Staff Spotlight: Cpl. Josh Huffaker

My Title/ Department : Assistant Director of School Safety

I've been in this role for: This is my first week. I recently retired from the Montgomery Police Department after 20 years of service. I spent 10 years in Patrol Division and 10 years as an Accident Investigator/Traffic Homicide Investigator ending my career as the Hit and Run Investigator for the City of Montgomery. Also while in the traffic division I was a part of several college football team escorts, VIP escorts including Presidential Motorcades.

Hometown: Wetumpka, AL 

High School: Robert E. Lee High School

College/Degree/Training: Montgomery Police Academy - APOST Certification

Alabama Trooper Academy -  Accident Investigation/Traffic Homicide Investigation Certification

Favorite Book: The Bible

Favorite Movie: Smokey and the Bandit and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

Favorite Food:  Steak

Spouse: Stephanie Huffaker (high school sweetheart) we have been married for 24 years. 

Children/ ages : Jackson (21) works full time / Brody (18) Senior at Wetumpka High School

Favorite thing about working a STJ: The positivity of everyone, faculty and parents, that is surrounded by this school and how much STJ is a family orientented atmosphere.

Fun Fact:  I love to joke around and an occasional prank. My wife and I are part of the “Wetumpka Griswolds” during Christmas. We dress as the characters -I am Art and my wife is Francis. We are the parents of Ellen Griswold from the movie.

#wearesaintjamesschool

Wetumpka Griswolds

Staff Spotlight: Mr. Barry Prim

STJ CFO, Barry Prim.

My role: I am the new CFO

I have been at STJ for: 5 months

Hometown: Montgomery

High School: Jeff Davis

College/Education: Auburn - Economics, UAB  - MBA

Favorite Book: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Mr. Prim with his wife and daughters.

Favorite Movie: Mary Poppins

Favorite Food: Anything Italian

I am married to: Jeana is my wife and we have been married for 33 years! 

Children: Emily (29) and Dodge (19). Both are STJ grads

Favorite thing about STJ: I love this school and this faculty and staff. It's such a great, big family!

Fun Fact: I LOVE music. Especially Steely Dan or stuff from the 70's and 80's. Big jazz and R&B fan, too.

Faculty Spotlight: Mrs. Lauren Young

I teach: Third Grade

I've taught for: 8 years, this upcoming year is my second at STJ

Hometown: I was born in Indiana, but I grew up in Montgomery.

High school: I was homeschooled all the way through high school.

College/Degree: B.S. in Counseling from Faulkner University and M.S. in Childhood Education from Auburn University at Montgomery.

STJ Extracurricular: I do after school novel studies (similar to book club)! I also sponsor the STJ Kindness Camp as we read the novel, Wonder.

Favorite Book: Anything that is historical fiction.

Favorite Movie: Titanic

Favorite Food: Pizza

Spouse/Married for how long: I have been married to my husband, Bryan, 8 years.

Children/ages: Jayce is 4 and Everleigh is 2.

Favorite thing about working at STJ: I love the culture of excellence here at STJ and the family atmosphere.

Fun Fact: My kids will be with me as STJ this year as little Trojans!

#wearesaintjamesschool

Faculty Spotlight: Mrs. Norma Jo Roberts

I teach: I teach ESL and Learning Support

I've Taught for: I have taught for 31 years. I have previously taught AP Language and Composition and Junior English at STJ 12 years ago (I have actually taught several current STJ teachers!)

Hometown: Anderson, Indiana

High school: Indiana Christian Academy

College/Degree: BS from Maranatha Baptist Bible College; MAED from Trident University

Favorite Book: Macbeth by Shakespeare

Favorite Movie: Braveheart

Favorite Food: watermelon

Norma Jo (Nana) with her daughter and grandson

Favorite thing about working at STJ: The best part about working here is being a part of the best school I have ever taught at in 31 years. I love the campus and co-workers and organization - I love every aspect!

Fun Fact: I love my grandson Silas to the moon and back as you see in the pictures as well. He calls me Nana and it is the best sound I hear every day. I also love kick boxing!

Faculty Spotlight: Rhea Grate

Sra. Grate wearing an authentic flamenco dress from Spain.

I teach: Spanish 1, Spanish 2, Spanish 2 Honors, Spanish 3 Honors, and Spanish 4 Honors

I've Taught for: 16 years. This is year 10 at Saint James School.

Hometown: Paramus, New Jersey

High school: Paramus High School

College/Degree: Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania/ Bachelor of Arts with a double major: Economics & Business/ Spanish

University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts/ Masters in Business Administration

STJ Extracurricular: Spanish Club and Knitting Club

Favorite Book: This is a tough question. I enjoy Dan Brown for American fiction. Carlos Ruiz Zafón is great for foreign contemporary fiction. A classic: Don Quijote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Nonfiction: Healthy at 100 by John Robbins. The Joy of Cooking. I tend to read nonfiction, biographies and autobiographies most.

Favorite Movie: Any James Bond movie.

Favorite Food: Another hard question. I eat a great variety of food ....If forced to choose....seafood.

Sra. Grate, with other Alabama educators, as Governor Ivey signed a bill officially recognizing the Global Seal of Biliteracy.

Favorite thing about working at STJ: The students! I keep in touch with many former students and even get wedding invitations from some!

Fun Fact: I have visited 48 countries, backroads and major cities in five continents. I have lived in two other countries besides the U.S.

Faculty Spotlight: Mrs. Maria Light

I teach: Pre-K3 Teacher's assistant

I've Taught for: I worked at Maxwell Elementary/Middle School as an Educational Aide in Kindergarten for 3 years.

Hometown: Miami, FL

High school: G. Holmes Braddock High School

College/Degree: Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management, Faulkner University 2015; Master of Science in Human Resource Management, Troy University 2017

The Light Family

Family: Husband Rob, daughter Eva (7th grade), and son Joseph (6th grade)

Favorite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favorite Movie: Life is Beautiful

Favorite Food: Paella

Favorite thing about working at STJ: The STJ staff and students have welcomed my family warmly. My 12 and 11 year old children are happy to come to school every morning.

Fun Fact: My family and I have a small farm with chickens, goats, dogs and cats.

Faculty Spotlight: Mrs. Hampton Mitchell

I teach: Middle School PE

Ive taught for: 8 months (first year)

I was born: Mobile, AL but Ive lived in Montgomery since 2000

High School: Alabama Christian Academy

Education: B.S. from the University of Montevallo and a Masters of Education in Exercise Science from AUM

STJ extracurriculars: I am the head cross country coach, assistant indoor track coach and assistant girls soccer coach

My favorite book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

My favorite movie: Rudy…fun fact Ive met the real Rudy!

My favorite food: pickles

My favorite thing about working at STJ: getting to know all the students and athletes I get to work with

Fun fact: Ive been skydiving 3 times!

Faculty Spotlight: Mr. Wes Smith

I teach: Honors algebra 2 and Pre-calculus

I've been teaching for: 3 years (1st year at STJ)

Hometown: Fultondale, AL

High school: Fultondale High School

College/degree: Huntingdon College with a bachelors in mathematics

Married to: Kennedy Smith, married for 3 years

Children: Bennett, age 17 months. He will be starting PreK2 at Saint James this fall.

STJ extracurricular: Assistant Trojans Wrestling coach

Favorite book: The Harry Potter series

Favorite movies: anything and all Marvel

Favorite food: chicken wings

Favorite thing about working at STJ: the fantastic community that STJ has built!

#wearesaintjamesschool

Faculty Spotlight: Mr. Adam Osborn

I teach: 9th grade English & World History, Public Speaking

I've taught for: 10 years, this is my 11th! 6 years (college-level), in my 5th year here at the MS/HS level. This is my first year at STJ

Hometown: Lafayette, LA

High school: Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts

College/Degree: Tulane University -- BA in English (History minor); University of Chicago -- MA Program in the Humanities (Middle English Literature)

STJ extracurricular: Just dipping my toes into the world of Speech & Debate

Favorite Book: (This is extremely tough!) The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin

Favorite Movie: (This is also extremely tough!) Pan's Labyrinth, dir. Guillermo del Toro

Favorite Food: Absurdly elaborate sushi

Married to: Joanne Spotswood, fiber artist extraordinaire!

Children: No humans, just two nefarious mutts

Fun Fact: Though I look like a Kenny G fan, my favorite types of music are actually things like punk & heavy metal!

We Love Our Teachers!

Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar. All for the teachers, stand up and holler!

In lieu of our our regularly scheduled faculty meeting, teachers enjoyed a surprise appreciation pep rally on the quad. The Saint James Trojans marching band and varsity cheerleaders performed spirit chants and the fight song. Our Head of School, Dr. McLemore, thanked the teachers and handed out Nancy’s Italian Ice. After a challenging year with many unknowns, our faculty and staff have stayed positive and flexible. We can’t thank our teachers enough!

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool