Wenatchee - St. Joseph School

St. Joseph’s began serving the Wenatchee Valley and surrounding areas in 1955.  In the beginning,  four sisters of St. Joseph of Peace instructed a total of 230 students in grades one through four.  We have instructed over 8,500 children since we began serving the valley.  St. Joseph’s presently has a student body of about 170 students.  St. Joseph’s offers an excellent preschool program for three and four year old students and a complete curriculum for kindergarten through grade five.

Academics

St. Joseph’s School offers a complete curriculum that meets all Washington State Essential Learning Standards and Grade Level Expectations. We also offer enrichment including Accelerated Reading, Accelerated Math, Spanish, Computers, Math is Cool, Music, Honor Choir, Physical Education, Jumping Joes, Drama, and Art Smart.

St. Joseph’s graduates continue to excel in the local public system.   Nearly all families contacted in graduate surveys report their children are maintaining honor role status. Middle school teachers routinely report they can tell St. Joseph school students by their behavior, discipline and academic performance.

Our school is one of eight in the Diocese of Yakima recognized by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the form of a monetary grant. This grant, the first of its kind to be given to a private school district in Washington State, cites our school’s remarkably high levels of achievement despite limited finances, as well as the school’s success in helping diverse groups of students achieve at high levels with high expectation, dedicated faculty and staff members, committed and involved parents, a shared value system and strong local administration.  We are proud of our school!

Religious Formation

Our students are taught religion from the perspective of their current developmental learning stage.  Religious instruction integrates the child’s experience of the world and their developing relationship with Jesus Christ.  Each grade has a specific theme that is taught to match that developmental level.  For example, the kindergarten theme is “Jesus Loves You”, first grade focus on “God the Creator”, while the fifth graders focus on the Sacraments.

Along with religious instruction, students participate in weekly school Masses and religious celebrations during the year.  We provide the children with opportunities for Christian fellowship through social functions such as school retreats, sledding parties, ice-skating or picnics.