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The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

English teacher Angela Frye stands behind her desk in her classroom. Frye went through a lot of personal struggles to get to where she is today, and with each step in her life, she carries her gratitude for those obstacles. “Everything happens for a reason. I believe in [the concept of] good energy, good karma, [from] being a good person. Those are things I don't take lightly. [Struggles] build character. You really appreciate everything you have when you have to work for everything you have,” Frye said.

Flashback Friday: English teacher Angela Frye

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer November 24, 2023

What school did you go to? For junior high — we didn't have middle school at the time — I was in Barnwell Junior High. I graduated from Parkway South High School. How was your childhood homelife? It...

Social studies teacher Nancy Sachtleben stands in front of her classroom. Sachtleben attended West in her high school years and returned to the school to teach. “You look back and realize how fortunate you are to be at Parkway West High School. I tell these kids every day to take advantage of this free education. You don't realize where you are. I've had kids that have gone to college and come back, and they're like, ‘I am so much more prepared than some of these other kids.’ And I [tell them], ‘Yeah, you went through Parkway West.’ Kudos to the English department because they get [the students] writing with critical thinking skills. It's just a great school. I'm so fortunate to have gone here and still be here,” Sachtleben said.

Flashback Friday: Social studies teacher Nancy Sachtleben

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer November 17, 2023

What school did you go to? Parkway West Middle [and] High School. The elementary school [I went to], Manchester Elementary, is not there anymore. My kindergarten class is now a Maiden Voyage; that’s...

Business and personal finance teacher Andy Croley stands in front of his 5th hour, Intro to Business. In high school, business was the class Croley enjoyed most. “Business class was my favorite course in high school. I didn't know that was something I wanted to teach coming out of high school, but I wanted a business degree and to own my own business. When I entered university, I thought about a [teaching] avenue. I met with my advisor and looked at different departments. I fell in love with the people in the education department, the professors and the coursework, because it tied right into what I loved about the class when I was in high school. I fell in love with it even more when I was student teaching,” Croley said.

Flashback Friday: Business and personal finance teacher Andy Croley

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer November 10, 2023

What school did you go to? I went to a school outside of Richmond, Va. [called] Scott Dinwiddie High School. It was named after a general in the Civil War. How was your childhood home life? We...

Science teacher Chloe Gallaher smiles at the camera while standing in her classroom.

Flashback Friday: Science teacher Chloe Gallaher

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer November 3, 2023

What school did you go to? I started school in Southeast Missouri. I started kindergarten in Sikeston, Mo., and then I moved to Hayti, Mo. and was there until fourth grade. Then I moved to Arcadia Valley,...

Art teacher Kat Briggs poses for a picture in her art room. Briggs grew up loving art, and now is fulfilling her passion. “My own experiences that I had outside the classroom with my own art teacher made me realize that there are skills that I can use outside of the classroom,” Briggs said. “Encouraging the students and also showing interest in the things that they do, whether it's extracurriculars or their own hobbies and interests that they enjoy doing in their free time, is something I like to [do to] feel engaged with them. The classroom is a snapshot, it's 90 minutes of just seeing somebody in one context, [but] everybody is so much more than that,” Briggs said.

Flashback Friday: Art teacher Kat Briggs

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer October 27, 2023

What school did you go to? I went to a small public school called Sleepy Eye Elementary School. How was your childhood homelife? I had three other siblings, [and] I was the oldest of four....