St. James School celebrates 90 years
St. James School in Arlington Heights has been serving families in the Northwest suburbs for 90 years, and its long-standing commitment now is drawing Cardinal Blase Cupich out to acknowledge the milestone.
Cupich will celebrate the occasion at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Sept. 10, at the St. James Parish Center, with students and their families taking special roles during the liturgy.
The Rev. Matt Foley, pastor, says the whole parish - of more than 4,000 families - is excited to welcome him.
"His solidarity with Catholic education at St. James brings both light and hope to our thriving school and community," Foley says. "The current students, alumni and parents are extremely excited to hear his insights into evangelization efforts across the Archdiocese of Chicago."
Principal Judy Pappas says hosting the Cardinal is affirming for the faculty and staff, as well.
"His presence signals his awareness of the tremendous value of Catholic education to our community," Pappas said, "and the sacrifice our teachers make as they commit to our mission."
That mission dates back well beyond the 90-year anniversary of the school. According to parish history, St. James Church was started as a mission in 1902 by one of the priests from St. Mary's Parish in Des Plaines. Before St. James added a school, children boarded with families in Buffalo Grove so they could attend St. Mary School there.
The original school had four classrooms of students taught by four Sisters of Mercy nuns. Each classroom had two grades, and the basement had a dirt floor that served as a gymnasium.
By 1927, a total of 13 students comprised the first graduating class and were described by their principal, Sr. Mary de Paul, as "exemplary."
Within five years, the School Sisters of St. Francis replaced the Mercy sisters and the school continued to grow. By the mid-1930s, there were 195 registered families at St. James and 5,000 people in Arlington Heights.
Its numbers grew dramatically with suburban sprawl and peaked during the 1960s, with 1,500 children attending St. James School. The parish added a junior high building across Arlington Heights Road from its elementary building in 1964 and the parish center in 1968.
At the time, the New World Catholic newspaper declared a separate junior high at a Catholic school to be "the first of its kind in the Chicago suburbs."
Over the next 50 years, St. James has worked to maintain its strong academic curriculum with spiritual formation, while offering an array of sports and activities, officials say.
Parish leaders have worked to upgrade the school campus as well, uniting the parish center, junior high and parish offices into one connected building in 2008.
Earlier this summer, church officials revealed they had raised $9.2 million to renovate and expand its church, provide more parking, and upgrade lighting and technology at its school and office building. Pending approval, the project could break ground in April 2018.
The plans emerged as parish numbers continue to grow. While other parishes have experienced a decline in Sunday Mass attendance, it's been just the opposite at St. James, parish officials say, which has grown by 300 parishioners over the last four years.
"Celebrating Mass with us, Cardinal Cupich can see that St. James School has its eyes on the future," Pappas says. "Our entire community is committed to St. James School's mission for the long term, offering faith, excellence, leadership, and service learning."