St. Joseph Catholic School

My two girls go to St. Joseph's school and could not be happier with the education they are getting at the school. I would question the veracity of some of the posts written here regarding severe bullying at the school or a lack of caring. Those may be posted by people with a hidden agenda or who are employed by one of the other private schools in the Athens area. Our experience has been excellent, and although no school is perfect, there is a lot for an involved parent to appreciate about sending their child to this school.
—Submitted by a parent

After mixed results at the public school we enrolled our son at St Joseph. Best more we could have made. Our son starts his 2nd year at SJS and we have been very had with the academics, the facility and he staff. The best part is that SJS is a loving, Christian, family environment that can be seen in all areas of the school. An added bonus is that start with 2012/2013 school SJS is in a brand new facility. Great school, great facility, great people.
—Submitted by a parent

Academics used to be strong at this school and served the students well. The caliber of the middle school teaching has dropped dramatically since the loss of Mr. LeBlanc (social studies) and Mrs. Kurtz (English). Social studies is now taught by the science teacher. Both social studies and science are taught verbatim from the text with no independent thought or analysis. The students take turns reading the text aloud and then are quizzed on what they learned. I doubt these students will be as prepared for high school as they were when the classes were taught by more experienced teachers with a greater knowledge of and love for the subject. We have found the atmosphere to be a safe one. There are some phenomenal teachers and some that are not so great. That is to be expected anywhere.
—Submitted by a parent

My son went to SJS for just over a year. t was the worst experience of our lives. There was constant severe bullying not addressed by staff including physical bullying and when I removed my son I had to supplement him at home to catch up to a rural public schools curriculum. The education here is lacking as well as the lack of control of the children.This was in the elementary school and the children responsible for the bullying were given "Christian Attitude" awards. I would strongly suggest to any parent conserned about their child to find a different school. The school therapist actually told my son not to go play on the playground to avoid being physically abused. This is not a school for people sho are looking for a better place for their children.
—Submitted by a parent

As an alumni, I agree the school is great for lower grades but the middle school lacks... well, a lot. The classes were challenging and teachers were helpful but as for social: My experience at St.Joe's was ruined because of factors that could have been fixed if the staff had taken a more active role in supervising their students. Others who attended before and after me all faced SEVERE bullying in the St. Joe's environment. When problems like such were brought to the staff's attention, all they had to say was: "Kids will be kids."

My daughter loves going to school everyday. We were attending another private school in the Athens area that cost 2 to 3 times the price before attending SJS. SJS provides excellent academics with a loving, caring environment. The middle school offers a challenging curriculum with an outstanding band and arts program. We are looking forward to the new campus opening Fall 2012 with the offering of exstensive sports programs.
—Submitted by a parent

We are very happy with St. Joseph's School. It is the perfect learning environment for our two daughters, who had been in a public school prior to SJS. The school's teachers and principal are caring, compassionate and dedicated to the education of the students. Our girls are being challenged academically and look forward to going to school every day. There is a high level of parental involvement, which is welcomed by the faculty and administration. We are looking forward to the new campus opening in 2012!
—Submitted by a parent

Dislike this school very much. Horrible experience. Teachers have no teaching ability. No control over them, as this lowers the standards greatly. There used to be one good class, but with the social studies teacher fired, the middle school is terrible and all the students are sick of it. There are so many rules that they can't even stand up at lunch without being crudely yelled at. The amount of students decrease every year. I can see why. Horrible school. Better options out there.

The elementary school does a fabulous job of teaching and preparing students for the next level of education. The middle school has done a great job with the Social Studies and English program due to knowledgable and personable teachers, especially Mr. LeBlanc and Ms.Kurtz. The Middle School Math program is good with a caring teacher. Hopefully, the strength of the social studies and English programs will continue depsite the loss of those teachers.
—Submitted by a parent

As one who attended eight years of St Joseph's and is currently putting their second child through the school, it saddens me to say that the negative reviews of the school are for the most part correct, particularly concerning the middle school. I disagree that there is too much emphasis on religion, however. People who say that it should 'supplement' their children's curriculum do not understand the nature of Catholicism. The problem is that there is way too bogus religiosity going on at the moment. All this principal knows or cares about is sports and he treats religion like a group activity that is done for the press. The teachers are good people and the problems (which are real) can be fixed with more experienced leadership and a less stressful parish environment.
—Submitted by a parent

Small class size and more personable school all around.
—Submitted by a parent

I think SJS is a wonderful school . The kids are really great and well rounded. The teachers are very caring and helpful. The academics are strong. They offer a lot of tutorial and counseling. We made a good move!
—Submitted by a parent

Mission statement is not followed at all. Teachers should be caring, loving, compassionate and nurturing. Have only found one in the whole school that is just that. Our child has heard the principal yelling at students while the staff member our child was with was in shock at what they heard. When children need help with schoolwork they are referred out to a student instead of the teachers helping.
—Submitted by a parent

The year my son spent at St. Joes in Kindergarten was the worst in our families life. We will never forget it. I could write 20 pages on the unbelieveable things that went on..... They make you feel like you're not even worthy to even be in their presence. I spent my childhood in catholic schools up north and they were the best. The only thing I wish is that they had in Athens is another Catholic school (and church for that matter) around for some competetion! Catholic schools up north are twice the caliber and HALF the price!?!
—Submitted by a parent

SJS has provided my children with an excellent, well-rounded education. We are a family of Hispanic descent and we have always be treated fairly by Mr. Yarnall and the entire staff of Saint Joseph. We have had a student in the middle school and he was overly prepared for high school. SJS is an excellent school and you cannot go wrong by sending your child to SJS.
—Submitted by a parent

I attended SJS all nine years. The middle school is a major problem. The teachers, with few exceptions, showed no enthusiasm to teach. Their method of teaching was to put on a video for most of the class period, and those who needed explanations were left to ask a student who understood the lesson. On the other extreme, a large group of students worked ahead so much they were months ahead of the pace of the teacher. There was no middle ground. The only reason I was prepared for high school is because I worked ahead on my own. The new principal's disciplinary system was biased & unfair, & I believe my racial status led to unfair treatment of myself and of my family from the principal. I'm sure that will receive many negations, but I know what I experienced. Please look at other options for your child.
—Submitted by a student

St, Joseph prepared my children quite well for high shool. The teachers work hard for less pay because they love the school and the students. Yes, a gym would be an plus, but there are other more important things in creating a well rounded individual. The atmosphere is warm, loving, and accepting of differences. No school is perfect, but I have seen some parents assume that because they pay for the education, that their every whim should be immediately catered to. When this does not happen, then I have seen disgruntled parents who put down, deride, and abuse the reputation of the school and its teachers. St. Joseph gives the ITBS using norms set for the time period in which the test is given. I want to compare my child to others in the country rather than CRCT, which only judges whether GA standards are being met.
—Submitted by a parent

SJS has provided my children with an excellent, well rounded education. The middle school staff did an outstanding job preparing my child for highschool - math and all subjects!
—Submitted by a parent

SJS has been a bitter disappointment since the IHM sisters left. There are some outstanding teachers, but generally once a student leaves 5th grade, the education becomes fill-in-the-blank. I have spoken with parents of students who graduated and most indicate that their student was ill prepared for high school. The middle school science program relies heavily on videos, mathematics is behind most all area middle schools, English focuses very little on writing skills, social studies boils down to stories with little effort to engage in more than learning obscure facts. Despite comments as to the emphasis on religion, the emphasis is more to the display of symbolic ritual. SJS no longer lives according the mission statement to encounter Christ It seems that the church and the school seek more to encounter your bank account.
—Submitted by a parent

As newcomers to St. Joseph Catholic School, Athens we were immediately impressed by the leadership and enthusiasm of the current Principal, Donovan Yarnall. The programs implemented by Mr. Yarnall both academic and faith based have been lauded by the majority of both students and parents of the school. Providing a Catholic education for children is the priority of any parochial school. Though academics are important we offer our students, first and foremost, a foundation in their faith that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Saint Joseph Catholic School is not a private academy and does not promote itself as such. Saint Joseph is a parish school that provides an excellent Catholic Education for any child who seeks it. As parents we feel very fortunate to have chosen Saint Joseph Catholic School for our child s academic and spiritual development. As parents we feel very fortunate that our child spends her days learning from an experienced and dedicated staff in a safe and caring Catholic environment.
—Submitted by a parent