Extracurricular Activities

Fifth through eighth graders are welcome to join us every other week in an exploration of acrylics.  Students are guided through color mixing, blending, and basic brush work as we travel through different types of paintings to broaden our students' experiences.  

Classes with Mrs. Dewar will be held after school on Mondays beginning in January.

Altar serving is available for boys and girls who have received their first communion. Please contact Jason Markowski for training. 

Mr. and Mrs. Schneider hold tryouts each fall for students from the parish who are interested in joining the church choir.  Students meet every other Wednesday in the school to practice for an hour. 

The choir is featured at many of the Sunday Masses throughout the year, including (and especially!) Christmas and Easter!

Middle school students spend Winter Term working on a play together.  Each March, everything comes together under the direction of Mr. Adam Librande. Students are not just performers; they also build props, put together period-specific costumes, and help build and paint the set. Performances are held in the gym and are open to St. Joseph families and parishioners alike.

2021:  Iowa Smith and the Red Sea Relic

2020:  The Wizard of Oz

2019:  The Adventures of Robin Hood

Our older students take part in National Geographic's Geography Bee each year.  Fourth through eighth graders compete in their classes to determine who knows the most geographic facts and trivia.  The top two members of each class move on to the school competition. The entire school gathers with proud parents as students compete for the top spot each winter.  Don't miss it!

This competition is modeled after the Oregon Battle of the Books, (with occasional omissions of controversial books). Each group has 4-6 members who read twelve books and quiz each other on details.  This culminates in a school-wide competition in February in the Parish Center, and a Regional Competition between teams from the Salem Catholic schools.

Students get a build challenge from Mrs. Dewar and have two weeks to create their masterpiece.  On video day, students bring in their finished products, and describe all of the wonderful details of their piece.

This is an opportunity for students to stretch their imaginations and their design, engineering and building abilities to develop their spatial awareness and thinking outside the box. Challenges will be available on the first and third Wednesday of each month.

Mrs. Jenny Ammon, a volunteer parent from the Marion Soil & Water Conservation District, runs this club after school every other Tuesday at 3 pm.  Students learn how to appreciate the world around them, becoming more aware of reduce, reuse, recycle. Students also maintain salmon fry, releasing them into Pringle Creek each year to help Oregon's consrvation efforts.

Each year teams travel from around the country, Canada, and Mexico to take part in this Roman Catholic trivia contest.  Facts from the Bible, Catechesis, and  history are all fair game as teams battle for bragging rights and prizes.  

Mr. Adam Librande's middle school team took Second Place at the 2018 competition!  

This year, we plan to hold a school-based competition, and possibly a virtual regional one!

Students meet with Pre-K teacher Mrs. Margaret Boyd to learn about American Sign Language and its common phrases. Watch for sign-ups in January 2022 for this class!

Sports club is held every Wednesday from 3:00 to 4:30 in the gym or playground. Students in 5th through 8th grade play organized games, supervised by Mr. Adam Librande and other volunteers. 

Student Government is an opportunity for children to learn about coordinating ideas and activities with a larger group.  Each class elects two representatives to sit on the student council. Students from third to eighth grade get a chance to listen to campaign speeches and vote for officers. Middle school students may run for President, Vice President, Secretary, and Public Relations Director.

Our students get a chance to share their unique talents with all of their school friends. Each year, students come together to watch as individuals, small groups, and entire classes are highlighted as they show off what they've been working on. It's a wonderful way to end the school year!

2:00 pm on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend.

St. Joseph Trail Life Troop OR-1531 is run by St. Joseph alumnus and parishioner, David Wendell. It is open to boys from Kindergarten through 8th grade and beyond. Visit the troop's website for more information. https://stjosephtraillife.com.

First through fifth graders are welcome to join us every Monday to paint together, developing both an understanding of color and the medium, and their experience with art.  In a low-pressure, step-by-step class, students are encouraged to paint together for fun and companionship.  

Mrs. Dewar will host this class after school on Mondays, beginning the first week of October.