Our School

James Avant is located in Washington Park, Illinois and serves the communities of Washington Park and Caseyville.

James Avant Elementary School is a proud K–5 learning community serving scholars and families in Washington Park, Caseyville, and surrounding communities. As the home of the Thundercats, we are committed to providing every scholar with a safe, supportive, inclusive, and academically challenging learning environment.

At James Avant, we believe every child deserves to feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. Our scholars are reminded daily that they are unique, important, capable of greatness, and that they matter here.

Our Journey Continues

Under the leadership of Mrs. Roshonda Harriel, Principal, and Mrs. Jessica Boykin, Assistant Principal, James Avant Elementary continues its journey of growth and school improvement.

During the previous school year, we worked collaboratively to lay a strong foundation. For the 2026–2027 school year, we are building upon that foundation by strengthening instruction, expanding student opportunities, enhancing our school environment, and increasing partnerships with families and the community.

Our school motto is:

Academic Excellence

Our instructional program is centered on providing rigorous, engaging, and equitable learning experiences for every scholar. Teachers use student data, purposeful planning, small-group instruction, and targeted interventions to address individual academic needs.

Our instructional priorities include:

Rigorous, high-quality Tier I instruction
Small-group instruction and differentiation
Writing across all content areas
Data-driven instruction and decision-making
Reading and mathematics interventions
Progress monitoring and individualized support
Meaningful student engagement
Collaboration among teachers, support staff, and families

Our scholars receive instruction through district-aligned curriculum and resources, including McGraw Hill Wonders for English language arts and Savvas enVision Mathematics. Foundational literacy, phonics, morphology, comprehension, problem-solving, and written responses are intentionally incorporated into daily instruction.

Through our Multi-Tiered System of Supports, scholars receive additional academic, behavioral, and social-emotional assistance based on their individual strengths and needs.

Supporting the Whole Child

At James Avant, academic success and student well-being go hand in hand. Our school provides social-emotional learning experiences that help scholars develop self-awareness, confidence, resilience, relationship-building skills, and responsible decision-making.

Our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program establishes clear schoolwide expectations and recognizes scholars for demonstrating positive behavior. PBIS Fridays, Cool Tools, monthly character themes, incentives, celebrations, and schoolwide activities reinforce what it means to be a respectful, responsible, and prepared Thundercat.

Our school also provides:

Social-emotional learning lessons and activities
Student wellness initiatives
Counseling and social work services
Behavioral interventions and restorative support
Mentoring and leadership opportunities
A dedicated social-emotional learning space
Academic and behavioral progress monitoring
Family resources and community-based support

We believe in educating the whole child and ensuring that every scholar has access to the tools needed to learn, grow, and thrive.

Student Leadership and Enrichment

James Avant scholars are encouraged to explore their interests, build confidence, develop leadership skills, and contribute positively to the school community.

Student leadership and enrichment opportunities include:

KINGS Boys Mentoring Group
Onyx Girls Mentoring Group
Student Council
Student Ambassadors
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
21st Century after-school programming
Academic tutoring and enrichment
STEM and technology experiences
Social-emotional learning and wellness activities
Leadership development opportunities
Community-based programs and partnerships

Through these opportunities, our scholars learn the importance of teamwork, responsibility, service, perseverance, and leadership.

Supporting Our Multilingual Scholars

James Avant is proud of our diverse school community. Our bilingual and English learner teams provide targeted instruction and language-development support to help multilingual scholars succeed academically while honoring their cultures, identities, and experiences.

Through collaboration among bilingual teachers, English learner teachers, paraprofessionals, classroom teachers, and families, scholars receive services through both small-group and classroom-based support. Our goal is to ensure equitable access to rigorous instruction and meaningful learning opportunities for every scholar.

Family and Community Partnerships

Families are essential partners in the success of our scholars. We are committed to strengthening communication, building trust, and providing meaningful opportunities for families to participate in the life of our school.

Throughout the year, families are invited to participate in:

Open House
Parent organization meetings
Family engagement events
Academic workshops
Student performances and celebrations
Community resource events
Volunteer and partnership opportunities
Schoolwide activities and programs

We also partner with community organizations to provide enrichment, mentoring, family resources, student incentives, and other supports that benefit our entire school community.

Our Commitment

At James Avant Elementary, excellence is more than a goal—it is an expectation and a shared responsibility. Our faculty and staff are committed to building meaningful relationships, maintaining high expectations, celebrating progress, and helping every scholar recognize their potential.

Together, our scholars, staff, families, and community partners will continue creating a school where everyone feels a sense of belonging and every scholar is prepared to learn, excel, and achieve greatness.