The Saints Scene: GRIT in Action

Saints Community,

As May continues, we find ourselves at the close of another school year. This season brings moments of celebration and reflection as we honor the graduating Class of 2026 and recognize our Northside 5th graders as they take their next step to the MSHS. These milestones represent years of hard work, growth, and perseverance, and they remind us of the bright futures ahead for our students.

Throughout our schools, we have continued to strengthen literacy instruction through the implementation of Arts & Letters (Grades 6–8), Wit & Wisdom, UFLI Foundations, and Functional Phonics. Our educators have embraced this work with dedication, and we are seeing encouraging progress in student learning. At the same time, the district continues its review of our math curriculum as we prepare to adopt a new resource for the 2027–2028 school year, look for more information around this process in the fall of 2026. This reflects our ongoing commitment to making student-centered decisions while being responsible stewards of district resources.

Beyond the classroom, our students continue to make us proud. From athletics to the arts to student organizations, our Saints consistently demonstrate teamwork, resilience, and pride. These experiences are an essential part of developing well-rounded, confident learners and contribute greatly to the vibrancy of our schools.

We are especially grateful for the strong partnerships that support our district. Families, local businesses, and community organizations play a vital role in the success of our students. Your support reinforces that educating children is a shared responsibility, and we are thankful to work alongside you in creating meaningful opportunities for every learner.

As we close out the school year, we want to extend our sincere appreciation for your continued trust, engagement, and support. It is truly an honor to serve the St. James community. We wish all of our students, staff, and families a safe, restful, and enjoyable summer.

Together, we will continue to listen deeply, lead purposefully, and grow together.

With gratitude,

Liam Dawson

Next week is the final week of the 2025-2026 school year. Below there are some general districtwide reminders about the final week.

On Thursday, May 28th, we have the opportunity to celebrate our Northside 5th Graders as they are "promoted" to the MSHS for completing their academic journeys at Northside Elementary.

On Friday, May 29th, we get to celebrate the Class of 2026 with graduation that begins at 7pm.

See the button below for the article on the Scholarship Assembly

Learn more about Title I at Northside Elementary School by clicking the button below.

St. James Public Schools is excited to share an update on our districtwide Mathematics Curriculum Review process. Over the past year, our Mathematics Steering Committee — made up of teachers, instructional leaders, and staff from across grade levels — has carefully reviewed instructional resources to identify programs that best align with our district’s Mathematics Vision, the Minnesota Academic Standards, and our commitment to engaging, student-centered learning.

After extensive evaluation, classroom review, and feedback from educators, the following curricular resources have been selected as finalists:

K–5 Finalists

• Bridges Mathematics
• i-Ready Classroom Mathematics

6–12 Finalists

• Kendall Hunt IM360
• CPM

These programs were selected because they demonstrate strong alignment to the district’s instructional priorities, including:

• Deep conceptual understanding
• Mathematical discourse and problem solving
• Student engagement and collaboration
• Fluency development
• Differentiation and support for diverse learners
• Coherent progression of skills across grade levels

During the 2026–2027 school year, St. James Public Schools will continue the review process by inviting curriculum vendors on-site to work directly with staff and provide deeper program demonstrations and professional learning opportunities. This phase of the process will allow teachers and instructional leaders to experience the resources more fully, gather additional feedback, and evaluate implementation supports prior to making a final recommendation.

The district anticipates making a final curriculum adoption decision during the 2026–2027 school year, with implementation planned for the 2027–2028 school year.

We appreciate the thoughtful work of the Mathematics Steering Committee and the continued partnership of our staff, students, and families as we work together to ensure high-quality mathematics instruction for all learners.

St. James Public Schools partnered with Panorama Education to gather insights from staff, students, and community. This fall students, staff, and families had the opportunity to complete a survey that covered the following areas: Cell Phone Policy Implementation, Cell Phone Policy Impact, and Staff-Family Relationships/School Climate/Sense of Belonging.

The district surveyed students, staff and families in April and at the time of publishing of the Saints Scene, the spring results had not yet been analyzed. Once analyzed, this Saints Scene will be updated with a link to the spring survey results. However, if you would like to see what the fall data looked like, you are welcome to click the link below.

Are you a SJM Spartans Fan? If so, the team store will remain open for orders.

Interested in learning more about what is happening in the Saints and Spartans Activities, look no further than "The Saints and Spartans Report"

Superintendent Dawson continues to host monthly Saints & Sips sessions, at Encore.

Saints and Sips has been an opportunity to connect with the community and talk St. James Public Schools. If there are topics you would like to be discussed for next years, Saints and Sips, please take a moment to complete the form to help generate ideas for the 2026-2027 School Year.

If interested in seeing a synopsis of previous Saints and Sips sessions you can click the red button below.

This summer, the roofs at both the MSHS and Armstrong will be replaced. Look for updates and progress on the district Facebook page.

All current student devices will go offline in 2029, so the district has established a work plan for a reasonable replacement cycle. During the 2025-2026 school year, chromebooks were purchased for 5th grade and the 25-26 6th graders. The devices 6th grade students received will be the device they will use throughout their entire 6-12 experience. To learn more, you can view the SJPS Student Device Replacement Cycle here: SJPS Student Device Replacement Cycle

St. James Public Schools is proud to share that the district’s credit rating has been upgraded to an “A” rating, reflecting the district’s continued commitment to strong financial stewardship, responsible planning, and long-term stability.

At the May School Board meeting, representatives from Ehlers presented the Board with a plaque recognizing the district’s General Obligation Bond rating upgrade. This achievement is an important acknowledgment of the district’s sound financial practices and the careful decision-making that supports our students, staff, families, and community.

An improved credit rating can positively impact the district by strengthening confidence in our financial position and supporting future planning efforts. This recognition is the result of thoughtful leadership, responsible budgeting, and a shared commitment to doing what is best for students while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.

We are grateful for the work of our School Board, district leadership team, staff, and community partners who continue to support the mission and future of St. James Public Schools.

This is a moment worth celebrating, and we are proud to share this accomplishment with our school community.

Calendar Reminders

May 25 - Memorial Day (No School)

May 28 - 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony - 8:30am - Event Center

May 28 - Last Day of School - 1:45pm Early Release

May 29 - Graduation @ 7pm - Event Center

Aug 5 - Fall Activities Parent Night - 5:30pm

Sep 1 - FIRST DAY OF 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR

Be sure to check out the 2026-2027 Academic Calendar and the Tentative 2027-2028 Academic Calendar.

Both the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 Academic Years will have a pre-Labor Day start.

2026-2027 School Year - Tuesday, September 1st, 2026

2027-2028 School Year - Wednesday, September 1st, 2027

If you would like to connect, please click the “contact” button at the end of this newsletter. I hope our Saints Family and community continue to see and celebrate the incredible work happening in our schools each and every day.

Go Saints!

Liam Dawson, Superintendent

Volume 1, Issue 3 - February 2026

Volume 1, Issue 2 - November 2025

Volume 1, Issue 1 - August 2025