School Profile
St. John the Baptist Catholic School was established in 1996 as a non-profit educational institution dedicated to the academic, spiritual, and physical development of every child that has been entrusted to its care. The school is part of the educational ministry of the parish. Current enrollment is over 450 students. There are two classes per grades K-8 with a maximum of 28 students per teacher. Teaching assistants in the Kindergarten, first, and second grades help keep the student/teacher ratio a low 16:1 during the elementary years. Class size in the middle school averages 26 students.
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and under the guidance of the Diocese of Birmingham, St. John’s is currently the only parochial school in the city of Madison. It strives to foster an atmosphere of academic excellence rooted in a solid foundation of Catholic teachings during daily student life. All twenty-six certified and caring faculty members hold either a B.A. or B.S. degree and a significant number hold additional Master’s degrees. Students receive 180 days of instruction with a seven-hour school day.
Nationally competitive and challenging curriculum, quality learning facilities, and extracurricular activities help to provide each student with a well-rounded education. While the State of Alabama’s curricula serve as a guideline, diocesan standards have been established for achievement beyond state-mandated skills as evidenced by above average performance on national testing assessments. To compliment “traditional” classroom instruction, each day begins with prayer as students participate in daily religion and physical education classes as well as weekly art, music, library, and computer classes. The entire school also attends Mass every Friday morning and on Holy Days, where students are given the opportunity to participate in liturgical roles for the Mass. There are many student organizations, leadership opportunities, and service projects for students’ personal and spiritual enrichment as well.
St. John’s promotes self-discipline in all grades to foster learning and personal growth. Teachers establish classroom codes of conduct that are appropriate for age and maturity levels of students. Following a uniform dress code also helps to minimize distractions inside the classroom and during field trips off campus.