Principal Welcome

Founded in 1888, St. John the Baptist School is a Catholic school in Howard where students grow in relationship with Jesus Christ, pursue high levels of academics, and are surrounded by a community rooted in Christian values. Our staff is committed to developing the whole child by nurturing each child’s academic, emotional, spiritual, and behavioral development. By partnering with parents, we aim to individualize student learning in a structured environment where students grow and succeed.

Annually, our academic scores outpace the scores of local private and public school students in all academic areas. With support from our reading specialist and supportive consultant, our teachers work to customize student learning to better meet each child’s needs. To do this, our team integrates hands-on experience, technology, and research-based teaching methods. 

Howard continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas in Wisconsin, and our school is proud to be growing with our community. Between 2015 and 2021, St. John the Baptist School grew by 100 students, and we continue to reach out to serve those throughout our community seeking Catholic education. We aim to make Catholic education affordable for every family by offering tuition support, participation in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, and other scholarships. Families choose St. John the Baptist School because they are looking for a school with traditional Christian values, rigorous academics, and a nurturing community.

Our school day is surrounded by our Christian faith. Each day begins with prayer and devotions coinciding with the liturgical seasons of the Church. We attend Mass as a full school each week. Students have daily religion classes, and our faith is integrated into all subject areas. Our Catholic faith informs the way we teach critical thinking, and it illuminates all subject areas, enriching our academic programs.

About Our Principal 

Ms. Dana Vance has a BS in Elementary Education from DePaul University in Chicago, an MA from the University of Chicago in Administration and Institutional Policy Studies, and a second MA in Educational Leadership also from DePaul University. Ms. Vance started teaching in Catholic Schools in 1992. She was an assistant principal for five years, and a principal at St. Helen in Chicago for the past two before arriving at St. John the Baptist in 2022.

She has two sons, Cameron, age 23, and Patrick, age 21. Cameron recently graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Patrick will be a junior at the University of Wisconsin in Platteville. In her spare time, she loves to read, take walks, go out with friends, and bake.