Academic Excellence Surrounded by Faith

Accreditation

St. Joseph Catholic School is accredited by Cognia, an international, non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts rigorous, on-site reviews of educational institutions to ensure that all learners realize their full potential. SJS hosted Cognia for an accreditation evaluation in school year 2021-2022 and earned re-accreditation. The next accreditation process will be in 2025-2026.

The Cognia Executive Summary is available here

Virtues and Faith Formation

It is critical to our calling as a Catholic school to form students with the values of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In order to do so, we provide our students with the opportunities to begin good practices that mirror the actions of Christ and His saints. Such actions, known as virtues, are taught to our students through religious education. SJS adopts a different virtue each month, allowing the student the opportunity to practice such actions through the examples found in the Gospels and through a highlighted saintly figure each month. SJS provides such teachings found in the program, Education in Virtue by Lumen Ecclesiae Press. At the end of each month, we highlight a student from each grade level who has made great strides to master the virtue of the month, highlighting these students as Christian Witnesses.

Parents are the first teachers of the faith and this is to begin in the home. As a Catholic School, St. Joseph’s sees that is necessary to provide daily instruction of the Christian faith through our religion classes. In class, students learn the basics of the Christian life by learning how to pray and developing a personal relationship with Christ. With such a foundation in place, students are taught the basics of the faith as understood in the creed, how to read and understand Sacred Scripture, the history of the Church, the development of doctrine, and the life of grace found in the Sacraments.

As a Catholic institution, we believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is the “central act of Christian worship.” (CCC #1324). At St Joseph’s, we believe it is necessary to do so as a community so each Friday at 8:15 AM, we gather as a school for Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church. There, many of our students actively participate in the liturgy as choir, lectors, altar servers, and gift bearers. We invite and encourage all families to share in the celebration of the faith with us.

Formation and expression of the Christian faith is an ongoing matter. At SJS, students will have an annual retreat within their grade level. Students also participate in many different celebrations of the faith such as the Living Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, First Friday devotions, the Parade of Saints, Catholic Schools Week, as well as the feast of St. Joseph, our patron. Such activities are in place to allow the students to experience the fullness of the Christian life, while offering what is good and pleasing to the Lord.

Finally, our faith formation is completed by preparing our students to participate more fully in the life of the Church through the Sacraments. Students in Second Grade prepare for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. Students in the Eighth grade prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation, administered by our bishop in the spring time.

Information for Virtus Online

All parents, grandparents and guardians are required to take the Virtus course to be allowed to participate in campus and off campus activities with students.

Take Course Now

Curriculum

St. Joseph Catholic School provides an academic environment that shapes the social, emotional, and spiritual growth of each of our students. Our program plants the seeds which create a path of academic excellence beginning with Pre-K3 and continuing through the 8th grade.

Pre-School

St. Joseph Catholic School provides early childhood education with Pre-K3, Pre-K4, and Kindergarten classes. With a student-to-teacher ratio of around 9-to-1, our small class sizes allow for more one-on-one instruction with the teacher and help young students shape positive attitudes about their educational journey. Using a hands-on, multi-sensory approach, children explore the curriculum through small group activities designed for age-appropriate learning experiences. Each classroom has a classroom set of iPads for the students to use during center time.

Elementary

St. Joseph Catholic School follows the Louisiana State & National standards. The core curriculum includes language arts, reading, math, science, and social studies. All students also attend religion class. The educational needs of the students are enhanced by computerized instruction with SMARTBoard interactive technology and iPads in every classroom; a computer lab; a library media center for research; and enrichment classes in the areas of art, music, physical education, Spanish, STREAM, and religion.

Middle School

The middle school offers a rigorous curriculum in math, science, literature, grammar, and social studies. Each middle school student has a school-issued iPad for use during class and at home for homework and research. In addition to interactive technology in the classrooms, students are enrolled in enrichment courses including physical education, art, music, and Spanish. Eighth Grade students are given the opportunity to earn Carnegie Credit in 4 courses: Algebra I, Spanish, World Geography, and Health.

Electives

All students have the opportunity, beginning as early as K3, to participate in enrichment courses in the following areas: Art, Music, PE, STREAM, and Library. Beginning in 1st grade, students will also take Spanish. Students that complete 7th and 8th grade Spanish will graduate with 1 carnegie unit for Spanish that transfers to all high schools.

Technology

St. Joseph integrates technology into each classroom by utilizing state-of-the-art interactive whiteboards and a 1:1 iPad plan. Add this to the integrated STREAM and Technology classes, with fully equipped labs, which allows students to experience education with 3D virtual tours, robotics, digital citizenship, online safety and keyboarding and you can see why St. Joseph Catholic School becomes the #1 choice for Catholic education.

Uniform Policy

The St Joseph Uniform Closet – Used uniforms are available on campus in the uniform closet (near the front entrance doors). The uniforms in the closet are in good condition. Parents may access the uniform closet all year long. There is a Uniform Swap held yearly in June, where all the uniforms are organized and displayed. Used uniforms are always available at no cost.

You can view the entire St. Joseph uniform policy here

Where to purchase – Shreveport Gymnastics, Sports World.

Flyers Teaching Falcons

National Honors Society students from Loyola College Prep provide tutoring sessions every Tuesday and Thursday from 305 until 405 each Tuesday and Thursday after school. Parents have the option to register their child for tutoring while it may be recommended for others who seem to need the extra assistance through evaluation and recommendation from school faculty.

NOTE: while students may receive homework assistance, it is not the responsibility of the LCP students to ensure the work is completed.

All programs will be held on full days of school only, since After-School Care is available on those days.

After School Care

The St. Joseph Catholic School After School Care Program will be available to grades K3-8th Grade. The program will be held on full days of school only, so please make other arrangements for any half day dismissal time or conference days. The hours and fees are as follows:

The program will be held in the cafeteria for K5 – 8th grade. The K3-K4 program will be housed in Gremillion Hall, Room 31. Everyone will have a snack and drink when they arrive.

Students in grades 2-8 may work on homework at assigned tables in the cafeteria. One teacher will be assigned to the homework group for supervision and assistance (this does not mean individual tutoring). Students may then go outside to play on the playground supervised by the remaining teachers. The discipline policy for the After-School Care program is the same as the policy for students during the school day and can be found in the St. Joseph Catholic School Parent/Student Handbook, which is distributed at the beginning of the school year.

If you have any questions, please contact the school office by email or phone at 318-865-3585.