What are you reading right now? In Mrs. Wantland’s Great Books class, upperclassmen have the opportunity to choose novels that connect to a class theme and explore how those stories connect to the world around them.
Giving students the freedom to choose, think deeply, and make connections is one more way we’re preparing them for what comes next.
Together, We Build Tomorrow!









HOMECOMING WEEK: NASHVILLE NIGHTS! ♥️🤠🐯
Homecoming Week is September 21–25, and it’s taking us straight to Nashville Nights with five days of country-inspired fun for ALL buildings across the district!
🌙 Monday | Hittin’ the Hay
Wear your PJs!
🤠 Tuesday | Country vs. Country Club
Pick your side!
✨ Wednesday | Rhinestone Cowboy
Dress as your favorite country star!
🖤 Thursday | Nashville After Dark
Wear your best black!
🐯 Friday | Tiger Country Pride
Rock your Tiger gear!
Get ready to dress the part and make Homecoming Week one to remember.
Don’t forget, the Homecoming Parade begins at NOON on Friday, September 25, followed by Coronation at 6:15 PM and kickoff at 7 PM. Let’s go, Tigers!


Every day is a great day to be a Tiger! ❤️🐯🤍

Ms. Owen’s class put their critical thinking skills to work right away! Students used a pony bead, markers, and paper to follow the bead’s movement and create a one-of-a-kind design. This hands-on activity built coordination, encouraged problem-solving, and served as a fun starting point for writing. Great job, Tigers!









Great News: FREE Breakfast for All Students! 🥞🐯🍎
We’re excited to share that St. James R-1 will once again offer FREE breakfast to every student during the 2026–2027 school year! Through the federal Provision 2 program, with support from DESE, all students can enjoy breakfast at no cost each school day.
A good breakfast helps our students get a great start to the day and be ready to learn!

Our middle school Tigers are making positive choices, showing kindness, and going above and beyond each day! We love seeing our students recognized for being great Tigers. Keep it up!

All buildings will go to www.wagnerportraitgroup.com to complete their orders.
🍁 Lucy Wortham James Elementary
Friday, September 18, 2026
Password: 3G7U5P5Z
🍁 St. James Middle School
Monday, September 14, 2026
Password: 7G7R5U8X
🍁 St. James R-1 High School
Monday, October 19, 2026
Password: 6H5V5R2R

Jumpstart Tigers is back at Lucy Wortham James Elementary! Each morning, volunteers and staff help students start their day with a little extra care and encouragement. The program gives any student the chance to have their hair styled by a caring adult before class. When students feel supported, they are more likely to walk into the classroom ready to learn and make the most of their day.
A huge thank you to our incredible volunteers and staff for making this program possible. We’re so glad to have Jumpstart Tigers back for another school year!

















We’re kicking off our Tiger Weekly Highlights by celebrating our high school sports participants! Each week, we’ll share a glimpse of the many activities, sports, and clubs that keep our Tigers learning, growing, and getting involved.
We may not capture every group each week, but we’ll keep highlighting our Tigers throughout the school year and celebrating all the ways they get involved!








A big thank you to Phelps Health for sponsoring tonight’s Community Tailgate Party! We appreciate your support of our students, schools, and community and are excited to kick off the season together.
Join us tonight from 5–6:30 PM at the football field before the first home football game. Regular gate fees apply.
Thank you, Phelps Health, for helping make tonight possible!

Mrs. McAfee’s first graders kicked off their year of library visits with their first trip today! They got to know their way around with a library scavenger hunt, finding important spots along the way, and then picked out their very first book to check out.
It was a great visit, and we’re looking forward to plenty more library fun throughout the year!











Mr. Terrill’s ceramics students jumped right into the action on the first day of school! Students spent their first class working with recycled clay and getting a hands-on start to the year.
We can’t wait to see what they create!



















Our educators were busy this week learning, collaborating, planning, and preparing for the year ahead. We’re grateful for the time they’ve invested in growing together and getting ready to welcome our Tigers back!










We had a great turnout across the district for Open House last night! It was so good to see our Tigers, families, and staff together as we get ready for another great year.
We’ll see everyone Tuesday, August 25, for the first day of school!










A big thank you to our custodial and maintenance crews for working hard all summer to prepare our schools for a new year! We appreciate all the work you do behind the scenes to make our buildings shine!





10 Things To Know Before School Starts: Day 10 - Communications! 🐯📲📬
Stay connected throughout the school year! We use Rooms, our website and app, social media, and district notifications to keep families informed.
Find all of our communication channels here:
https://www.stjschools.org/page/communications
We’re better connected when we work together!
#10ThingsToKnow #StayConnected #stjschools

