Six students are advancing to the STATE Career Development Conference in Kansas City this March!
🐯 Keiran Goodridge earned 1st place in Business Finance Series and 2nd place in Marketing Communications Series.
🐯 Lily Bahr and Johnny Perkins placed 2nd in Community Giving Project.
🐯 Johnny Perkins also earned 3rd place in Entrepreneurship.
🐯 Ariana Grate placed 3rd in Principles of Finance.
🐯 Gabriel Adams advanced in Retail Merchandise Series.
🐯 Broc Parsons advanced in Food Marketing Series.
Congratulations to all of our DECA students and Sponsor Mrs. Hance! We are proud of your hard work and leadership. Keep shining, Tigers!










LWJE is proud to recognize our January Students of the Month. This month’s focus was Responsibility.
Throughout January, students across all grade levels worked on classroom challenges that encouraged them to show responsibility in their learning, actions, and choices each day. At the end of the month, teachers selected one student who truly modeled this important trait.
👏 Join us in celebrating our LWJE Students of the Month for January. We are proud of you! 👏







Librarian Hope Hunter recently represented St. James as an invited presenter at the DESE Powerful Learning Conference with colleague Dawn Moore from Hawthorn Elementary in the Camdenton School District. They shared how schools can build a culture of literacy and a genuine love of reading, highlighting the innovative ways St. James is growing a love of reading for students and staff.
Over the past year, Dawn has provided professional development for St. James teachers, and a team of St. James educators also traveled to Hawthorn Elementary to observe literacy practices in action. Together, Hope and Dawn have gathered a wide range of strategies aimed at fostering a real love and joy of reading, not only for students, but across entire school communities.
When we invest in literacy and learning, All Roads Lead Forward! #LifelongLearning #stjschools #tigerpride

St. James R-1 High School Shop and Ag students have been hard at work turning learning into real world experience. Through client-connected projects, students are building skills that prepare them for life after graduation.
Recently, students have been creating:
• Livestock panels
• Hay rings
• Gates
• A chicken house
• Metal frame picnic tables
These projects reflect our Portrait of a Graduate focus on being Future Focused. Students are learning to problem solve, work as a team, follow plans, and take pride in quality work, skills that matter well beyond the classroom! #CTE #stjschools #tigerpride






Ready to Learn, Ready to Shine! ❤️🐯🤍
Jumpstart Tigers helps students begin each morning feeling confident! From braids and buns to mohawks and ponytails, these simple moments are really about care, connection, and starting the day on a positive note.
Thanks to our volunteers and staff who make each student feel special! Jumpstart Tigers is always accepting item donations, which can be dropped off at the elementary office.
#caringrelationships #stjschools #tigerpride










We cruised past the 100-day mark with lots of school spirit and Tiger pride! Students and staff dressed up to celebrate how far we have come and where we're headed next. All Roads Lead Forward at St. James R-1! #100DaysofSchool










Congratulations to our Tigers who were recognized for demonstrating Responsibility in the classroom and beyond. These students consistently show up prepared, follow through, and take ownership of their learning.
Their actions reflect strong character and Social Integrity, a key part of our Portrait of a Graduate!


Students in Mrs. Ortega’s class explored the properties of matter by testing a variety of objects for thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, magnetism, and reflection. Through hands-on investigation, students made observations, asked questions, and drew conclusions based on evidence, practicing Critical Thinking, a Portrait of a Graduate core value.
#CriticalThinking #academicexcellence #stjschools





This week, we are proud to recognize our counselors and the important role they play in our students’ lives. They help students plan ahead while also being there when it matters most!
We are grateful for our amazing counseling teams:
❤️ Lucy Wortham James Elementary: Mrs. Giacolone and Mrs. Dunn
🤍 St. James Middle School: Mrs. Doddema and Mrs. Adams
❤️ St. James High School: Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Fulton
Their care, patience, and commitment make a difference for students at every stage! #MissionMonday #NationalSchoolCounselingWeek #stjschoools

A Place Among Missouri’s Best: All-State Choir! ❤️🐯🤍
The Missouri All-State Choir delivered an impressive performance last week, and we congratulate Brody Branum on earning a place in this prestigious ensemble!
This accomplishment reflects his hard work with Mr. Felan during his choir career, and we are proud to see him represent St. James on the All-State stage! #AllState #stjschools #tigerpride














Anastasiia “Nana” Doreshenko earned the honor of representing St. James at the Lake of the Ozarks as part of the MMEA All-State Collective Ensemble! Twelve students from across Missouri came together to create and perform nine original songs at the conference. The ensemble, blending instruments and vocals, delivered an incredible live performance! Help us congratulate her! #ArtsInEducation #stjschools #tigerpride





First-grade scientists in Ms. Halbert’s class put their Critical Thinking skills to work during their Sound science unit! Using recyclable materials, students designed and created instruments, testing how different materials changed sound. Learning by doing helps our Tigers build problem-solving skills that will carry them far beyond the classroom!
#academicexcellence #stjschools #tigerpride







Congratulations to Zoe Oliver for being published for the second time in the Young Writers anthology! Zoe entered the Stranger Things contest last fall, and her 100-word story was recently accepted for publication. We’re proud to celebrate the creativity and talent of our Tigers! #ArtsInEducation #stjschools #tigerpride

5th grader Julianne Murphy had an amazing day at the 2026 All-State Children’s Choir at Tan-Tar-A! She rehearsed all day with Composer/Clinician Greg Giplin and finished with a beautiful concert performance with almost 200 of her peers from across the state. We’re so proud of her representing our district and showing the power of Arts in Education! #academicexcellence #stjschools #tigerpride


Snowstorms do not stop the work of our Maintenance and Custodial teams! Their dedication shows up every day, in all conditions. Join us in thanking them for the care they bring to our schools! #stjschools #tigerpride



This will be AMI Day #1. Students should complete the assigned AMI work in their packets. If you have any questions, please reach out to building staff. We hope to see you all soon!


Mrs. Mulhall’s agriculture students explored food scarcity worldwide and the factors that contribute to it. Using real-world data, they analyzed regions with the highest levels of food insecurity and compared them to identify shared challenges and causes.
This work highlighted Engaged Citizenship, as students examined a global issue, considered its impact on communities, and shared their learning through collaborative research posters. #academicexcellence #stjschools #tigerpride





Taryn Souders, award-winning author of picture books and mysteries for kids, visited Lucy Wortham James Elementary and St. James Middle School today to meet with our students! Many recognized her work from titles like The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle and Coop Knows the Scoop, both of which have appeared on the Missouri Mark Twain Readers Award lists and are favorites among our own readers. She shared her writing process, how she researches for her books, and what it really looks like to turn an idea into a finished story.
It was a great opportunity for students to see how curiosity, creativity, and persistence come together in the writing process. Thank you to our library staff for making this author visit possible and for continuing to support a love of reading for our students!










