Peer Leader/Freshman Retreat: New Beginnings in High School

By Emily Headley, STJ Senior and Peer Leader 

At the beginning of every school year, the new freshman class has the opportunity to have one final field trip with their whole grade; and along with the ninth graders, the high school Peer Leaders get to make the trip as well. The Peer Leaders are a group of seniors at Saint James who act as mentors to the freshmen for the first half of the year. The Peer Leaders meet with their assigned freshman advisories once a week to give them certain lessons on how to acclimate to high school in the fastest way possible. This field trip, known as the Freshman Retreat, takes place at Camp Butter and Egg in Troy, Alabama, and it gives the ninth graders and the Peer Leaders a chance to form a stronger bond with each other before the school year truly kicks off. I have the privilege of being a Peer Leader this year, and therefore I was able to go on this exciting trip with the ninth graders. While at the retreat, the Peer Leaders played team-building games with their freshman advisories, forming closer relationships with one another. Along with these games, we also took part in fun activities such as ziplining across the camp, traversing through high ropes courses, and doing many different water activities at the lake. We played gaga ball, human foosball, nine-square in the air (a very intense form of volleyball), and many other entertaining games. The Freshman Retreat allowed me to get to know the ninth graders that I would be mentoring before the school year truly got going, and because of it I am sure that we will have a great year together as I help them adjust to life in high school and in turn, I know they will help me grow as a leader, a mentor, and a person.

“ I am excited to see what this year holds and watch the freshman class learn, progress, and flourish as new high school students. ”

— Emily Headley, Peer Leader

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Opening Convocation: August 9, 2021

Kendall Hardawy, 2021-22 SGA President

Opening Convocation is a treasured tradition held to kick off a new school year. All levels: elementary, middle, and high school, come together to hear from Dr. McLemore and student leaders. This time is not only a celebratory gathering, but a time to focus on the year ahead. SGA president, Kendall Hardaway, challenged the STJ family to live in the moment as positive examples for those around us. “Don’t look back on yesterday,” she said, “and don’t wait for tomorrow with hesitancy.” The 2021-22 academic year will be one to remember. Read her entire speech below. #WeAreSaintJamesSchool

“While we are living in the present, we must celebrate life every day knowing that we are becoming history, with every work, every action, and every good deed.” To me ... this quote by Mattie Stepanek, who is a 13 year old motivational speaker, is about leading by taking action in the present. It prompts us to be a good example, implies doing good actions, and inspires others to do the same. In doing so, repeatedly, we begin to strengthen ourselves and leave a positive legacy. Let me introduce myself. Hello Everybody, My name is Kendall Hardaway and I serve as the SGA President. I want to quickly wrap up speaking on our school theme for this year which is “Let’s Put Good Into Action Today!”

So, how can we be a living example of good in action? There are always trend setters who help shape the direction and way things run in our world. The concept of influence is definitely powerful, so why not make it positive. As a Saint James Student, ask yourself “Where can I apply this in my life?” Saint James has taught me to get involved and put my voice out there. However, even if you don’t really want to step up and offer yourself as a big public example, you can still do the right thing and inspire the small handful of people you know. Look around you. You can help select what morals these people follow and how they, in turn, will go on to put good into their actions.

How can we show others how to put good into every action? We can start by giving more than what is expected of ourselves. As Trojans, we should go above and beyond in order to exceed expectations and strive for excellence. Wake up everyday with the goal to be the best version of yourself. Try your best to have a good attitude towards your teachers and friends. Smile More. A genuine smile is contagious. All these things boost your mood, take a moment of your time, and cost nothing. Another way to be influential, in a subtle manner, is to notice others doing good and give them praise for it. Don’t be afraid to learn from others. As humans, we tend to be quick to criticize somebody doing something out of the ordinary. Instead, Let’s reinforce the positive and cut the negative in our community.

The best thing we can possibly do is put good into action TODAY. Learn to become aware of what is happening around you in our community and what others are experiencing. This helps you to live more fully in the present. Let’s be progressive moving forward for a positive change starting right here in our school environment. In a world with no off switch, it is easy to get caught up in the vortex of a never ending to-do-list or be swallowed up by all the negative distractions on your phone and social media. By getting active and applying ourselves at school, we can create a current, fun, and refreshing atmosphere that shows the rest of the world how we truly put good into action everyday at Saint James.
It’s all the little things that count. Everyone has a role and you never know how much putting good into action can help and inspire others. Try it, you might be surprised by how effective it is, and how much better you feel about yourself. Do good, do it often, be an inspiration to others. The main point I’m trying to get across is to do all the good you can. Be that positive influence. Trojans are at the forefront. We lead the way and we are the first to take action. Don’t look back on yesterday with regret, and don’t wait for tomorrow with hesitancy. “Let’s Put Good Into Action Today!”

— Kendall Hardaway, SGA President

Faculty Inservice: Let's Put Good Into Action Today

Saint James School faculty, staff, and support personnel gathered together to learn, grow, reflect, and plan for the 2021-22 academic year at our two-day summer inservice meeting. Dr. Larry McLemore opened the meeting with a reflection of the historical 2020-21 year and the lessons we learned and triumphs we experienced, despite unthinkable challenges we and all schools in our country faced last year. The theme for the upcoming year is “Let’s Put Good Into Action.” Dr. McLemore challenged us to notice the good around us and to in turn, put that good into motion. The opening invocation was delivered by Rev. Courtney D. Meadows, 2011 STJ graduate. He prayed for guidance and wisdom for our faculty and administrators and encouraged us to all promote community and unity in the months ahead. The STJ Board of Trustees addressed our faculty and Col. Dex McCain, Ret.,Board Chairmen, shared school-wide initiatives and goals for 2021-22. Parent Association president, Ms. Mary Pool, Esq., provided updates and plans for Parent Association events and fundraisers for the coming year.

“Let’s Put Good Into Action”

— Dr. Larry McLemore, Head of School

New faculty were introduced and departmental and division-level updates were addressed. Mrs. Susan Atkins, Academic Dean, provided an overview of our school’s reaccreditation and action plans. We also heard from our maintenance and custodial staff and recognized the hard work of the teams who keeps our facilities and grounds running smoothly. It truly takes a campus to run a campus!

The Trojan Operational Plan (Top 2.0) and safety protocols were reviewed and additional health and wellness initiatives were discussed. During the summer months, the STJ leadership team painstakingly monitored and assessed our local and state-wide reports in relation to Covid-19. When making decisions about policies and safety standards, the health of our students was always, and will continue to be, our number one priority.

Finally, Dr. McLemore led our faculty and staff through thoughtful discussion of one of his favorite poems, “Sermons We See,” by Edgar Albert Guest. We reflected on ways that we can be “sermons” daily for our school family. The poem and its message beautifully illustrates the core values of Saint James: character, commitment, courage, and community. We are ready to welcome our students back to campus tomorrow for the first day of school! We are Trojans, 24/7!

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Parent Association President: Mary Pool, Invocation Speaker: Rev. Courtney D. Meadows c/0 2011, Head of School: Dr. Larry McLemore, Board Chairmen: Col. Dex McCain, Ret.

Three Days, and Counting!

We have been busy during these last few weeks of summer preparing for our favorite time of year- the first day of school! Our maintenance and custodial staff has been working tirelessly making our campus as beautiful, safe, and functional as possible. We’ve kept especially close attention to detail with deep cleaning and sanitation efforts in the classroom and common areas. The crews have also been sprucing up our landscaping and green spaces. Faculty members have been putting the finishing touches on their classrooms and laboratories. We are so excited to welcome our students back to campus this Friday, August 6th, for another fantastic year at Saint James School.

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Sliding Out of Summer

Splish splash, school is almost here! To celebrate a wonderful summer at CampSTJ, our campers and staff cooled down with waterslide fun. We love CampSTJ!

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This Year is Going to be Poppin'!

Pop on in!

Our PreK3 and PreK4 students enjoyed meeting each other and their new teachers last Sunday. We enjoyed colorful flavored popcorn with lots of yummy toppings. We are so excited for a wonderful year at STJ.

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Ice Ice Baby!

This week, our Camp STJ campers beat the summer heat with a local favorite, Nancy’s Italian Ice. We’ve had such a blast enjoying the laid-back fun, games, and educational programming at Camp STJ.

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

MANE -Montgomery Area Nontraditional Equestrian

by: Kate McDevitt, junior

Since my freshman year I have volunteered at a place called MANE (Montgomery Area Nontraditional Equestrian). MANE is a place where therapeutic horseback lessons are given to riders who might have a disability. I discovered MANE in eighth grade when I shadowed an equine veterinarian who recommended I volunteer there. Now I volunteer once a week during the school year and at their camp during the summer. At MANE, I assist riders and make sure they are safe while they ride a horse. Depending on the class I volunteer with, there are different lesson plans. Some of them involve a scenery walk. However other lessons have the rider follow instructions given to them. On the scenery walks the rider usually goes to a station that has a game. Some of the games include horseshoes, darts, and throwing items into a certain cut out shape on a wall. All of these games are played while the rider is on the horse. Usually a rider is competing against another rider to see who can win the most games. There is no prize for winning except bragging rights. The scenery rides usually occur on sunny days, but on overcast days riders are given tasks or obstacles to complete in a covered arena.  An example of an instruction given to a rider is to weave between poles and then turn right and stop. In these types of lessons I am responsible to see that the rider is holding onto their reins, their weight is equally distributed on the saddle, and their feet are in the stirrups. Although most of the time I do work a class, sometimes I am instructed to complete barn chores. This happens if a class does not show up, or if there are more than enough volunteers to help with riders. Some of the barn chores include mucking stalls, sweeping, cleaning water buckets, and cleaning tack. Although the barn chores might not seem very pleasant to some people, I love doing the chores because it is something new to do. However, my favorite part of MANE is the friendships I make there. I have made friends with volunteers and riders. I look forward each week to seeing the riders and the fun conversations we have. 

Who Am I?

Before we dismissed for summer break, our fourth graders participated in an inspired and imaginative poetic exercise during their poetry unit. Students crafted a free-verse poem about themselves without explicitly telling who they are. Free-verse is a style of poetry that is not defined by rhythm, verse, or specific meter. It is an artistic expression that spans beyond the typical rules of poetry. Then, students drew a self-portrait of themselves using their iPad as a “mirror.” To make their work more unique, the portrait was done with a one-line drawing, meaning they couldn’t pick up their pencil during the sketch. Finally, students finished their art by coloring with unnatural or irregular colors. We loved how these introspective and creative projects tuned out.

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Gone Fishing

Our students are quite the catch! We had a blast learning about magnets and “catching” fish in our elementary science lab. Students were challenged to catch fish of all one color, in a pattern, and used fine and gross motor skills to manipulate their magnetized fishing poles. #WeAreSaintJamesSchool