Skip to Main Content
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

Daniel Barnes

Daniel Barnes

Andrea Meyers, CJ1 Writer November 6, 2025

“I think good teachers are very intentional about the way they structure and sequence their classrooms. A lot of students just view the assignments as work, whereas I think good teachers view it as opportunities...

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...

Latin teacher Tom Herpel prepares to cut a piece of wood with his table saw. He has enjoyed woodworking for several years now because of the creativity it requires. “With woodworking, I like that you can think of anything and make it a reality, especially if you have the right tools,” Herpel said.

From classics to carpentry

Tiffany Ung, Staff Writer April 22, 2022

Getting a driver’s license is one of the most exciting moments for a teen. The possibilities are endless with the keys to freedom and the family car. However, one of the most important indicators of...

Math teacher Michelle Meers teaches her class about a superstition in her 7th period class. Meers reminds her class of the monthly luck booster a day before the new month. “It just helps them remember what day it is and that a new month is coming up. [It also] perks them up and helps them listen,” Meers said.

Rabbit rabbit

Evan Vaisvil, Staff Writer April 20, 2022

On the first day of every month, students in math teacher Michelle Meers’s class find themselves a part of a unique tradition. Since the 1900s, the Rabbit Rabbit superstition is said to have brought...

Mathematics teacher  Jason Townsend travels with 34 students to experience life outside of America.. “You kind of get really addicted to wanting to travel around to see it all. And I've probably been to 40 of the 50 states and about 20 different countries, but I would love to just keep piling on to that. It's been a lot of fun and you'll learn so much just about different people, different cultures, different, you know, social things, different geographic things,” Townsend said.

Traveling out of his comfort zone

Hayley Hubert, CJ1 Writer February 1, 2022

Outside of school, math teacher Jason Townsend can be found at the podium guiding college students at Maryville University through website and app development. Townsend has over 22 years of high school...