Saint James R-1 School District will be hosting open house events on Thursday, Aug. 20, ahead of the first day of classes on Aug. 25, to give parents the opportunity to meet their child’s teacher, visit classrooms and explore school facilities.

The Open House for preschool and kindergarten students is from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., by appointment only.

For elementary students in grades first through fifth, facilities are open from 5 until 7 p.m., no appointment is needed. There will also be an informational session at 4:30 p.m. in the school gym for families who are new to the elementary school.

Middle and high school students may meet teachers from 5-7 p.m. on Aug. 20 with no appointment necessary.

Superintendent Tim Webster said that open house events are an opportunity for families, students and teachers to connect before classes start.

“It’s a chance for them to meet their teacher, find out if there is anything they need or any clarifying questions. Mostly, it’s just a chance for the student and the parent to get a chance to meet the teacher and just kind of talk about the expectations in their classroom this year,” Webster said.

Webster said that the most important thing for parents to do before the start of the school year is to make sure their student is registered for classes. Webster added that it’s best for parents to register earlier rather than later.

“There’s always a certain percentage that waits until the last minute to fill it out. We would appreciate it if they would not do that,” Webster said.

Ahead of classes resuming, new staff have undergone “climate and culture” training, which Webster said it is meant to help new staff acclimate to the school environment, while reinforcing the goals and expectations of the school district. Staff are also trained on lesson design and safety protocols.

“It’s just so they can hit the fore-run of some of the initiatives we have here,” Webster said.

St. James R-1 offers breakfast and lunch for students and faculty every day. Breakfast for the 2026-27 school year costs $1.80 for students and $2.60 for staff. Lunch is $2.45 for elementary students, $2.70 for middle and high school students, and $3.85 for all staff.

St. James R-1 offers a free and reduced-meal program. An application for free and reduced-price meals is available on the school’s website. Last year, the district was able to provide free breakfast for all students due to the high number of applications the school district received. Weekly menus are available on the St. James R-1 School District website.

In case of school cancellation due to inclement weather, St. James R-1 School District will notify families via the St. James R-1 District app, and via the primary and secondary phone numbers of families. Decisions on school closures are typically not made until 5 a.m. of the day in question.

Once classes begin, school facilities will be open regularly throughout the week. Lucy Wortham James Elementary School building opens at 7:30 a.m., with classes starting then. St. James Middle School opens at 7:45 a.m., with classes starting at 8:20 a.m. and ending at 3:20 p.m. St. James High School opens at 7:30 a.m. with classes from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., on campus.

Webster said that staff are looking forward to welcoming students back.

“I’d just say that we’re excited. It gets pretty boring around here during the summer,” Webster said. “It’s just nice to get some smiling faces back in the buildings and. Hopefully, we can make an impact in their life with some education this year.”

The first day of classes for the 2026-27 school year is on Aug. 25.