The St. James R-1 School District Board of Education has approved the hiring of Mrs. Ashlee Johnson as the new Administrative Intern, and she will serve as the Assistant Principal for St. James Middle School for the 2025–2026 school year.
“Our Aspiring Administrators Program was developed to give qualified and interested staff the opportunity to gain more experience at the administrative level,” said Mr. Tim Webster, Superintendent. “It’s exciting to see the program continue to develop future leaders from within our own district. Mrs. Johnson brings a passion for student success and a strong understanding of our middle school culture, and I believe she’ll be a great addition to our administrative team.”
In addition to her participation in the Aspiring Administrators Program, Mrs. Johnson has served in the St. James R-1 School District for five years. She began her career in education in 2018 as a high school special education paraprofessional, followed by three years as a special education teacher at St. James Middle School. For the past two years, she has served as a process coordinator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with special education certification and a master’s degree in educational leadership, both from Columbia College. She is currently pursuing a specialist degree in curriculum and instruction from Missouri Baptist University.
When asked what motivated her to apply, she said, “I’ve been a part of the Aspiring Administrator program for the past two years, and through that, I’ve realized how much I want to step into a role where I can have a bigger impact on student learning. I’ve worked at the middle school for five years now and love the culture here. I’ve always known I wanted a position where I could really make a difference, and this role feels like the perfect opportunity to do that.”
Mrs. Johnson grew up in Rolla and now lives with her partner, Joe, and their two children—Emma, age 10, and Liam, age 3. “Between Emma’s sports and keeping up with Liam, we stay pretty busy,” she said. “When I do have some downtime, I love to read. Family is everything to me, and I carry that same mindset into my work at school.”
“My vision for St. James Middle School is to be a place where every student feels valued and supported, and where we’re all working together to help them succeed,” she said. “I’m excited to align with the district’s mission of empowering students, and I plan to do that by focusing on building strong relationships, keeping high academic standards, and making sure the whole community feels connected.”
Mrs. Johnson will begin serving as Administrative Intern on July 1, 2025.