About SJS
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Welcome to St. James Schoolwhere we are keeping God in everything we do.
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Principal's Message
At St. James Catholic School, we understand that one of the most important decisions a parent/guardian will make is which school their child should attend in order to be successful. Our mission statement, “Keeping God in Everything We Do”, guides our curriculum, activities, and interactions with each other. Catholic education believes in the philosophy of development of the whole child: mind, body, and spirit. Our small campus allows your child to shine and not get lost in the crowd.
We invite our parents to be partners in their child’s education. To reinforce our “partnering with parents”, our strategic plan incorporates our entire school community: Principal/Pastor, School Council/PTC Officers, Faculty/Staff, Parents/Guardians, and Students in the goals and success of the school. A strong sense of community is created within our families.
Each child is challenged academically while helping them to realize their personal talents and self-worth. Our curriculum integrates current technologies and advancements into all subjects but also remains true to traditional subject matter that supports Christian principles. Our academic preparation of students continues to merit successful recognition, as evidenced by the high school success of St. James students. In addition, our students are provided opportunities to participate in service projects to teach them the importance of giving back to their community. We feel this builds strong character in children.
Here are some faith testimonies from the 2021-2022 graduating eighth grade class:
“Through my parents, pastor, and teachers, I have learned the importance of being a Catholic and how to live as Jesus did. My education at St. James has helped me realize that we are all made in the image and likeness of God.” Matthew Marek
“If it was not for family and friends, I would not be who I am today. Everyone and everything here helped me to learn and to grow in my faith. My faith journey and time at St. James Catholic School was truly amazing.” Angela Carbajal
“Service was an important part of my faith journey at St. James Catholic School. From a very young age, I remember our field trips to the nursing homes where we were able to participate in mass with the residents.” Will Dugi
Our dedicated staff invites you to visit our campus and “witness the difference” that a Catholic education can make for your child/children!
Janice Jessen
Principal
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About Us
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St. James School was built in 1850 and holds the honor of being “the oldest building in the state of Texas continuously used as a school.” It was built of stone and a new type of concrete which was more durable than the “dobie” common to the area. It was used as a male academy until the year 1876. At that time, a group of Jesuit priests bought the building and opened a seminary for young men under the name of St. Joseph’s. The facility sold in 1880 to the Incarnate Word Sisters, and they ran it as an orphanage and school. In 1929, St. James Church purchased the school, and it has been a parish school ever since. The Incarnate Word sisters continued to serve the school for a total of 120 years. The last Incarnate Word sister retired in 2000. In 1950, two additional classrooms were built as an extension of the original building. In 1962, the Historical Society awarded the medallion to the school. In 1973, as enrollment continued to increase, six new classrooms were built on the lot directly south of the original building. In 2003, the addition of the new Parish Family Center has added another three classrooms, new library, gymnasium, science lab, and meeting rooms to the campus.
A history can simply be a record of dates, or it can be a record of achievements. St. James Catholic School is proud to have recorded numerous achievements during its long history. Among them are the following: a committed faculty, relevant curriculum and innovative programs, the continued success of its graduates, the return of many graduates as parents of St. James students, and the support and commitment of the families toward a value-based Catholic education. Our school community looks forward to on-going achievement and development as an integral part of St. James Catholic Parish. We are proud of our past history and look forward to the future with enthusiasm.
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Keeping God in Everything We Do!
VISION
The vision of St. James Catholic School is to nourish the spiritual, intellectual, social, cultural, and physical needs of the whole child within a strong, Catholic, family-oriented environment. Our goal is to produce compassionate life-long learners, faithful stewards, and influential leaders for a diverse and changing world.
PHILOSOPHY
The philosophy of St. James Catholic School is to provide a God-centered environment in which the dignity of every person is respected, children learn and grow to be responsible members of the Christian community, and they become more Christ-like in their daily actions. Working in partnership with parents, the primary educators of their children, St. James Catholic School strives to meet the spiritual, intellectual, social, cultural, and physical needs of individual students and to prepare them to assume their roles as Christian stewards of the world today and in the future.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
To develop our students into intellectual communicators who are self-motivated, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners. To develop our students into productive citizens who will give service to their community, show strength of character, and serve as Christian role models. To develop students who respect all life, take pride in their appearance, and who recognize that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. To develop spirits who will be teachable and who will model Gospel values in their day-to-day interactions with others.
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Faculty & Staff
At the heart of an outstanding school is an exceptional faculty and staff. St. James Catholic School's faculty and staff members demonstrate mastery in their discipline/field of work and a true concern for each and every student. All of our 3k-8th grade teachers have university degrees and Texas Certification in Education. Six of our staff members hold master's degrees in the education field and one member of our staff holds a doctorate. Our faculty combined has a total of over 180 years of experience teaching and working with students.
Pastor
Fr. Stan Fiuk
PrincipalMrs. Janice JessenPK3
PK3 Aide
PK 3 and 4 ASC
PK4
Ms. Hillary Riojas
Mrs. Jessica Zinsmeister
Mrs. Diana Adame
Mrs. Chrissy Belicek
KindergartenMs. Pamela BarnettGrade 1Ms. Angela Zamzow Grade 2Mrs. Melissa Leopold Grade 3Ms. Amanda CrowGrade 4Ms. Megan Cisneros Grade 5Ms. Cindi Tyler Grade 6Mrs. Susan JasekGrade 7Mrs. Lo-Ra DickGrades 8 Religion, Grades 7-8 Social Studies, and Grades 6-8 MathMrs. Brenda AllenSpanish, 1st Grade Religion and 3rd Grade ReligionDr. Dana HermesPhysical Education / Athletic DirectorMrs. Raeann DealMusic and ArtMrs. Karen BaizeDIP (Dyslexia Program)Mrs. Paula SoukupCounselorMs. Belinda ArriagaAdministrative AssistantMrs. Jennifer Velez Preschool Director / Business ManagerMrs. Jennifer VelezLibrarianMrs. Shelley MarekPK3 Aide, Before & After School CareMrs. Ophelia Arce PK4 Aide, After School Care
Teacher Aide & After School Care
Health CoordinatorMrs. Matilda Espinoza
Ms. Kiara Anderson
Mrs. Charlotte Higley
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School Advisory Council
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The purpose of the School Council is, through the active participation of parents, to improve student’s achievements and to ensure the accountability of the education system to parents. Achievement of this goal is by making recommendations to Principal according to school policies.
We are blessed to have a group of parents who bring their talents and gifts to help achieve the mission of St. James Catholic School.
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Monica Dugi, President - contact
Leif Purcell, Vice President
Sheila Bolton, Financial Officer
Nivia Maldonado
Drew Engelke
Manuel Moreno
Mrs. Janice Jessen
Father Stanislaw Fiuk
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Parent Teacher committee
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The purpose of the Parent Teacher Club is to provide an avenue for parents to be more involved in the school. PTC's involvement is twofold: first, to foster an environment for parents to work and socialize together with a common goal - improvement of the school and secondly, to provide fundraising opportunities for the school in order to help keep tuition affordable for all.
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Erica Miller - President
Lee Ann Tumlinson - Vice President
Kristi Glenewinkel - Secretary
Scarlett Love- Treasurer
Amanda Jurisic - Parliamentarians
Mrs. Janice Jessen
Father Stanislaw Fiuk
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Contact
