Fall Agrees with STJ

Mother nature was showing off this week! Autumn is in full swing at as the beautiful colors of fall have been showcased on our grand 66 acre campus. Saint James School is home to 22 academic buildings and athletic facilities. Come see our collegiate quad, dining hall, performing arts building and stage, modern classrooms, and state-of-the-art laboratories. All students, grades Pre-K3 through twelve, share our campus; this allows for our entire Trojan family to participate in school-wide activities and events like pep rallies, academic honors programs, and school assemblies. Next week we will celebrate our Holiday Convocation, where all students, faculty, and staff will join together to celebrate the holiday season and share traditions.

Campus tours and shadowing opportunities are offered daily.

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Faculty Spotlight: Mrs. Deborah Otis

I Teach: Technology Department

I've Taught for: 15 years - teacher, 7 years in current job -- 22 years in education

Hometown: Aiken, South Carolina

High school: Monroe Area Comprehensive High School in Monroe, GA

College/Degree: Bachelor of Science in Middle School Education and a Masters in Education - Instructional Technology, Doctoral work in Instructional Leadership

STJ Extracurricular: Girls Who Code (Middle School), Band Boosters Band Secretary

Favorite Book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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Favorite Movie: Princess Bride

Favorite Food: a really great taco or an inspiring hamburger, an awesome stew or soup, crusty warm bread

Married to: Perry Otis

Children: Heather and Trevor Otis

Fun Fact: I lived in Germany for three years. I write poetry. I have a well behaved dog and a very naughty cat

Gratitude Unlocks the Fullness of Life

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, may we remember all of our many blessings. Saint James School is grateful for our dedicated teachers, committed board, hardworking staff, supportive parents and grandparents, and the precious students at our special school. Our hearts are full this Thanksgiving!

PreK3, PreK4, and Kindergarten learned about Thanksgiving traditions and enjoyed a delicious feast. #WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Karaoke Club

The word karaoke is derived from two Japanese words 'kara' comes from the word 'karappo' meaning empty or void and 'oke' comes from the word 'okesutura' or orchestra.

Every other week, during high school club rotation, students in Mr. Andy Clinton’s karaoke club belt out their favorite tunes. Students choose songs from any genre, often crossing the generational divide. This week, songs from the 1980s, 1990s, and a tune from a 2019 Grammy nominee were sung. We even witnessed a stirring rendition of The Star Spangled Banner.

High school clubs meet on a rotating schedule during advisory time. Each semester, students can participate in two clubs that meet during the school day in addition to after school extracurriculars.

“Karaoke club was made by Mr. Clinton this year. Everyone is always smiling and happy. It is fun to see people get up and sing and show their talent that we had no idea they had. Clubs are a good way to bring people together and to try new things.”

— Ava Poliquin, grade 10

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Metric System

Eighth graders in Ms. Whigham’s physical science class studied the metric system. This unit included labs on length, mass, volume, density, and temperature as well as conversions (metric to metric and metric to English). These lesson reviewed the metric system and related the size and scale of objects to various metric units, including the very small nano-scale. Students used rulers, triple-beam balances, and other science equipment to learn how to use the metric system of measurements.

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Labs like this allow for interactive practice and challenges in applying what has been learned.

Giving Back

This month, elementary students are working on their annual service project. Students in grades 1-5 are collecting food for MACOA, the Montgomery Area Council on Aging. MACOA promotes independent, dignified, and meaningful living for senior citizens through a variety of programs like Meals on Wheels, The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, and events at the Archibald Senior Center to more than 5,000 seniors per month. STJ students are also decorating bags with holiday greetings and messages of hope, gratitude, and good cheer. These bags will be used to transport the donated food and items to seniors in our area. During counseling lessons, Ms. Gibson, elementary counselor, will discuss the project with students and why it is important to give back to others. We all have so much to be thankful for and Saint James School is excited to parter with MACOA and be part of their mission.

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Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Kimberly Ramsey

Department: MS/HS Librarian, Media Specialist, Writing Center Director

I've Taught for: 17 years (taught MS then HS English for 15 of those years)

Hometown: Montgomery, AL

High school: Trinity Presbyterian

College/Degree: Sewanee, B.A in English

Favorite Book: Tough question....right now, I am reading Circe by Madeline Miller. Love it! All time favorite - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.

Favorite Movie: Tie between Finding Nemo and The Incredibles

Favorite Food: Taco salad

Married to: Radney Ramsey

Children: 3 - two STJ graduates, JB and Hawthorne C'18

Church: St. John's Episcopal Church

Fun Fact: I have 3 children currently in college, and because our nest is empty, we got two beagle puppies! We are crazy!

2020-2021 Applications are Live!

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We are so excited to announce that our 2020-2021 admissions season is officially open. Saint James School PreK3-12th grade applications are now available online.

First-round admission decisions for PreK3-Kindergarten is February 13, 2020.

First-round admission decisions for 1st-12th grade is February 20, 2020.

We encourage families to visit our campus and experience our amazing school! Please call us at (334) 273-3021 to schedule a private tour of campus or register for one of our many admissions events. We can’t wait to review your child’s application and meet our future Trojans!

It’s a great day at STJ!

Faculty Spotlight: Mrs. Hannah Murray

I teach: Pre-K3

I've Taught for): 5 Years. 4 in the Montgomery Public School System and this is my first year at Saint James.

Hometown: Montgomery, AL

High school: Saint James School

College/Degree: Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from The University of Alabama

Favorite Book: Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Favorite Movie: The Parent Trap

Favorite Food: Japanese Food

Married to: Brett Murray

Church: Frazier United Methodist Church

Fun Fact: Both my husband and I both are proud Alumni of Saint James School! Go Trojans! 

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No Tricks, Only Treats!

Happy Halloween from STJ! The admissions office had some special visitors this morning. PreK stopped by for some trick-or-treating and kindergartners and their senior buddies dressed in their favorite costumes. Some of our teachers also joined in on the fun. Have a happy and safe Halloween!

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