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
Melissa Ricciardini

Melissa Ricciardini

Zaina Hasan, Staff Writer • October 21, 2025

“[My mom] has been one of the biggest figures in my life. She grew up in a household where she was not expected to get an education outside of high school, and she went on and got a college education....

Leaning on the podium, superintendent Melissa Schneider speaks to Parkway journalism students during a press conference. Schneider joined Parkway in July after working in the Thompson School District in Colorado. “My plan [to bond with students] is to get things on my calendar as much as possible. For example, being in [classes] is very special to me. I am trying to be opportunistic [meeting] kids [and] being in [the school] buildings. I have all the sports schedules and the fine arts schedules on my calendar, so that when I'm available, I can get to them,” Schneider said.

The welfare of the people: does Missouri’s cell phone policy value the state’s motto?

Pathfinder Editorial Board • September 30, 2025

Since its adoption in 1822, the state motto "salus populi suprema lex esto,” has appeared boldly across the Seal of the State of Missouri. This Latin phrase is translated to “the welfare of the people...

President-elect Donald Trump has big plans to change the American education system, promising to dismantle the Department of Education and to restrict federal funding toward schools teaching about critical race theory or gender identity. In our increasingly polarized nation, we need public schools to create educated citizens with critical thinking skills and uncensored history knowledge.“It's almost disgusting how both Democrats and Republicans have politicized getting an education on different cultures and races' history in America. If the schools have the resources and the teachers to be teaching these classes, then they should be strongly encouraged, if not required to be learning this information in a non-political way,” senior Gianna Lionelli said.

Now what?

Pathfinder Editorial Board • November 30, 2024

On Nov. 5, America made its decision. Former President Donald Trump was re-elected for his second term of presidency and, to little surprise, a majority of Missouri counties sided with this ending. The...

“This is my 10th year [teaching] at West. I started teaching because I struggled a lot in school, [but I decided to teach English because] I really like writing. I had a really hard time in high school and learning did not come easy to me in middle school. I would study for tests and still [did] not do well, or [I would] work really hard to write an essay and it just wouldn't come together. Once I got a grip on how to learn at the end of high school and in college, I really wanted to help students who were struggling to break down the learning process and make it easier because school is not easy for everyone. Math might not be your [specialty,] but maybe you're really good at theater, English or something else. So I’ve been helping students find what they are really good at, and [I have strived to] give them the confidence to continue.” - Diana Uffman, English

Diana Uffman, English

Isaiah Meese, Yearbook Contributor • May 16, 2024

A graphic with different parent's rights bills from around America laid over each other and the words "Education Legislation" in red.

Missouri Senate Bill 4 and what it means for our schools

Serena Liu, Editor-in-Chief • June 2, 2023

Missouri Senate Bill 4 (SB4) passed the State Senate in March and is now in discussion at the House. The bill, sponsored by Senator Andrew Koenig of the 15th district — which includes Parkway West ...

“My aunt is an educator. She was education assistant superintendent in a district in Illinois. So growing up not only her but my family in general, my parents and my dad always encouraged me to do different things and seek out the best path for myself but her and education-wise, I kind of mimicked her path when it came to grad school and pursuing my doctorate. She greatly influenced me with all of that. I regret not getting involved in more like clubs when I was in high school. I played sports for the most part. In my high school, you'd have to choose between one of the two. Originally, I always wanted to be in education administration. I wanted to be athletic director. When I first went to school, it was my first go. After being in school and going to grad school and seeing the job of some of the athletic directors and the amount of time they have to put in after school, for supervising activities and other things, changed my focus to the principal route. I found the principal route gives you an opportunity to have a more, more of a positive impact on a large number of students. Everybody doesn't play athletics or do activities. Everybody does go to school. So you have to figure out ways to best, you know, make students as successful as they can in this role,” Heavens said.

Jamaal Heavens, Principal

Lia Emry, Staff Writer • March 27, 2023

14 students from Parkway West High School were nominated the Glory of Missouri awards.

Meet the glories of Missouri

Katie Wallace, Triya Gudipati, and Serena Liu • March 15, 2023

In the early 1920s, 14 virtues were engraved on the Missouri House Chamber walls: knowledge, liberty, equality, law, justice, fraternity, education, progress, honor, truth, virtue, temperance, enterprise...

English teacher Erin Fluchel places Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five” back on her bookshelf. While some staff members were concerned it might cause legal troubles because it contains a sketch of a naked woman’s chest, the district ultimately determined it was not offensive. “Some of these pieces are really powerful, important pieces of dystopian literature that deserve to stay. I think [the book] provides students with a different perspective that kids should be able to access,” Fluchel said.

New Missouri law bans schools from providing “explicit sexual content”

Audrey Ghosh, Opinions Editor • August 30, 2022

On account of a new Missouri law, school librarians and teachers have removed certain content from the bookshelves that was previously available to students. Passed Aug. 28, Senate Bill 775 modifies state...

The influence of religion on public education discussions has grown: we have to protect the secularism of public education while remaining respectful to all groups.

Drawing the line between religion and state

Pathfinder Editorial Board • March 31, 2022

As reporters of our school and community, we believe we must share and respect all student voices. Over the last year, we have covered controversial and underrepresented topics, including gender-neutral...

Dr. Tiffany Besse presents at Principal Lab Day at Halls Ferry Intermediate School in February of 2020. Besse has worked in Francis Howell, Rockwood and Pattonville before joining Parkway. “One of the things that has always been a focus in my previous districts has been how do we keep pushing for those who are ready to move forward and then how do we grab the kiddos who might need a little bit more and how do we pull them along to get them where they deserve to [be]. So that is definitely some of the work that I would like to bring here and some of the equity work here [that] is already going on,” Besse said.

A look into education with Parkway’s new deputy superintendent Tiffany Besse

Mira Nalbandian, Managing Editor-in-Chief • March 29, 2022

As the school year begins to approach its end, Parkway will see several administrators step down from their roles, including Principal Jeremy Mitchell. District-level administration is no different. Next...

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. ...
  10. 12