Who We Are: Then and Now

Sacred Heart Academy was founded in 1863 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. The historic three-story school/convent stood on the corner of Center and Cottage Streets until its demolition in 1972. St. Joseph School was established in 1941 as the elementary-level extension of  Sacred Heart Academy. Archbishop Howard dedicated the original six-room St. Joseph School, located on the corner of Center and Winter Streets, on February 2, 1941. In the early 1950s, two classrooms were added to the south end of the building next to the church. In 1956, the gym and two more classrooms were built facing Cottage Street. In 1959, a two-classroom annex was constructed next to the north side of the church. The basement of the school was remodeled in 1993 due to a fire. The annex was demolished in the summer of 1998 to make room for construction of the Rev. Carl Gimpl Parish Center.

The charism of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary is “In fidelity to the spirit of our Foundress, we collaborate in the church’s mission of education with an emphasis on education in the faith.” The sisters’ early work was primarily with girls. Over time, the school’s charism has developed into serving the educational needs of the parish families as a ministry of the parish. In the long history of the school, these two charisms are complementary, and have allowed a steady continuous history.

Currently the school has 10 classrooms, 3 offices, one practice room for the parish Music Director, a library, a science lab/maker space, and a faculty room. There is an available cafeteria located in the adjacent parish center, and a gymnasium. The school facilities are used extensively on the weekends and evenings for various parish ministries.

St. Joseph Catholic School students appreciate our history while looking toward being prepared for a complex future. We are building the Catholic leaders of tomorrow every day.