St. Joseph School

Gritch the Witch (aka Kara Evans) read Piggie Pie! to Mrs. Elsinger's 3rd grade class this week at St. Joseph Elementary. "The students were entertained and enjoyed it immensely," commented Mrs. Elsinger. What fun! Thank you, Ms. Evans! #FaithLearningLiving

Explore the benefits of a Catholic education at St. Joseph School!
The ACT test scores for the Class of 2026 surpass both state and national averages, thanks to the rigorous curriculum, dedicated teachers, and diligent students at St. Joseph. The accompanying graphs illustrate the average ACT scores by subject, as well as the percentage of students who achieved college readiness benchmarks.
"To dig a little deeper into that math readiness score, we had 60% or greater readiness in every math topic! Overall, our score was double the national average and triple the state average. I think this says a lot about the success of our program," commented Dr. Karen Ferrer, SJHS Science & Math Teacher.

We invite you to join us for our annual open house event this Sunday, November 1, 2 to 4 PM.

As a part of Red Ribbon Week, Detrich Smith with Arkansas Department of Health spoke to St. Joseph Middle School students on Monday about vaping and the effects of nicotine. #FaithLearningLiving

Today at the school Mass, we recognized our Elementary & Middle School Saints in the Making for October! The virtue of the month was humility. Congratulations to all of our saints!
Kindergarten: Kylie Jordan, Catherine Rehm, Aunnie West
1st grade: Eliana Navarro, Harper McNew, Katherine Rippy
2nd grade: Artie Nixon, Olivia Voegele
3rd grade: Nathan Burmester, Rachel House, Adeline King,
4th grade: Liam Stringfellow, Abby Sublett
5th grade: Grant Bui, Liam Nixon
6th grade: Stella Price
#FaithLearningLiving

At St. Joseph Middle School, 5th grade has been busy learning all about maps! "Throughout our geography unit, students have explored different types of maps, their features, and how maps help us better understand the world around us. Along the way, we have also enjoyed listening to The Map Trap by Andrew Clements, which has been a fun way to bring our geography lessons to life!
To wrap up our learning, students created their very own Personal Interest Maps! Each student chose a topic that was meaningful to them and designed a map featuring at least five real locations, along with important map features such as a title, compass rose, and legend/key.
This project allowed students to put their geography skills to work while showing off their creativity and individual interests. I have loved seeing the variety of topics they chose and the thought and effort they put into their maps!" explained 5th/6th Grade Social Studies Teacher Nicole Gooch. #FaithLearningLiving

Last night, our Lady Bulldogs played their first game in the 2A State Volleyball Tournament in Piggott, Arkansas against the Corning Bobcats. They won in three straight sets 25-12, 25-21 and 25-12. They play again today at 2:00 p.m. against the Taylor Tigers. According to the MaxPreps Division Rankings, both teams are in the Top Five. Taylor is ranked 3rd with an overall record of 25-3-1 while St. Joseph is 5th at 24-4-0. The games can be seen on the AAA site or YouTube according to sources. You can do it, girls! Cross that next bridge leading to the State Finals. --

This past Friday, the Class of 2027 had a day they won't forget completing the Ropes Course at the University of Central Arkansas! "This is the third year the seniors have completed the Ropes Course at UCA. Each year, our seniors grow closer and learn what it means to function as a team as they motivate, cheer, and encourage each other! So very proud of the way they worked together!" commented Senior Sponsor and High School English Teacher Alicia Yrle. #FaithLearningLiving

Save the Date! St. Joseph Interact Club is hosting a Veterans Day program on November 10 at 9 AM in the Spiritan Center Dining Room to honor those who have served in the armed forces. This year's guest speaker will be Lieutenant Colonel Charles Jones, UCA Professor of Military Science. All local veterans are invited to attend!

St. Joseph Kindergarten and First Grade kicked off this week with a field trip to the pumpkin patch in search for the most perfect pumpkins!
"Many students felt confident that they were able to harvest the perfect pumpkin! It was a fun morning followed by a picnic lunch at 5th Ave. Park. Thankfully, many parents and grandparents were able to attend. We were even lucky enough to have Father John join in on the fun!" commented Mrs. Hefley, Kindergarten Teacher.
#FaithLearningLiving

St. Joseph Preschool celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by making homemade corn tortillas with Mrs. Gomez, Director of Multicultural Education Services, and her special guest Leo. "The kids got to make their own tortilla, and we enjoyed some delicious quesadillas. They had so much fun!" commented Ms. Isela Padilla, PreK-3 Teacher.

Quick reminder! Today (10/7/2026) is EARLY DISMISSAL! 12:30 PM for preschool and kindergarten, 12:50 PM for grades 1-6, and 1:00 PM for grades 7-12. Please share this reminder with anyone who is responsible for picking up your child today.

At St. Joseph School, students start their day in prayer and continue with moments of prayer throughout the day. On Friday, Mrs. Hoyt's class felt compelled to stop for moment of prayer at the Grotto and then proceeded to visit the cemetery to pray for the deceased after discussing purgatory and the Holy Souls waiting for entrance into Heaven. "Their hearts are so full of Gods love at an early age! I was incredibly proud of them today! This was just the most spontaneous blessing I have had as a Catholic educator. These kids are going to change the world!" commented Mrs. Hoyt, 4th Grade Teacher. #FaithLearningLiving

At St. Joseph Preschool, Mrs. Middleton played barista on Friday while each student picked a book and enjoyed a "Starbucks" drink with their stuffed animal! #FaithLearningLiving

Ms. Alicia Yrle and Ms. Piper Mullaney, St. Joseph High School English teachers, attended a workshop with Dr. Paul Menzer, who is the inaugural Folger Chair in Shakespeare Studies, Professor and Executive Director of Shakespeare and Performance at Mary Baldwin University, as well as the author and editor of numerous books. Menzer's work explores how Shakespeare has been performed, remembered, adapted, and mythologized across time.
"Dr. Menzer's talk focused on the importance of anecdotes and what they reveal about the actors and audiences of Shakespeare's plays, as well as what they can reveal about the plays themselves. Dr. Menzer also discussed the anecdotes behind Christopher Marlowe's Dr. Faustus. His book, Anecdotal Shakespeare, is one of the texts being studied in Dr. Paige Reynolds's class Shakespeare Now at the University of Central Arkansas," explained Mrs. Yrle, English Department Chair.
#FaithLearningLiving

At the St. Joseph School Mass this week, we recognized our Elementary & Middle School Saints in the Making for August & September! The virtues the students were recognized for were respect & responsibility. Congratulations to all of our saints!
Kindergarten - Jace Luyet, Danielle Thomas, Allie Hensley
1st - Theodore Keith, Jena Burmester, Olivia Graves
2nd - Arlo Manion, Yohan Paramby
3rd - Finleigh Rittman, Gianna Lee, Jack Shaw
4th - Sullivan Jones
5th - Paige Jewett, Ethan Seiter
6th Gianna Paramby, Amelia Stoffle
#FaithLearningLiving

At St. Joseph Middle School, fourth graders have been learning all about personal narratives and even wrote their own this week! "Students learned what a personal narrative is and read several different examples. They learned about sensory details, cause and effect, and figurative language, like similes and metaphors. Students finished out this unit by writing their own personal narrative about a special experience. They worked through the editing process and then shared their finished paper by reading it to the class," explained Mrs. Fullerton, Fourth Grade Teacher. #FaithLearningLiving

Reminder for PRESCHOOL and ELEMENTARY families: THIS Friday, October 2nd, students may bring a small stuffed animal to be blessed in celebration of the upcoming Feast Day for St. Francis. #FaithLearningLiving

At St. Joseph Middle School, 5th graders in Mrs. Gooch's Science class became "Matter Detectives" as they rotated through several stations to investigate different properties of matter. "It was wonderful to see students making predictions, testing their ideas, discussing their observations, and using evidence to explain what they discovered!" commented Mrs. Gooch. #FaithLearningLiving

This year, the St. Joseph Cheer team, led by Cheer Coach Mrs. Anna Schichtl, is selecting a teacher a week to highlight and give their bear “Goldie” to. This week they choose Ms. Eubanks! “I chose Ms. Eubanks as the teacher of the week because she goes out of her way to make the students feel loved, and this is not just sometimes, she does this ALWAYS! She is so kind and will always make it known that you having a good day matters, your opinions matter, and YOU MATTER! I love Mrs. Eubanks because the love she has for each SJS student is so special!” Annabelle Loynachan, cheerleader, 8th grade. Congratulations, Ms. Eubanks! #FaithLearningLiving

The Juniors had a special day on Monday picking out class rings! "The class ring is more than just a piece of jewelry. It represents memories, friendships, accomplishments, and the special years these students have shared at SJHS," comments Mrs. Martinez, Jr. Class Sponsor.