St. James Parish Public Schools is a public-school district dedicated to excellence, with eight campuses located throughout the parish. It has close to 4,000 students in grades PK-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. Its focus on excellence is demonstrated by average teacher salaries consistently ranking in the Top 10 of school districts throughout the State.

The most westward parish within the Greater New Orleans footprint, two locations of River Parishes Community College in neighboring St. John the Baptist Parish (Reserve campus) and St. Charles parish (Boutte campus) offer technical and general education to many St. James residents. Additionally, eight universities are located within an hour of the parish by interstate or highway.

The mission of St. James Parish Parks and Recreation is to provide recreational opportunities that allow residents to enhance their quality of life and promote community involvement, with the goal of increasing the physical and social well-being of all residents. With eight parks and recreation facilities located in the Parish, it is easy to become engulfed in the many aspects of recreation available.

St. James offers entertainment of many different forms for the entire family. Favorite parish past times include: historical and cultural activities, festivals, and live entertainment; eating delicious Cajun food at any of the nationally known restaurants; watching some of the South’s biggest high school sporting events; partaking in many team and individual sports activities; and enjoying swamp tours on beautiful waterways.

Gramercy
Gramercy is home to the famous Zapp’s Potato Chips.

Originally an Indian and French settlement and trading post, Gramercy was designated the Colonial Sugar National Historic District by the National Parks Service. The town is a beautiful place to live with spectacular views of the Mississippi River and small town charm.