FAQs

• FAQs

  What are your class sizes?
  We have one of the area’s smallest student-to-faculty ratios.  We strive to keep our maximum class size in the low twenties.

  Are students required to wear uniforms?
  Yes. Our uniform varies according to whether your child is in an elementary or middle school grade.

  Do you teach foreign languages?
  Yes.  All students are taught Spanish from Preschool to Grade 8.

  Can my child take a bus to SJS?
  Yes. SJS students are eligible to ride public school buses from their respective school districts that provide bus transportation to our school.  Your local school district can provide you with busing details.  The following districts currently provide transportation:

  Cumberland Valley School District, East Pennsboro School District, Mechanicsburg School District, Northern York School District, South Middleton School District, Susquenita School District, West Shore School District

  How long is the school day?
  School begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 2:45 p.m.

  Does SJS have sports teams?
  Yes. The Parish Athletic Association (Saint Joseph Chargers) offers soccer, track, and basketball programs.
  
  What activities do you offer?
  We have a school band, choir, orchestra, handbell choir, and tone chime choir. We also provide a variety of enrichment clubs in the spring and fall that run for six weeks directly following the school day.

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  What kind of enrichment classes are part of the curriculum?
  We offer art, music, foreign language, technology, library, and physical education classes as part of our regular curriculum.

  What is the role of religion at SJS?
  Saint Joseph School has a deep commitment to providing a fully Catholic learning environment. The school day begins and ends with prayer.  Students in Grades 1-8 celebrate Mass once a week on campus. Religion is a core subject in our curriculum.  Saint Joseph also prepares students to make their first Reconciliation, receive First Eucharist, and receive Confirmation in their home parishes.

  Can my child attend SJS even if our family is not Catholic?
  Yes.  Our admissions policy does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, disability, or religion. All prospective students and their parents should understand that Catholic beliefs and doctrines, as well as Catholic prayer and worship, comprise the cornerstone of Saint Joseph’s mission and identity. Religion is taught as a required subject in all grades. Attendance at weekly Mass is required for all students in Grades 1-8. Non-Catholic students, of course, would not be expected or permitted to partake in Holy Communion.

  What opportunities do parents have to become involved in the school? 
  We believe parents are the primary educators of their children. Parental involvement is crucial to the identity and mission of Saint Joseph School. The Home and School Association coordinates an array of volunteer programs and other opportunities for parents to support and make a difference in the life of the school.