Frittatas, and Salsa, and Treats, Oh My!

“I love cooking club! It is fun to expand my palette”

— Virginia Braswell, sophomore

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

STJ Cooking Club, lead by English and journalism teacher, Dr. Catherine Winn, meets during high school advisory period bi-weekly. Dr. Winn focuses on using real, fresh ingredients. Students create tasty meals, appetizers, and desserts.

“I want to empower my students to feed themselves and others. Food is universal.”

— Dr. Catherine Winn, Cooking Club advisor

Quick Broccoli and Egg Frittata

• cooking spray

• 2 eggs

• 2 tbsp cottage cheese

• 2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese 

• 1/3 cup finely diced broccoli

• 2 tbs cooked breakfast sausage

• a pinch each of salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg 

Lightly spray the inside of a coffee mug with cooking spray and crack the eggs into the mug. Scramble. Add the other ingredients and stir until combined. Microwave on high for 30 seconds then stir. Microwave for 30 seconds more and stir again or until eggs are fully set. Enjoy! ( 200-300 calories depending on variation, with 19- 21 grams of protein per mug)

“I joined cooking club because I thought it would be fun... and so when I go to college I won’t live off Ramen!”

— Alexander McHorne, junior

Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Laura Hassell

Position: Admissions Counselor

At STJ for: Almost 3 years

Hometown: Montgomery, AL

High school: Saint James School, class of 1998! Go Trojans!

College/Degree: University of Alabama/Bachelor of Science in Interior Design, Minor in Art History

Extracurricular: House flipping, gardening, painting

Favorite Movie: The Wizard of Oz

Favorite Food: Mexican, Tiramisu

Married to: Lee Hassell

Children: Michael is in the 4th grade and loves baseball and basketball. Hunter is in the 1st grade and loves soccer and art.

Fun Fact: My husband, Lee, and I both graduated in the same class at STJ. We started dating junior year of college and have been together ever since!

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Girls in Stride!

The girls are on the run! GOTR is a physical activity-based development program that inspires 3rd-5th grade girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident. The program uses a fun and experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running with serving the community. The Saint James School GOTR team meets twice a week for 10 weeks. Our runners complete a Community Impact Project and run a Celebratory 5K at the end of the season.

“I can’t say enough positive things about GOTR. I just finished coaching my 5th season and I am looking forward to the 6th! I love building relationships with the girls; more than anything, I love being able to see them realize what they are capable of - and do it with grace. As a coach, it is my role to lead and guide them, but they make a tremendous impact on me. I am so thankful to be able to be part of GOTR! ”

— Ann Aman, GOTR sponsor and STJ Alumni and Development Director

“I absolutely loved Girls on the Run. Each week, we would get a lesson on how to deal with different issues. The coaches were so awesome and made everyone feel included. We got to meet other girls from different grades and meet new people. We ran each week and got better and better. I was proud to run the 5k- GOTR was one of my favorite things about Saint James.”

— Meg Stough, GOTR participant and new STJ 5th grader

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Faculty Spotlight: Mrs. Sabrina Hubbard

Teaches: First Grade

Taught for: I am in my 13th year

Hometown: Grove Hill, Alabama

High school: Grove Hill Academy

College/Degree: University of Montevallo/B.S. with a major in Early Childhood Education and Masters in Early Childhood Education

Favorite Book: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Favorite Movie: Breakfast Club and ALL Harry Potter movies

Favorite Food: Italian Food

Married to: Bryan  Hubbard, played on Troy’s last two national championship teams, met when he was in law school in Birmingham and I was teaching kindergarten, he proposed to me in front of my kindergarten students 💗

Children: Atchison Hubbard, Saint James alum,  sophomore at Birmingham Southern College.  Claudia Hubbard, Saint James alum, freshman at Auburn University in the honors program.

Church: Frazer United Methodist

Fun Fact: I danced at the Aloha Bowl when I was in college

Giving Joy and Hope as “BMT Angels”

For many years, Saint James students have helped make the Christmas party for the UAB Bone Marrow Transplant Unit patients and their families a huge success.

This year, the entire school will band together to provide Christmas presents to patients in the unit, whose families are often so physically and financially strained during their treatment that Christmas gifting becomes difficult.

It was an honor to have Kaitlyn Johnson and Sharon Jones, both RN’s with the unit, visit us and host assemblies for our elementary, middle, and high school students to discuss the program as well as how we can serve as “BMT Angels!"

Sophie Shoults and Jesse Johnson, both 5th graders, are excited to buy for a little girl.  Sophie said “I want to get her a stuffed animal that sings ABC’s and 123’s.” Jesse said “I would love to get her a barbie with many outfit changes!”

Our Learning Specialist, Joann Reifenberg, and her husband, Ed, have ensured for years that Saint James students are involved with this project.  Ed, who was treated in the UAB unit, is in his 20th year of remission!

This project, one of our many community service projects our students participate in each year, is such a special way for our students to have the opportunity to give back to someone in need and learn the wonderful lesson of compassion.

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Walk Like an Egyptian

Every year, STJ sixth graders celebrate the culmination of their Ancient Egypt unit by dressing up and participating in projects and activities. The students created a "Book of the Dead," sarcophagus, cartouche, and wrote their own Egyptian inspired poetry.

Each subject area studied various aspects of Egyptian culture and history. This multidisciplinary approach allowed each subject area teacher to focus on a specific theme and assign projects and classwork related to each subject.

Art, music, technology, and the four core subjects all worked together to provide a broader scope of learning for the students.

Each student created his or her own Egyptian ornamental collar, inspired by the ancient pharaohs and priests of the time. Students chose symbols, called hieroglyphics, to represent different objects, actions, sounds and ideas.

“For my collar, I chose the Almighty Seeing Eye, gems, and a pyramid for my collar.”

— Donald Evans, 6th grade student

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Faculty Spotlight: Mrs. Erin Edwards

Teaches: 2nd Grade

I’ve Taught for: 5 years at STJ

Hometown: Montgomery, AL

High school: Saint James. Go Trojans!

College/Degree: B.A. Hospitality Management from The University of Alabama. Masters in Childhood Education from AUM

Favorite Book: American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

Favorite Movie: High Society

Favorite Food: Lobster

Married to: Charlie Edwards. We were long time friends and we graduated from Saint James together.

Children: Sam - Junior at The University of Alabama studying finance, graduated STJ. Mason - Sophomore at Sewanee, graduated STJ. Lucy-  current Junior at Saint James.

Church: Saint Peter’s Catholic Church

Fun Fact:  My dad was in the military, so we moved a lot! I went to 4 different elementary schools. At the time, it was hard, but now I am glad I did!

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Building Bridges in Kindergarten

Our K-5 classes recently read the Norwegian fairy tale, “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.”  They learned all about the three billy goats that tried to cross the troll’s bridge.  The story tells of overcoming obstacles and problem solving. Our kindergartners got creative with a S.T.E.M. challenge of building bridges with Legos in the science lab. All elementary students, grades K3-5, visit the science lab each week during enrichments. The lab is a perfect setting for hands-on application of what is taught in our classrooms at all elementary levels.  

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Faculty Spotlight: Señora Autumn Jackson

Teaches: Elementary and Middle School Spanish

I’ve Taught for: Going on my fourth year

Hometown: I was born in Santa Ana, California, and I was raised in North Alabama (Arab, AL.)

High school: Arab High School

College/Degree: The University of Alabama.  I have a Bachelor's Degree in Education K-12 & Spanish.  

Favorite Book: The Bible

Favorite Movie: I have many!  I love many types!

Favorite Food: Mexican

Married to: I am married to the Band Director here at STJ (Greg Jackson).  He is a wonderful, sweet, & hard-working man.

Children: We do not have children, but we do have two fur babies.  1 small dog (Morkie) & 1 bird (Double Yellow-Head Amazon Parrot)

Church: Frazer United Methodist Church. I volunteer in the Children's Ministry every 1st and 3rd Sunday.

Fun Fact: I did my teaching internship through the COST PROGRAM at The University of Alabama in Guadalajara, Mexico at a school called Instituto Thomas Jefferson. Outside of school, I'm working to complete my thesis for a Clinical Psychology Master's degree at AUM. I have already completed my coursework.   

Abuzz about Bees

Mrs. Taylor’s Science elementary Lab was all abuzz, as fourth grade experienced a special presentation by STJ alum Joe Barnett, a local beekeeper. He spoke about pollination, bees, and honey production.

Mr. Barnett even brought an empty, but complete, bee hive and explained the fundamentals of what goes on in the hive. Even Dr. McLemore stopped by and helped with the presentation!

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool