By Susie Rogers, ELA, 5th-8th

After finishing Fever 1793, 6th grade students brought their understanding to life through a creative and meaningful project: the one-pager. This assignment challenged them to go beyond basic comprehension and truly think about the deeper meaning of the story. Each student carefully selected symbols that represented key ideas—resilience, fear, loss, and hope—and explained how those symbols connected to Matilda’s journey.

They also chose powerful quotations from the novel, highlighting moments that revealed character growth and the harsh realities of the yellow fever outbreak. To deepen their understanding students included the historical background of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793, connecting real events to the fictional narrative. A concise summary tied everything together, showing their grasp of both plot and theme.

The final products were colorful, organized, and thoughtfully designed which truly reflected their effort and creativity. Presenting their one-pagers to the class gave students the opportunity to share insights, build confidence, and appreciate the different perspectives of their peers. This project was not only artistic expression but also a powerful way to bring history and literature together in a meaningful,memorable way.

By Susie Rogers, ELA, 5th-8th

There is something powerful about students creating something together — especially when it represents the place they call home. Recently, my homeroom class of 7th grade students collaborated on an original painting for the gala auction, and the result was nothing short of extraordinary.

They began with a simple but meaningful idea: to paint the administration building, affectionately known as “The White House,” as the heart of St. James. From there, their creativity grew. They designed strong roots leading up to the building to symbolize the foundation the school provides — faith, friendship, learning, and character. Along each root, they carefully included the many activities that shape student life from K3 through eighth grade: athletics, chapel, art, academics, service projects, and the everyday moments that make St. James special.

Every student had a hand in drawing, painting, and shading this masterpiece. What started as a blank canvas became a beautiful reflection of shared memories and school pride. The final piece tells a story — not just of a building, but of the growth, experiences, and roots that will carry these children far beyond these grounds.

At the gala, this one-of-a-kind artwork will be auctioned to the highest bidder — a family who will hang it in their home as a lasting reminder of the place where childhood was nurtured, friendships were formed, and foundations were built. It is more than a painting; it is a tribute to the years spent growing and learning at St. James.

By Susie Rogers, ELA, 5th-8th

As my fifth graders dive into The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, they are strengthening more than just their reading comprehension — they are building powerful vocabulary skills that will serve them across all subjects. Before reading each chapter, students complete vocabulary work using a physical dictionary, reinforcing alphabetical order, guide words, and the understanding that many words carry multiple meanings. They practice identifying root words and removing prefixes and suffixes to determine the most accurate definitions. While it can be tempting to rely on quick Chromebook searches, we emphasize the importance of these foundational skills and the deeper thinking they require. Through words like trifle, threshold, reign, stratagem, jollification, spiteful, sulky, and inquisitive, students are learning to slow down, analyze language, and appreciate the richness of words — skills that bring both their reading and writing to life.

By Susie Rogers, 5th-7th ELA

Our 7th and 8th grade students are reading an engaging coming-of-age story, set in the 1980s, that beautifully blends the history of Texarkana with timeless themes of identity, resilience, and community. Because of its strong connections to place, culture, and adolescence, the novel deeply resonates with our students and reflects much of the world they see around them.

The author, Lee Sanders, graduated from Texas High School in 1987. He has graciously agreed to visit our school once our novel study is complete for an in-person Author Talk, offering students a rare opportunity to learn directly from a published writer. As we are reading the novel of a young 13-year-old boy named Noah, students are asked to analyze through poetry, cause and effect, sensory imagery and author’s craft. Students are also asked to analyze point of view, foreshadowing, predictions, and vocabulary. Students are excited to read about Spring Lake Park, Texas and Arkansas high schools, the shuffle, and State Line!

By Susie Rogers, ELA, 5th-8th

Students completed a One Word Project designed to strengthen ELA skills in vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension, writing, and the integration of ideas in a fun and creative way. Each student selected one word to serve as a personal theme and guiding focus for the year, researched its meaning, and chose a relevant quotation that demonstrated comprehension and analysis of text. Students then wrote the definition of their word in their own words, showing understanding of vocabulary meaning and nuance, and created visual illustrations using images and symbols to enhance and clarify meaning. This New Year’s project engaged the students in text analysis, written explanation, vocabulary development, and the effective use of visual elements to communicate ideas clearly.