Local News - April 2003

Families get St. James preview

Principal shares vision for new elementary school

By JEREMY ASHTON, LTN Staff Writer

DENVER — Jennifer Frix just wanted to hear about computers.

Jennifer, a rising third-grader, and her brother, Justin, will be attending the new St. James Elementary School, being built on St. James Church Road, next year.

At Rock Springs, where she goes to school now, Jennifer enjoys being part of the computer club. So the two massive computer labs being built at the new school are very important to her.

“We’re really satisfied with Rock Springs, but we’re willing to give this one a chance,” said Glen Frix, Jennifer’s father. “Who’s to say this one won’t be better?”

The Frixes joined several other families Tuesday night at Lakeshore Presbyterian Church to hear more about St. James.

Structural drawings of the new building were posted for parents to examine, and students were given the chance to name the school’s mascot.

For many, it was the first chance to meet Principal Larry Shouse, who showed photos of the construction and told the families about distinguishing features of the school, including the computer labs.

Shouse also shared about his vision for St. James. He talked about being visible in the school, setting up a broadcast system and establishing clubs for the students.

“What I want to focus my energy on is making sure that St. James an excellent school for these children,” Shouse said.

Like the school, St. James’ PTA is being built from the ground up.

Shouse assembled the officers of the group from the PTAs of the four schools sending students to St. James: Catawba Springs, Iron Station, Pumpkin Center and Rock Springs elementary schools.

At Tuesday’s meeting, PTA President Adrian Parks, whose daughter, Taylor, will be in the second grade next year, encouraged other parents to join the organization and take an active role in the school.

“The PTA is going to be very trend-setting in this school,” he said. “We want to make a positive statement; we want to be the stop and fill gaps for a lot of the needs the school may have.”

Angie Strenke, the PTA vice president and mother of a rising fourth-grader, expects St. James to be a “great addition to Lincoln County” and likes what she is hearing from Shouse.

“Everything he has suggested is a very good idea,” she said. “I’m very impressed with him as a principal.”

Tina Herman’s two children, Cody and Madison, are still a little “apprehensive” about leaving some of their friends behind at Rock Springs.

The two, however, are gradually getting used to the idea of going to a new school. Cody, a rising first-grader, especially liked hearing about the gym and those computer labs Tuesday.

“He said, ‘Mom, we’re going to have 80 computers,’” Herman said.

Meanwhile, the weather seems to be the only thing making Shouse nervous.

Construction has been slowed by rain in recent weeks. Shouse anticipates the school will open as scheduled but joked that his office might temporarily be set up in an unused classroom.

As he looked around the construction site recently, water dripping around him, Shouse began to envision what the first day of school will be like.

“It was just exciting to me … just to look down the hall and know that eventually there are going to be children down that hall, and this building is going to be a-buzz with positive experiences,” Shouse said.

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Staff Writer Jeremy Ashton can be reached at 704-735-3031 or jashton@ltnews.com

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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