St. Johns Public Schools

Last updated
St. Johns Public Schools
Address
501 W. Sickles [1]
St. Johns
, Clinton , Michigan , 48879
United States
District information
GradesPre-Kindergarten-12
SuperintendentAnthony Berthiaume [2]
Schools7 [3]
Budget$38,259,000 2021-2022 expenditures [3]
NCES District ID 2632820 [3]
Students and staff
Students2,573 (2023-2024) [3]
Teachers145.4 (on an FTE basis) (2023-2024) [3]
Staff319.35 FTE (2023-2024) [3]
Student–teacher ratio17.7 (2023-2024) [3]
Other information
Website www.sjredwings.org

St. Johns Public Schools is a public school district in Michigan. In Clinton County, it serves St. Johns, Bingham Township, and parts of the townships of Bengal, Essex, Greenbush, Duplain, Olive, Ovid, Riley, Victor, and Watertown. [4] It also serves parts of the townships of Elba, Fulton, and Washington in Gratiot County. [5]

Contents

History

In 1857, a school district was founded in St. Johns. The block bordered by Baldwin, Church, Park and Ottawa Streets was used for a school. The district re-organized in 1862 and built their second building, a union school, on this site in 1864. [6] [7] The East Ward school was built in 1876 at 106 North Traver Street, and still existed in 1980, when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [8]

By 1879, the Union School was graduating high school students, with seven graduating that year. [9] The Union School burned on March 22, 1885 [10] and was rebuilt that year. It was also known as Central School. [6]

As of 1916, the high school was a member of the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges, and according to the newspaper in nearby Belding, graduates could "enter any college without an examination, with the exception of possibly one or two colleges in the New England states. In order to be a member of this association, the school must have a high standard of work; its teachers must have college degrees; no teacher must be over-burdened with too many classes; every teacher must have professional training besides his academic training; and the building must be well supplied with equipment and have good sanitary conditions." [11]

St. Johns High School was formerly known as Rodney B. Wilson High School, built in 1925 at 101 West Cass Street. The parents of Rodney B. Wilson, a student who died in the 1918 flu pandemic, donated land for the school. It became a middle school in 1969. When the current middle school, [12] designed by Fanning/Howey and Associates, opened in fall 1998, [13] the Wilson building was used as offices for several community groups. A renovation of the building was planned in 2025. [12]

The current high school opened in fall 1969. [14] Guido A. Binda was the architect. [15]

In April 1970, Belizean Premier George Cadle Price gave a speech at the high school. St. Johns in the sister city of Stann Creek District in Belize. [16]

After it ended extra curricular activities and busing, citizens questioned the school board for its spending decisions and financial management. [17] In April 1986, six school board members were recalled. [18] In the midst of this controversy, the 1885 Central School was ordered closed by the state fire marshal. [19]

Schools

Schools in St. Johns Public Schools district [20] [3]
SchoolAddressNotes
St. Johns High School 501 W. Sickles, St. JohnsGrades 9–12. Opened 1969. [14]
St. Johns Middle School900 W. Townsend, St. JohnsGrades 6–8. Opened 1998. [13]
Eureka Elementary7550 N. Welling Rd., St. JohnsGrades PreK-5
Gateway North Elementary915 North Lansing Street, St. JohnsGrades PreK-5
Oakview South Elementary1400 South Clinton, St. JohnsGrades PreK-5
Riley Elementary5935 W Pratt Rd., DeWittGrades PreK-5
S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy1013 Old U.S. 127, St. JohnsGrades 9–12. Alternative high school/online school.

References

  1. ↑ St. Johns Public Schools. "St. Johns Public Schools" . Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  2. ↑ St. Johns Public Schools. "Superintendent's Update" . Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for St. Johns Public Schools". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences.
  4. ↑ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. "Clinton County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  5. ↑ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. "Gratiot County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Union School, St. Johns", The Michigan Assessor, 22: 2, 1981
  7. ↑ "Notice to Contractors". Detroit Free Press. February 2, 1864. p. 2.
  8. ↑ "East Ward School". Michigan State Housing Development Authority: Historic Sites Online. Archived from the original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved August 23, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Educational items". The Lansing Weekly Republican. June 11, 1879. p. 3.
  10. ↑ "The St. Johns Union School house has burned". Detroit Free Press. March 22, 1885. p. 7.
  11. ↑ "High standards of work". Belding Banner (Belding, Mich.). May 10, 1916. p. 8.
  12. 1 2 Greco, Rachel (July 7, 2025). "St. John's historic Wilson Center set for renovation". Lansing State Journal. p. A1.
  13. 1 2 "St. Johns Middle School". Lansing State Journal. November 15, 1997. p. 5B.
  14. 1 2 Kloeckner, Rhonda (September 18, 1969). "It's homecoming time again". Lansing State Journal. p. 62.
  15. ↑ Minsky, Betty Jane (May 4, 1967). "St. Johns school board accepts bids of $3.3 million". Lansing State Journal. p. 14.
  16. ↑ Minsky, Betty Jane (April 8, 1970). "St. Johns offers tribune to Belize and 'sister city'". Lansing State Journal. p. 14.
  17. ↑ Minsky, Betty Jane (December 8, 1985). "St. Johns millage needs questioned". Lansing State Journal. p. B1.
  18. ↑ Minsky, Betty Jane (April 24, 1986). "St. Johns recall of 6 board members leaves bitter feelings". Lansing State Journal. p. 1.
  19. ↑ Minsky, Betty Jane (July 3, 1986). "St. Johns board OKs school budget". Lansing State Journal. p. 4B.
  20. ↑ St. Johns Public Schools. "Our Schools" . Retrieved August 23, 2025.
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