Saint Joseph School is dedicated to the Catholic education of its youth in a Christ-centered
atmosphere. Following the pastoral, "To Teach As Jesus Did," we strive to develop a living
community of positive and faith-filled presence by providing opportunities for study, sharing, and
growth in the light of the Gospel message. We are challenged in Jesus' words to be "light of the
world," and "salt of the earth."
We believe that community is the heart of Catholic education. It is not simply a concept to be
taught, but a reality to be lived. Students, faculty, parents, administrators, and clergy all pray and
share with one another. Frequent liturgies, sacraments, and prayer experiences provide an
atmosphere which focuses on the values and teachings of Jesus.
Together, we work to make our faith "living, conscious, and active." Our dedicated efforts help
us develop a sense of awareness and sensitivity to the needs of all people. Through service to
others, we endeavor to teach our students that we are members of the community of faith, citizens
of the nation, and of the global village. We learn to become responsible for ourselves and others.
By sharing our faith with this sense of community, we communicate a complete vision of the
whole of reality, and a commitment to truth and goodness.
We strive to provide for and ensure the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, moral, and
spiritual needs of our students so that they can discover their uniqueness as individuals. We instill
in our children the importance of academic, moral, and spiritual values. These values foster a
social conscience sensitive to the needs of all, and contribute to the collective dignity, welfare, and
betterment of self and humankind.
Our curriculum challenges our students to be responsible, self-motivated, and self-disciplined. We
want to instill in each child a sense of self-worth, a spirit of discovery and inquiry, and an
enthusiasm for lifelong learning. It is our obligation to provide and atmosphere conducive to
academic achievement, where exploration and greater self-determination are encouraged through
positive adult instruction and guidance. We endeavor to prepare our students to be respectful,
caring members of our world, who are able to celebrate individuality, to build community, and to
use their gifts and the earths's resources wisely.
Convinced of each individual's multiple talents, we actively encourage his/her growth. We
believe that each student has the potential to achieve something wonderful with his/her life. Every
opportunity is provided to enable each student to perform satisfactorily in all subject areas.
Instructional processes, which encourage learning, are offered through listening, inquiry, and
expressing through the art of conversation.
Our curriculum focuses on activities appropriate for the student at all levels of intellectual
development. We seek to promote mastery of basic skills, as well as the skills of communication,
decision-making, problem-solving, creative expression, and study skills techniques. Our teachers
aspire to excel in the art of teaching by challenging each student to develop his/her full potential in
recognizing his/her uniqueness and giftedness.
Using the Gospel as a basis for fostering a positive self-image, we enable our students to search
for their place in the Church and in society. We instill in our students a sense of self-worth, a
spirit of hope and an enthusiasm for responsible learning. Acceptance, encouragement, self-worth, competence, praise, and approval empower students and faculty to treat every aspect of
life as a means of self-development.
Our Christian community encourages students to be strong enough to believe in themselves as
individuals, to respect authority, and to become responsible citizens. We teach effective social
graces, emphasizing the dignity of each person and total reverence for all life. Students learn to
be accountable for their individual actions.
It is our underlying and guiding belief that we are committed to do whatever we can to assist
students, parents, and educators to become as fully mature as possible and to live healthier,
happier, and more effective and productive lives. Our programs are aimed at developing mentally
and physically healthy individuals. We stress the sacredness of the body, and the importance of
protecting it from harmful substances. We are committed to the belief that positive health
practices can be established early, and continued throughout life.
The integration of religious truths and values, with the rest of life, is brought about in Saint
Joseph School. A thematic approach is designed, which infuses social consciousness and justice
concepts into the curriculum. Through our religion curriculum, sacramental programs and (para)
liturgies, our students are encouraged to embrace the Gospel teachings, which enable them to live
in today's ever-changing society.
Within the Saint Joseph School Community of sacred ministry and shared decision-making, both
the Pastor and Principal have important missions. The Pastor, as chief administrator, entrusts
administrative authority to the Principal, who is the immediate leader of the school ministry. The
Principal, as "pastor," promulgates guidelines and policies established by the Diocese of Trenton
and published in the Parent/Student Handbook. These guides are adapted, implemented,
evaluated, and reviewed periodically and cooperatively by the administration and faculty.
Following the curriculum guidelines, developed under the direction of the Diocesan
Superintendent of Schools, we implement instruction under the immediate supervision of the
Principal and subject coordinators. All faculty members are involved in reviewing and selecting
current texts, deciding on programs and materials conducive to meeting the needs of our school
population. Together, the Principal and the Faculty plan the year-to-year development and
improvement of each curricular area so that the school will continue to grow as a place of
education.
Our curriculum provides our students with the necessary tools to function in today's society.
Basic skills, good study habits, and critical thinking are taught sequentially to meet the intellectual
ranges of our children. We encourage the students to achieve the process of intelligent and
creative decision-making. Global education challenges us to address curriculum concerns of
computer education, literacy, foreign language skills, and domestic and global awareness. Our
challenge is to balance academic excellence with societal service - to fashion curricula of
conscience, not just curricula of content.
An on-going process of evaluation by the teacher is used in assessing students. Students'
educational progress is assessed by a variety of formal and informal techniques. The teach
directly observes and collects data of student performance in situations that require application
and transfer of knowledge, as well as cooperation, persistence, and creative skills. Other
authentic assessments include: direct observation of daily work, writing samples, oral interviews
and presentations, portfolios of student work, long-term projects, logs, journals, teacher-and-student prepared tests, book(let) tests, and standardized test scores.
Students are viewed in accordance with their abilities. Capitalizing on our family tradition, we
strive to improve academic achievement through systematic outreach to the home. Progress
reports, report cards, and parent-teacher conferences are scheduled on a regular basis for all
students, and on an individual basis, as needed.
Teachers are observed formally and informally by the Principal, and are given a follow-up
interview with positive reinforcements and suggestions for improving strategies for effective
teaching.
Enthusiastically, our teachers respond to teaching as a ministry. Through effective organization
communication, flexibility, and understanding of our students, our teachers encourage logical and
critical thinking skills, effective study skills, problem solving techniques, and cooperative group
projects in all core disciplinary subjects. Through these competencies, which are realistic,
practical, and achievable, our teachers create an atmosphere of challenge for our students,
enabling them to discover their individual and corporate roles as responsible Christian citizens in
today's society, as well as contributors to its future development.
Partnership. Teachers, who have bonded together by friendship, support, and prayer, celebrate
one another's presence. We take time to enjoy each other's company on an informal and formal
basis by sharing our experiences, respecting our diversity, and being of service. Through a life-giving spirit of collaboration, we promote our professional growth by sharing our diverse talents
and professional expertise (peer visitation, teacher grouping for special skills), for the mutual
benefit of our students, parents, communities, and one another.
Partnership. Teachers act as role models in the formation of Christian values of their students.
Our staff ministers to the individual needs of our children, recognizing that their relationships go
far beyond the role of formal education. We share in the humanness of our students by sharing
their life experiences of joy, spirit, enthusiasm, trials, and challenges, be it in the classroom,
lunchroom, or playground.
Partnership. Teachers and parents are partners in nurturing the growth of our students. We
recognize that our school parents are the primary educators of their children. With mutual respect
and support, we work together to enable each child to reach his/her fullest potential. Many forms
of communication, including a creative Parent-Teacher Association, enable parents and teachers
to dialogue and work together.
Partnership. An effective Catholic educational program proclaims to the students the message of
the Gospel. Students so internalize this message that they live and work in harmony with each
other. They have community with one another. Our students are taught to help each other by
respecting one another's God-given talents and uniqueness. They are mutually supportive to each
other through school and community activities. Leadership and cooperation are encouraged
through positive peer inter-action.