:

  • Veterans Day Celebration: Thursday, November 6 at 8:30 a.m.
  • Wax Museum & All Saints Day Presentation: Wednesday, November 12 
  • Friendsgiving Lunches: Parent/student lunches by grade level throughout November (details to come)
  • Discover SJS: Thursday, November 20 & Friday, November 21 (there is information included in this newsletter about this admission event, please share it with families who may be interested in SJS!)

As the school year marches on, I want to sincerely thank you for your continued partnership with SJS. We are truly blessed to walk with your family in this journey of faith and learning. Please know my door is always open if there is any way we can better support your child academically, spiritually, or personally. 

I look forward to what the rest of the year has in store for us!

Best regards,

Mr. John Stith
SJS Principal