A Message From Our Principal

Dear St. James Catholic School Families,

It is an honor to open the 2025–26 school year as the Principal of St. James Catholic School. As we begin this new academic year, let us always remember the importance of community, a cornerstone of our faith.

Our mission, as you may know, is to form missionary disciples of Jesus Christ by nurturing the desire for truth, goodness, and beauty that lies in the heart of each child. We are blessed with a fantastic faculty and staff who take great pride in their vocations as Catholic school teachers and educators. Our teachers strive to understand each child's individual strengths and interests.

It has always been my philosophy, rooted in our Catholic tradition, that parents are indeed the best and first teachers, entrusted by God with the primary role in their children's formation. Your unwavering commitment to nurturing their faith, values, and intellect at home lays the essential foundation upon which our school builds. Our job cannot be done without your incredible support, which is vital in building strong, collaborative relationships between home and school. These partnerships, grounded in shared faith and mutual respect, are indispensable as we work together to guide each child toward their fullest potential, both academically and spiritually. Our teachers and I look forward to deepening these relationships with each student and parent.

Because of this mission, we will be intently focused on ensuring that our curricular decisions are grounded in the Logos, Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, and the rich tradition of Catholic intellectual thought. We believe that a curriculum formed in the light of Christ, and incarnational pedagogy, not only informs the mind but forms the soul, helping our students see all knowledge as part of God’s greater truth. As C.S. Lewis wisely wrote, “Aim at Heaven and you will get earth 'thrown in': aim at earth and you will get neither.” Let us always aim for Heaven.

We are excited to announce a new addition to our school's daily schedule. To enrich our students' spiritual lives and ground our school day in faith, St. James’ students will be attending Mass on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

The daily Mass will begin at 8:00 am, with students returning to their classrooms by 8:30. We want to assure you that this change has been carefully planned to ensure that it will not impact students' arrival and dismissal times, nor will it reduce the instructional minutes for their core content classes. 

This change will allow our entire school community to begin each day with Jesus, setting a reverent and prayerful tone. We believe this daily opportunity will be a wonderful blessing for our students and staff. You can expect your child's teachers to provide a detailed daily schedule at the beginning of the school year to ensure you are fully informed of all classroom routines.

We are also thrilled to welcome some wonderful new additions to our faculty this year:

• Mary Ellen Raymo (Middle School Science and History):  Mary Ellen graduated from Benedictine College with a B.A. in Biology and History and will be pursuing her Master’s in Classical Education.
• Sr. Catalina Torres, M.S.P and Sr. Jessica Bernal, M.S.P:  Sr. Catalina and Sr. Jessica are Missionary Sisters Servants of the Word. They will be providing classes for Biblical Studies on Salvation History and Spanish. Additionally, they will assist with school retreats and other functions.

We know they will be incredible assets to our school community!

We are incredibly excited to welcome your children back to our bright and shining school! A huge thank-you goes out to Mr. Girard for his hard work making our floors gleam and the entire building ready for the new year. His dedication truly makes our environment welcoming.

This is sure to be a busy few weeks as we prepare for the year ahead. We hope to see you at our Back to School Party on Monday, August 18th from 5–7 PM. The PTO has done a great job organizing activities to help students and families get connected.

Important Update for Volunteering & Virtus Compliance

To maintain a safe school environment for our students, all adults who volunteer or visit the school when children are present must be VIRTUS compliant. This includes completing the Protecting God’s Children training and having an approved background check on file.

This requirement applies to all volunteers, including but not limited to:

• Classroom or school event volunteers
• Field trip chaperones
• Sports coaches
• Parents wishing to eat lunch with their child
   

We encourage all families to complete this before school starts on August 20.

To register, visit https://www.virtusonline.org, click First-Time Registrant, then select Kansas City - St. Joseph (MO) and follow the steps.

As always, I am deeply grateful for the support our parents show to our staff and school community. By working together, united in Christ, we will continue building a strong, faithful, and joyful learning environment for your children.

Please, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.

God Bless.

Ryan McDonnell, M.CL

Principal