The St. James school system is well-known as one of the best schools in the area. Dedicated to constant improvement, St. James strives to raise salaries, update technology, and maintain their curriculum and facilities. 

Although St. James does not have the top salaries in the area, they are constantly looking for ways to improve teacher salaries. Recently, St. James voters passed a tax levy dedicated to raising teacher and support staff salaries, proving their commitment to their schools. The community’s commitment to continued excellence is what makes St. James Schools stand out from other area schools. 

Compared to other schools its size, St. James also has a phenomenal amount of technology. St. James has expanded e-mints classrooms, equipped with SMARTBoards and at least 10 computers, from grades 3-6 to cover 7th grade during the 2007-2008 school year, with plans to expand to 8th grade the following year. The high school features computer-related typing and business classes as well as classroom-sized labs available for checkout to language and other teachers. Libraries are equipped with online card catalogs as well as computers for research purposes. High school students in the tech program are trained to troubleshoot and repair a variety of computer issues in order to keep the technology running. Having lived in comparable small towns, St. James’s technology level is a testament to their “continued progress” mentality. 

St. James also strives to update its curriculum regularly so that it is viewed as “working” curriculum, rather than a bulky document placed on the shelf until next time curriculum is due. Course offerings are also revised regularly to fit the changing needs of the community. This year, the Missouri Reading Initiative (MRI) reading classes were expanded from the elementary level to include the middle school as well. Each student is required to take a reading class, and the focus is on improving reading for students of all ability levels. The long-term goal is to implement this program at the high school as well. The school system invested in MRI based on data that suggested today’s students are so involved in technology-related learning that they are becoming less skilled readers. In essence, school officials saw a need, and they made a change in order to meet this need. 

Finally, St. James Schools endeavors to keep their facilities updated as well. In the last ten years, St. James added an additional gym to their elementary school (which services grades K-5) and an entirely new middle school, which includes an NCAA-sized gym floor. The addition of these facilities has allowed St. James to host more area events both due to their expanded gym space and additional seating. 

The citizens of St. James have proved again and again that they believe in their school system, and are willing to contribute with their time and their finances to keep St. James Schools on the cutting edge. When it comes to your kids, it is hard to disagree with the current motto of the St. James Schools: “Learning: Whatever it Takes.”