Dear Current or Prospective St. John the Baptist Catholic School Family,

A parent’s primary question about their child’s school relates to the content and quality of curriculum and instruction.  I often explain that we are able to take in the many effective and researched  qualities of the public education system and weave in our spirituality, creating a truly whole-child, comprehensive program.

St. John the Baptist Catholic School is affiliated with the Diocese of Santa Rosa which supports 13 Parish elementary schools in Northern California.  We are dually-accredited, receiving a 6 year term in 2007 from the Western Association of Schools (WASC) and Colleges and the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA).  We also celebrate a legacy of academic tradition in the Napa Valley for nearly 100 years.  Generations of alumni, many of whom remain in the area, can recall their roots in our corridors. 

St. John the Baptist Catholic School offers a standards-based core curriculum which is structured on the progressive and challenging California Department of Education subject-area content standards.  We are a site-based managed program, meaning the school is an educational ministry of our Parish and both are led by our Pastor.   Because we are site-based governed, we manage our finances, human resources, facilities and other aspects necessary for school functioning.  Our Curriculum Committee plays a critical and guiding role in all maters related to Curriculum and Instruction.  We choose and purchase our textbooks and instructional materials, which are standards-based to support our educational program.

St. John the Baptist Catholic School participates in a yearly, group, standardized test of academic achievement, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and our scores are above average, placing our students in the top 30% of the nation.  Our scores are not used to secure funding, for staff retention or student placement.  We use our scores to monitor programmatic effectiveness.  While we believe in the value of standardized testing, we also believe that a student is not defined by a test score.  Test scores cannot measure all that our students are taught and all that our students achieve at St. John the Baptist Catholic School. 

Our graduates are well-rounded, active participants in their community and solid in their academic education.  Our graduates are well-prepared to go on to the school of their choice, primarily Justin-Siena, Vintage and Napa High Schools. Many earn honor roll status, succeed in honors class, play team sports, perform in musical opportunities or gain spots in student leadership or campus ministry. 

Our staff is dedicated to the vocation of Catholic education.   They are highly-qualified and several hold graduate degrees.  Professional development is supported through local and national  continuing education opportunities. 

Our parent community is also committed to supporting our academic program, primarily through funding important co-curricular activities and by serving as active partners in the education of their children. 

St. John the Baptist Catholic School is a thriving, learning community thanks to the investment of hundreds of mission-dedicated stakeholders.  Should you wish to discuss the comprehensive program offered at St. John the Baptist Catholic School, I invite you to schedule an appointment with me.  I can be reached through my assistant, Stephanie Saunders (224-8388 x 101). 

In Peace,

Nancy Jordan

Principal