St. Joseph School was established in 1892 by the first pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Father Chalupka. The religious order of Felician Sisters whose main mission was education, were invited from Poland to staff the school. This was their first missionary outpost in New England and they continue their mission at St. Joseph School to this day.
In the first year, ninety children attended the school, and five hundred were enrolled by 1906, indicative of the rapid growth of the parish during one decade. In 1924, fire destroyed the school building leaving 1100 children without classrooms. Under the leadership of Pastor Rev. Anthony Cyran (1910-1933), a new twenty-room school was built and it opened in 1925. The enrollment at St. Joseph School rose steadily, reaching its peak in 1928 with 1105 students and a staff of eighteen teachers. In 1992, St. Joseph School celebrated its 100th Anniversary. The enrollment at the centennial was 197 children.
In 1993, with the appointment of Rev. Msgr. Anthony Czarnecki as pastor of St. Joseph Parish, the school experienced a transformation on both the physical and educational level. The building was in dire need of major repairs. Renovations began with a new roof, installation of new stairs leading to the main entrance of the school, and outdoor lighting. The renovation of the facade of the school brought back its stately appearance. Likewise, the interior of the school was in need of upgrading. New offices for the administration were built, a modern phone and sound system was introduced, a new fire alarm was installed to ensure the safety of the students, and the cafeteria was given a facelift. All the classrooms and corridors were included in this renovation with new paint, carpeting, restoration of the woodwork, and upgrading the electrical system. Although the school building is spacious and presents a pleasant environment for the children, physical improvements both inside and outside of the building are an on-going process.
To keep the school at the highest level of intellectual achievements, the educational transformation included a reorganization of the curriculum, and updating educational tools and equipment. A new science lab was created and furnished with microscopes and micro-projectors, specimen slides, videocassettes and other tools to support laboratory experiments and physical science programs. The library was totally renovated and equipped with new books and charts to accommodate all grade levels. Library computers with CD-ROMs and other accessories were purchased to facilitate the availability of encyclopedic reference data. In 1997, the computers were connected to the Internet and this access to the information superhighway allowed the students to communicate with various schools around the world. This information access allowed our students to verify their achievements with leading schools.
In an effort to remain on the cutting edge, in 1998 a new IBM-compatible computer lab was created with 15 sophisticated computers and the necessary software.
In our continuous effort to bring the latest achievements of technology to Saint Joseph School, in 2005 and 2006 new computers were acquired with the needed software for the computer room and a new lab was established for language arts. Although technology is only a tool in itself and cannot be a substitute for a handbook, nevertheless the computers engage the students and teachers in a special way.
Success in education requires a partnership between the administration, faculty and parents. A new Home and School Association (HSA), founded in 1994, has the responsibility to organize various educational, social and cultural activities for the benefit of the students. The first Student Council was formed in 1995 as a way to introduce the students to a democratic experience, which they will encounter in their pursuits of higher education and subsequent entry into public life.
St. Joseph School, like many other Catholic schools, is an educational and faith community that fosters academic and religious achievements and inspires the value development process of its students. To achieve these goals every effort is made to create an environment that is characterized by high academic standards, discipline and order, a strong sense of community, a highly committed and collegial faculty and parental involvement and participation. Since holistic education involves development of the mind and formation of the heart, the extracurricular activities reinforce the Catholic values and formational process of the students.
The latest and most sophisticated equipment provides the students with important tools not only for learning the fundamentals but also as means to be involved in complicated scientific experiments. In order to properly address our highly competitive society and the increasingly growing demands for excellence, we successfully channel our efforts to enable the children at St. Joseph School to attain the highest standard of knowledge. Therefore, we challenge the ability of the students for continual growth by offering a variety of opportunities to expand their educational horizons.