LWJE Book Vending Machine Stocked for Another Year! 📚🐯❤️
We are excited to share that Hartley’s Climate Control, LLC has once again stepped up to support our students, generously donating enough to keep the Birthday Book Vending Machine fully stocked for the entire 2026–27 school year!
All year long, LWJE Tigers celebrate their birthdays by choosing a brand new book to take home from a special Book Vending Machine! It’s a tradition that helps students build their home libraries and grow a love of reading, thanks to a project that is especially close to the hearts of our amazing library staff.
Because of our continued partnership, every LWJE student will keep adding new stories to their shelves, one birthday book at a time. Thank you for helping our students turn the page and keep moving forward! #communitypartnerships #stjschools #tigerpride
Today is Missouri Read In Day, a celebration that encourages students, educators, families, and communities across Missouri to take time to read together.
Mr. MacCash's kindergarten class did just that during library time when Missouri Representative Tara J. Peters and Mrs. Maretta Diestlekamp stopped by for Reading with Representatives. They shared two Piggie and Gerald favorites by Mo Willems, then tried their hand at illustrating the dynamic duo.
Moments like this show how strong community partnerships help foster a love of reading and lifelong learning! #ReadInDay #stjschools #tigerpride
Lucy Wortham James Elementary Beta students had an outstanding showing at the Missouri Beta State Convention. A total of 40 students competed at the state level, with 21 students placing in the top 5 across 15 different categories.
Many of the top finishers have qualified to compete at the National Beta Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, this summer:
• 4th Grade Health and Physical Education – 1st Place: Kooper Lorts
• 4th Grade Math – 5th Place: Beatrice Keyes
• 4th Grade Spelling – 1st Place: Emmalynn Davis
• 5th Grade Health and Physical Education – 1st Place: Laci Livengood
• 5th Grade Science – 1st Place: Thatcher Rivers
• 5th Grade Social Studies – 1st Place: Truett Bahr
• Poetry – 1st Place: Keegan Graham
• Color Photography – 2nd Place: Beatrice Keyes
• Painting – 3rd Place: Keegan Graham
• Pottery – 3rd Place: Lydia Moreland
• Quilling – 2nd Place: Fischer Rapp
• Engineering – 1st Place: Grayson Otto, Kooper Lorts, Fischer Rapp, Mason Haywood, Hudson Stack
• Marketing and Communications – 2nd Place: Sila Stubblefield, Brooklyn Bouse, Ellie Deluca
• Musicology – 5th Place: Dallas Fenster, Thatcher Rivers, Tel Chancey, Braelyn Pigg
• Service Learning Showcase – 5th Place: Zoey Colvin, Beatrice Keyes, Claire Dazey
We are proud of our students and their sponsors for representing our district so well. Their dedication and teamwork led to an impressive performance at state, and we look forward to cheering them on at Nationals this summer!
St. James Middle School Beta students delivered an outstanding performance at the recent Missouri Beta State Convention. Their hard work, talent, and dedication were on full display as they represented St. James with pride and brought home an impressive list of honors. Several students earned top placements in their events and have qualified to compete at the National Beta Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, this summer:
• Variety Act – 1st Place: Cash Mendenhall, Cambreigh Chancey
• Small Group – 2nd Place: Hattie Gruver, Blair McCurdy, Leightin Stubblefield, Harper Kemnitzer, Paige Nesbitt
• Book Battle – 4th Place: Asher Keyes, Piper Sandusky, Karris Stites
• Engineering – 3rd Place: Snyder Stack, Connor Otto, Beckett Rapp, Steele Ruble, Gavin Jenkins, Mason McCracken
• Technology – 3rd Place: Asher Keyes, Connor Otto
• 6th Grade Health and P.E. – 1st Place: Rylan Becklenberg
• 6th Grade Language Arts – 4th Place: Henry Freiberg
• 7th Grade Language Arts – 1st Place: Adalyn Dunn
• 7th Grade Mathematics – 1st Place: Charlee Alterauge
• 7th Grade Science – 1st Place: Asher Keyes
• 7th Grade Social Studies – 5th Place: Grahym Felan
• 7th Grade U.S. History – 2nd Place: Collin Watson
• Poetry – 5th Place: Brynlee Lind
• Painting – 3rd Place: Allison Wilkerson
We are incredibly proud of all of our Beta members who competed and represented St. James so well. Their effort, teamwork, and determination led to an impressive showing at the state level, and we look forward to cheering them on as they compete on the national stage this summer!
Kindergarten families recently spent an evening at LWJE stepping into their students’ learning through a winter-themed Parent Night. A variety of stations and activities were set up that reflected what students have been working on in class, giving them a chance to explore, create, and learn together.
It was a great night as families experienced a small glimpse of the learning that happens in kindergarten every day! ❤️🐯🤍
District leaders recently participated in a Behavioral Threat Assessment training led by Glen Moore, MSW, Director of Threat Management for MSBA’s Center for Education Safety and a member of the National Council of School Safety Directors.
This important training helps school leaders better recognize when a student may need additional resources and support. By learning how to identify concerns early and respond appropriately, our team continues working to ensure the safety and well-being of both students and staff. #stjschools #tigerpride
Last week, high school English teacher Arielle Sutton welcomed students into the world of storytelling during a special author visit!
As a published fantasy romance author, Ms. Sutton shared her personal writing journey with English classes, giving students a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, the realities of the publishing world, and the persistence it takes to bring a story to life. She also encouraged students to explore their own creativity and consider how their ideas and experiences can turn into powerful stories.
Opportunities like this bring learning to life and show students that the people guiding them each day are creators too! #AllRoadsLeadForward #stjschools #tigerpride
Mission Monday: Community Makes the Magic! ❤️🐯🤍
Kindergarten McTeacher Night was a wonderful example of what can happen when families, businesses, and schools work together!
Thank you to McDonald's for hosting this fun fundraiser and welcoming our kindergarten families for an evening of connection and celebration. Events like this help strengthen the relationship between our school and the community we serve. A special thank you as well to Country Mart for donating the Dr. Seuss birthday cake that helped make the night even more memorable for our youngest Tigers.
Partnerships like these remind us that when the Tiger Community comes together, our students can shine! #MissionMakers #stjschools #tigerpride
This past Wednesday evening, St. James R-1 High School opened its doors to current 8th-grade students and their families for Freshman Preview Night! It was a chance to step inside the building, explore the halls, and begin picturing what the next chapter of their school journey will look like.
Families heard a welcome from staff, toured the building, and learned more about the academic programs, enrichment opportunities, and extracurricular activities available to high school students. From classrooms and clubs to athletics and career pathways, the evening offered a closer look at the many directions students can take as they begin high school.
Thank you to the high school staff and student leaders who helped host the evening and share what it means to be a Tiger. #MissionMakers #stjschools #tigerpride
Several middle school Tigers have completed every topic in the ALEKS program with 100 percent mastery!
ALEKS adapts to each student’s learning needs and creates a personalized path as they demonstrate what they know. Reaching full mastery takes persistence, focus, and strong problem-solving skills!
These Tigers showed exactly that, putting our Portrait of a Graduate focus on Critical Thinking into action!
Congratulations to our ALEKS All Stars! #CrtiticalThinking #stjschools #tigerpride
Tiger Tots Crawl Into a Classic Story for Read Across America! 🕷️📚🐯
Tiger Tots welcomed special guests from St. James Kiwanis as part of Read Across America! Kiwanis members shared the classic The Itsy Bitsy Spider, helping our youngest Tigers follow the spider’s journey up the water spout. After the story, students jumped right into making their own spider craft, bringing the familiar rhyme off the page and into their hands.
Thank you to the St. James Kiwanis members for spending part of their day reading and creating with our Tiger Tots! #communitypartnerships #stjschools #tigerpride
We are proud to announce that four St. James FFA students have earned their State FFA Degree and will be recognized this April by the Missouri FFA Association. This prestigious honor is awarded to members who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to their chapter and Supervised Agricultural Experiences, truly living out the mission and values of FFA.
Please join us in congratulating our students:
🏅Belle Bolte
🏅Abby Fuhring
🏅JV Meurer
🏅Kate Strackeljahn
We are incredibly proud of your achievements, Tigers! #FFAProud #stjschools #tigerpride
High School ROX Group Explores Careers at The Muny! 🩷🐯🎭
The St. James High School ROX Group took learning beyond the classroom with a career exploration visit to The Muny in Forest Park!
They heard from Cory Smallwood, a 1996 STJ Alum, who now serves as Director of Development at The Muny. She shared her journey from college to a career built on relationships, leadership, and purpose. Tracy Utzmyers, Director of Production, also spoke with the girls about her own path from college dreams to a dynamic role behind the scenes of one of the nation’s largest outdoor theatres.
Their conversation tied directly into familiar ROX topics like assertiveness, healthy boundaries, self-awareness, and clear communication. It also connects directly to our Portrait of a Graduate value to grow Future Focused learners. Through a real-world experience, our Tigers saw what it looks like to grow into a career built on passion and strong relationships.
Thank you to our counselors, Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Fulton, for creating this meaningful opportunity for our students! #FutureFocused #stjschools #tigerpride
Families joined us for Tiger Cubs Parent Night and jumped right into hands-on building fun. Using a variety of materials, students and their families worked side by side to strengthen fine and gross motor skills, explore early math concepts, practice problem solving, and build relationships along the way.
It was a great reminder that some of the best learning happens when we roll up our sleeves and create together! #academicexcellence #stjschools #tigerpride
