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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

Wearing a bright smile, custodian Sean Smith sits on a bench greeting students in the morning. Smith believed that if the first thing students see when they enter the school is someone saying good morning, it will make their day that much better. “Now, if you're walking up that walkway with an attitude, I want [you] to see a cheery face that says ‘hey, I'm glad to see you,’” Smith said.

More than a custodian

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor-in-Chief May 20, 2022

A loving husband. An affectionate grandpa. An attentive dad. A devout Christian. A friend to all staff and students. Like all the behind-the-scenes staff, Sean Smith is more than just a custodian. Smith...

Scroll through to meet some of our newest staff.

Meet the teachers: New staff introductions

Sarah Boland, Staff Writer October 7, 2021

A new schedule, new COVID-19 guidelines and new challenges that come with school during a pandemic are among the challenges the school community is facing. But 12 new faculty members are also navigating...

Girls' cross country captain Charlie Cutelli styles his iconic Ray-Ban sunglasses on the bus on the way to the Stan Nelson Invitational Sept. 9.

The quirky coach diaries

Claire Smout, AWARDS COORDINATOR September 29, 2017

Pathfinder: What quirks or sayings does your coach have that make them unique? “He has this fisherman’s hat that he wears sometimes and makes some funny faces. The main thing I can think of is that...

Headshot of Dietary Aid, Linda Peterson.

Faculty Spotlight: Linda Peterson, dietary aid

Alina Dunder, Staff Writer April 26, 2017

Pathfinder: What was your hometown like? Peterson: [I was born on] September 13, 1951. I was born and raised in Detroit, MI. We could go anywhere as long as we were home when the lights came on, your...

Jessica and Andrew at their wedding May 28, 2016.

Jessica Verweyst lives the love story of a lifetime

Sarah Lashly, COPY COACH April 24, 2017

Spanish teacher Jessica Verweyst met the love of her life, Andrew Verweyst when she was a child and have been married for almost a year. “Our families went to the same church together and so his...

Chris Landig

Throwback Thursday: Chris Landig, SSD teacher assistant

Tyler Hannegan, Staff Writer May 19, 2016

Pathfinder: What high school did you go too? Landig: I went to Mehlville Senior High School. When did you graduate? I graduated in 2006. What were your least and favorite subjects? My...

"It’s funny. Everyone reacts differently to different grammar, and I just like making people laugh," Spanish teacher Jessica Redstone said. "I definitely like bringing humor into the classroom every now and then, but it’s fun to do the same thing with a different group every day. Everyday is a challenge, but also a mystery. You don’t really know how things are going to turn out. Although a lot of people say you know their job is the same thing everyday, you can’t really say that for teaching."

#WhyITeach

Emily Dickson, CONCEPTUAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF May 6, 2016
"My favorite thing about teaching is seeing students get really invested in something they are working on, either something that they are reading or something that they are creating or writing," English teacher Erica Rogers said.
Throwback Thursday: Mario Pupillo, senior class principal

Throwback Thursday: Mario Pupillo, senior class principal

Tyler Hannegan, Staff Writer May 5, 2016

Pathfinder: What high school did you go to? Pupillo: I went Lindbergh High School. When did you graduate? I graduated in 1998. What were your least and favorite subjects? My least favorite...

Throwback Thursday: Tom Herpel, latin teacher

Throwback Thursday: Tom Herpel, latin teacher

Tyler Hannegan, Staff Writer April 21, 2016

Pathfinder: What high school did you go too? Herpel: I went to Brookfield High in Brookfield, CT. When did you graduate? I graduated in 2004. What was your least and favorite subjects? My...

Azar helps Junior Maggie Morse during his Honors Biotechnical Engineering class

Biology teacher Chris Azar set to retire to the lab

Grant Aden, SPORTS EDITOR April 11, 2016
After 16 years of teaching, 2016 is set to be the last for Biology teacher Dr. Chris Azar.