A Peek Inside Saint James School
Camp STJ this summer has been full of fun and learning. Our campers, grades K4 through fifth, have been enjoying all of the activities and programming, especially the Thursday tradition of Water Day! What better way to beat this Alabama heat?
#WeAreSaintJamesSchool
After a brief hiatus for maternity leave, Ms. Bartlett has returned and the admissions blog is back! Check in with us to see the exciting things going on at STJ this summer! We can’t believe school starts in one month. Campus has been bustling, but there’s nothing like the first day of school. We can’t wait to see our Trojans!
Elizabeth Hill, born February 2019.
Future Trojan! Class of 2037!
This week, second graders worked with prisms to learn how white light is refracted to produce a rainbow. On a bright day, students were able to “make” their own rainbows using rectangular prisms in our outdoor science lab.
When light passes through a prism, the light bends. As a result, the different colors that make up white light become separated. This happens because each color has a particular wavelength and each wavelength bends at a different angle. The colors that appear are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet (the colors of the rainbow- “Roy G. Biv”)!
#WeAreSaintJamesSchool
I teach : High school and Middle school instrumental music
I've Taught for: 10 years at Alabama State University, 23 years privately, and currently in my 2nd year at Saint James School
Hometown: Clarksville, TN (born in Des Moines, IA)
High school: Northeast High School, Clarksville, TN
College/Degree: Austin Peay State University/BS Music Composition & Performance, The University of Alabama/MM Music Composition/Theory, The University of Alabama/DMA Performance
STJ Extracurricular: Band
Favorite Book: The Art of War
Favorite Movie: The Godfather
Favorite Food: Meat!
Married to: Autumn Jackson (Señora Jackson, STJ Spanish Teacher)
Church: Frazer, and many others I perform at when called
Fun Fact: I was invited to compete for the first ever Team USA F3N (radio controlled freestyle aerobic helicopters) in World Championship in Poland.
#WeAreSaintJamesSchool
Happy National School Counseling Week! Saint James School is privileged to have an incredible counseling staff across all levels, Pre-K3 through 12th grade. Our fantastic counselors are an integral part of our school culture and community.
Ms. Clare Simon has been a counselor for 35 years and at Saint James School for 25. She has a masters in counseling and is a certified LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor.
Ms. Cherie Meadows, middle school counselor, is current serving in her fourth year. She became a school counselor through training as a clergy person. Ms. Meadows holds a masters degree is in Religious Education and is ordained minister.
Ms. June Garzon and Mrs. Jamie Payne make up our high school counseling team. Students have the privilege of getting to know his or her counselor all four years of high school. Ms. Garzon and Mrs. Payne learn the talents and individual strengths of their students and assist them with everything from building class schedules, coordinating college tours, and scholarship applications. Ms. Garzon has been high school counselor for four years and hold a masters in Educational Administration with a focus on Private School Education from Teachers College of Columbia University, New York, NY. Ms. Payne is in her second year as high school counselor at STJ and holds both MBA and M.Ed in School Counseling. She is also a Nationally Certified Counselor.
Many of our administrators have also served in counseling roles at Saint James. Our current middle school principal, Ms. Laura Spivey, served as a counselor for fourteen years (eight in middle school and four in high school). She brings her years as counselor into her everyday role as principal. The unique experiences in the counseling office translate in many ways and provide Ms. Spivey with a special perspective as she serves the middle school. Mrs. Susan Atkins, Academic Dean, also served as counselor for the high school for many years. Likewise, our own Ms. Cathy Pearson, Dean of Admission, served as middle school counselor for 20 years and has a masters degree in counseling and human development.
Each of our counselors is dedicated to student success; strengthening our students’ physical, emotional, and mental health is paramount to Saint James School’s mission.
June Garzon and Jamie Payne, High School Counselors
Clare Simon, Elementary School Counselor
“My absolute favorite part of my job is the students! Having the privilege of watching them grow and develop is an honor and I love getting to know their families. Morning carpool always starts my day off right. Another aspect of my job that is a delight is seeing the students learn to problem-solve and create their own solutions to conflicts. I love to see them take our guidance lessons and put them to work.”
Cherie Meadows, Middle School Counselor
“My favorite thing about being a counselor at STJ is working with parents and students to help each student achieve the most optimal academic achievements, social integration, and emotional health.”
#WeAreSaintJamesSchool
Last week, Mrs. Whigham’s Advanced 8th grade physical science class learned all about acids, bases, and pH levels. Students made hypotheses about what household items would be the most acidic and basic. Items like lemon juice, vinegar, hand sanitizer, bottled water, baking soda, and milk were tested and recorded in lab journals.
At STJ, it is important that students make connections between their lessons and labs in the classroom with real-world applications. The very same concepts that they used in lab today are being used world-wide to save lives and the planet. Currently, environmental engineers are researching water remediation or water treatment projects; understanding the chemical properties (including pH) of contaminants is important for safeguarding the health of environmental water sources and systems.
“I like labs because they are entertaining. We learn more in-depth. We get to use cool tools like hot plates, electric balances, and spectroscope tubes.”
#WeAreSaintJamesSchool
Students also studied the environmental correlation with pH levels. “The pH of different liquids and solutions, particularly the pH of bodies of water, are important in describing the behavior of different minerals and chemicals. For example, with increasing acidic pH values, water begins to cause harm and destruction of ecosystems and minerals, such as dissolving the calcium carbonate shells of mollusks, or making ecosystems unlivable for plants and animals,” said Mrs. Whigham. Relating lab experiments to everyday life and the world around us makes the classes more fun. The tools and equipment are especially fun.
I teach: Elementary Visual Art, grades K3-5
I've Taught for: 14years
Hometown: Montgomery, AL
High school: Saint James School. Go Trojans!
College/Degree: Auburn University, BFA. AUM, M. Ed.
Favorite Movie: The Black Stallion
Favorite Food: Home grown veggies
Married to: Nicholas Pelham
Children: Bonner age 6, Clurin age 4
Church: Pleasant Valley UMC in Jones, AL
Fun Fact: I have always had a passion for Horses, we currently have 3. Finch, Pete, and Dusty. I hope to one day spend a summer Trail riding across the Rocky Mountains.
#WeAreSaintJamesSchool
This week, 3rd grade studied the movement of our planet. The students spent time investigating how the Earth rotates. Students learned that the Earth rotates on its axis and although it may look like the sun is moving across our sky, this is actually an illusion created by the Earth’s rotation.
On a sunny day, students ventured outside three different times to trace their shadows and see how they move and change. They measured the movements and recorded their findings to compare how much the shadows rotated during the day. Hands-on activities like this allow students to not only grasp science concepts, but apply them to everyday life.
#WeAreSaintJamesSchool
Ms. Browning’s PreK3 class had a blast with Señora Jackson’s Spanish lesson this week. Students learned how to say “snowman” in Spanish along with body parts and some of his articles of clothing. The children sang songs to reinforce vocabulary and practiced saying the words as they decorated their very own "Muñeco De Nieve.” The boys and girls really enjoyed eating his "cuerpo” aka “body!"
All elementary students, PreK3-5th grade, visit Spanish enrichment once a week as part of their weekly enrichment rotations. Global languages like Spanish are incorporated into our school-wide curriculum throughout all grades.
#WeAreSaintJamesSchool
I teach: Library- Elementary school
I've Taught for: 8 years
Hometown: Tuscaloosa, AL
High school: Open Door Christian School
College/Degree: B.A. in English, University of Alabama, 2006. MLIS in Library and Information Studies, University of Alabama, 2010
STJ Extracurricular: I teach ukulele lessons to elementary and middle school students after school!
Favorite Book: Charlotte's Web
Favorite Food: Mexican
Married to: Ashley Martin
Children: 1 boy: Harper, and 3 girls: Emrist, Mabel, & Theodora
Church: Church of the Highlands- Montgomery
Fun Fact: I am a kid lit blogger. You can find me here. Also, I recently finished up a two year term on the Association for Library Service to Children's Notable Children's Books Committee, which required tons of reading and was pretty time consuming, especially with a newborn in our life. It was a lot fun, though, and very rewarding.
#WeAreSaintJamesSchool
