Francis Howell School District
In This Section
The Francis Howell School District is the top-rated school district in St. Charles County and 13th in the state, as ranked by Niche.com. Encompassing more than 150 square miles in the southeast corner of St. Charles County, the District empowers students to be lifelong learners prepared for the future.
Quality Academics
Francis Howell boasts five National Blue Ribbon schools and two National Schools of Character – a testament to the District’s high expectations regarding academic excellence, character and good citizenship.
Dedicated Teachers and Staff
One of the largest employers in the region with 23 school campuses, 17,000 students and 2,200 employees, the District invests in teachers and support staff. Eighty-six percent of teachers hold advanced degrees and the average teacher salary at FHSD is $10,000+ higher than the state average.
Fiscally Conservative
In 2020, voters in the Francis Howell School District passed Missouri’s largest bond issue ($244M) to fund critical facility needs across the District. A fiscally conservative organization, Francis Howell has the lowest tax rate of all five school districts in St. Charles County and the second lowest amount of spending per student.
Our Mission
Empowering students to be lifelong learners prepared for the future. Learn more about how we bring this mission to life through the District’s Strategic Plan.
Awards and Accreditation
Fully accredited by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
5 National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence (Becky-David Elementary, Daniel Boone Elementary, Warren Elementary, Francis Howell High School, Francis Howell Middle School)
2 National Schools of Character (Francis Howell Middle and Independence Elementary)
Standard and Poor’s financial rating of AA+, which puts FHSD in the top 10% of school districts
Outstanding Students - 900 AP Scholars, 33 National Merit Finalists and 12 perfect ACT scores in just the last several years
Top High Schools - All three high schools rank in the top 4% in Missouri (US News and World Report, 2021)
Best School District in St. Charles County - FHSD ranks highest in St. Charles County and 13th in the state (Niche, 2023)
FHSD History
The Francis Howell School District was founded in 1915 and has since grown to be one of the largest and top-ranked districts in Missouri.
- 1800s-1915
- 1930s
- 1940s
- 1950s
- 1960s
- 1970s
1800s-1915
On October 1, 1821, Lewis Howell opened a one-room school house – Howell’s Prairie School. The family would open 14 additional schools over the next nine decades, including Howell Public School District No. 3 and Francis Howell Institute, which opened September 12, 1881. Descendants of the Howell family oversaw Howell Public School and Francis Howell Institute as board members, teachers, scholars, and trustees from September 1881-May 1915, when Consolidated School District No. 2 of St. Charles County was organized (May 8, 1915). Francis Howell High School, a continuation of Francis Howell Institute, held its first day of school on September 6, 1915.
1930s
C. Fred Hollenbeck is hired to teach at Howell Public School (1933).
1940s
Central Elementary opens (1942)
1950s
Daniel Boone Elementary opens (1955)
1960s
- Francis Howell High athletic and academic teams known as “Dragoons” since May 1950 are renamed “Vikings” (1962)
- Becky-David Elementary opens (1963, November)
- District named as Francis Howell School District of St. Charles County, Missouri (1966, March 15)
1970s
- Hollenbeck Middle School opens (1970)
- Fairmount Elementary opens (1978, September)
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s
- 2010s
- 2020s
1980s
- Barnwell Middle School opens (1980)
- Castlio Elementary opens (1981, July)
- Francis Howell North High School opens (1986, September)
- Henderson Elementary opens (1986, October)
1990s
- Harvest Ridge Elementary opens (1991)
- John Weldon Elementary opens (1991)
- Administration Building opens at 4545 Central School Road (1992)
- Francis Howell Middle School opens (1992)
- Central School Road Early Childhood Center opens (1993)
- Seager Middle School opens (1996) Vacation Station before/after care program opens (1996)
- Francis Howell Central and Francis Howell Union high schools open (1997)
- Hackmann Road Early Childhood Center opens (1997)
- Bryan Middle School opens (1998)
- Independence Elementary opens (1999)
2000s
- Warren Elementary opens (2000)
2010s
- Westwood Trail Academy opens (2019)
2020s
- Voters overwhelming pass Proposition S, a $244 million bond issue (2020, June)
- Francis Howell North holds groundbreaking ceremony for new building (2021, May 20)
- Francis Howell Union and District Administration moves to 801 Corporate Centre Drive in O’Fallon (2022, July/August)
Our History Photo Gallery
Printable Documents:
Fast Facts
Points of Distinction
