Staff and students at St. Joseph School in Lake Orion had two reasons to rejoice last week – the celebration of Catholic Schools Week and the upcoming 50th anniversary of the school.
Catholic Schools Week started on Jan. 26 and continued through Jan. 31. Everyday the students focused upon a different idea: parish, community, nation, volunteers, teachers and students. The staff at St. Joseph’s have added a local twist to the week by including the school’s 50th anniversary.
“We’re just a wonderful school community here,” said Sister Theresa Darga, who heads the school today. “I can’t even begin to say enough about my teachers and students.”
Catholic Schools Week is a joint effort between the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). This year’s theme is “Catholic Schools: Making a World of Difference.” St. Joseph has added the phrase “…For 50 Years.”
According to records, St. Joseph School was opened in September 1952 by five sisters from St. Joseph of Nazareth. Those sisters – Mother Mary Jude, Sister Mary Andre, Sister Rose Michael, Sister Macrina and Sr. Pauletta – lived and taught in the old wing of the school. Around 170 students enrolled that year for grades first through seventh.
“They were invited to come here,” said Sister Theresa Darga. “There was a need in the area, so they were asked to form the school.”
The school building was built proceeding 1952 and everything was completed by the time the sisters arrived. In 1953, the school added an eighth grade, and shortly after that kindergarten was started.
The middle portion of the building, where the media center is now located, was added in 1964. Just this past year, the school opened an addition including 12 new classrooms and three lab rooms for science, art and music. In addition, the middle portion of the building was remodeled to include the new media center, and the older wing was updated.
“This past fall was the first time since the renovations that we’ve had the entire building open and are using everything,” said Sister Theresa Darga.
Today the school still has grades kindergarten through eighth and instructs 381 students with a staff of 43 including 18 teachers. “We’re still growing,” said Darga, “and we still have a waiting list.”
Over the years St. Joseph School has seen a lot of changes from the use of computers in the classroom to the new methodologies of teaching. Parents, students and staff have enjoyed many activities over the years including fairs and luncheons, but one event in the school’s history really stands out as unique.
More than seven years ago, St. Joseph School accepted students by a first-come-first-served basis on a specific registration day. Parents would often come earlier to make sure their students received a spot.
“All of a sudden parents started coming earlier and earlier,” explained Darga. “First they would be here at 6 a.m., then some were showing up the night before.”
However, nothing prepared the sister for what was to come next. Sister Theresa Darga said that she came into work on a Wednesday, registration was that Sunday, and her secretary asked her an unusual question: where should the gentleman who is here early for registration pitch his tent?
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Darga. “It became a big family event. Parents would camp out where the new addition is now for the whole weekend.”
The “family event” started to feature pizza party nights, cook outs and even a celebration picnic on registration day.
“That was when our sixth graders were coming in though, we don’t do things that way anymore,” said Darga. “Now registration is done through a lottery system.”
Aside from the old “camp out,” St. Joseph School holds several other yearly events for families and friends. Every year the school has March is Reading month with the “Young Authors Day,” the middle school science fair, an art fair and ice cream social and volunteer luncheons. “The art fair and ice cream social is a huge event,” said Darga. “Every child has at least two pieces on display.”
This year the school is adding a special luncheon on March 26 just for the moms who have volunteered in the media center over the years.
“I’ve invited around 65 moms to this,” said librarian Elsie Kassin. “Most of these are very special women who worked in the old library and haven’t seen the new media center yet.”
Also being added for the first time is a gathering for alumni on June 1.
“We’re planning a picnic and tours of the school,” said Darga. “Nothing has been finalized yet though.”
And just to emphasize to the students the history of the school, for the community focus day of Catholic School Week staff and students at St. Joseph dressed up in 1950s-style clothing. Rolled up jeans, poodle skirts and “police car” shoes ruled the hallways. Several classrooms even put away VCRs and computers for the day since they weren’t in use yet. “This has been an exciting time,” said Darga. “Everyone enjoys being here.”
“This is just like a home,” added Kassin. “This is my second home in fact – everyone here is just like a big family.”