We at St. John’s strive to maintain the highest academic standards by regularly updating classroom materials and coordinating the latest technology with the classroom curriculum.

Standardized tests are administered each fall and our students consistently score above average on these tests. Students in 7^th & 8^th Grades are taught Pre-Algebra and Algebra. We also compete in the National Geography Bee, the Post Dispatch Spelling Bee, Althoff High School Science Olympiad, Gibault High School Math Contest, Junior Olympiad and St. John’s Annual Science Fair. Students participate in various outside reading programs and visit the Smithton Public Library on a bi-weekly basis.

Our school has a Computer Lab and access to the Internet in every classroom classroom. This allows the students to advance their knowledge and skills to keep pace in the information technology era with hands-on instruction.

TEST RESULTS

In the fall of 2009 the Diocese of Belleville consulted with ECRA Group, a national educational research firm, to conduct a study of student achievement within the Diocese.  The study examined test results for both fall 2009 and fall 2008

The schools within the Diocese administer the Iowa Basic Skills (ITBS), a well known and reputable standardized achievement test used by public and private schools across the country.  The ITBS is published by Riverside Publishing.  ECRA analyzes and tracks student growth and performance levels based on the ITBS data for the purposes of instructional planning, public reporting, and school improvement.  Consequently, analyses in this study are based both on the single year results for all 490 grade 8 students who took the ITBS in the fall 2008 and on the two year matched analysis for the 470 grade 8 students whose results were tracked back to grade 7 in fall 2007.  This means that 96% of the fall grade 8 class attended Diocesan schools in grade 7.

While there is variability in student achievement levels among the 31 schools that participate in the assessment program. It is clear that students who attend Diocesan school significantly outperform the national average in the test areas of Reading, Language, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.  In fact, the Diocese of Belleville grade 8 average achievement test scores are at or above the 76th national percentile in Reading, at or above the 78th national percentile in Mathematics, at or above the 77th national percentile in Science, and at or above the 73rd national percentile in Social Studies.

Overall, it is also evident that the students who attend Diocese of Belleville schools are a high performing group.  Unlike the national norms where half of the students in the country score at or above the national average and half score below, 81% of the Diocesan Grade 8 students scored at or above the national average in Reading, 87% scored at or above the national average in Mathematics, 87% scored at or above the national average in Science, and 75% scored at or above the national average in Social Studies.

The primary goal of St. John’s School is to form well-rounded Christian students. Students attend Mass two days a week and participate by being servers, lectors, gift bearers, and choir members. The choir is for students second through eighth grade.

Second Grade students are prepared for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Eighth Grade students are prepared to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. The students are prepared to receive these sacraments through daily instruction and retreats. We celebrate the cycles and seasons of the Liturgical Year. Students participate in various service projects which reach out to the local community and the world. Students are tested on their religious knowledge through class exams and annually by the Assessment of Catholic Religious Education.